Molopsis Schatzmayr, 1943

Lohaj, Roman, Guéorguiev, Borislav, Dubault, Gérard & Lassalle, Bernard, 2012, Revision of Molopsis Schatzmayr (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichini), with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 3185, pp. 1-35 : 4-5

Molopsis Schatzmayr, 1943

Type species. Feronia molopina Chaudoir, 1868 by original designation.

References. Tapinopterus (Molopsis) : Schatzmayr, 1942: 51; Schatzmayr, 1943: 119; Straneo, 1986: 122; Kirschenhofer, 1991: 5; Lorenz, 1998: 267; Casale & Vigna Taglianti, 1999: 381; Bousquet, 2003: 518; Lorenz, 2005: 288.

Molopsis: Jeanne, 2005: 284 .

Original definition of Molopsis , translated. “Habitus different from the other Tapinopterus –subgenera, similar to small Molops or Styracoderus ( Carabidae , Pterostichini ). Basal bead of pronotum near hind angles often flattened; elytron without scutellar setigerous puncture and with rudimentary scutellar stria; last tarsal segment without setae ventrally.” ( Schatzmayr, 1943).

Redescription. Medium-sized pterostichine (BL 11.2–16.2 mm), piceous brown to black, smooth, shiny though some females matt. Habitus very similar to Molops s. str., mainly representatives of the “ piceus ” species group, which also represented in NW Turkey by a single polytypic species.

Head relatively large and robust, smooth, with prominent eyes. Frons with two supraorbital setigerous punctures. Clypeus with two long setae, labrum anteriorly with six marginal setae. Mentum with pair of setigerous punctures; tooth prominent and bifide at apex. Submentum with two pairs of setae, outer setae much shorter than inner ones. Glossal sclerite rectangular with two setigerous punctures on anterior margin; paraglossae apparently longer than glossal sclerite. Antennae relative short, reaching anterior angles of elytra, Antennomere I twice as long as II and much thicker then remaining, antennomeres IV–XI covered with dense pubescence.

Pronotum almost as wide as long, or slightly wider than long, with rounded lateral sides. Anterior angles slightly prominent, rounded at apex. Posterior angles distinct, acute ( T. molopinus , T. wiedemanni , T. phrygius ) to rectangular ( T. molopiformis ), without setigerous punctures. Base of pronotum on each side with single modestly deep, smooth (sometimes with fine transversal wrinkles), linear posterolateral impression, spreading over basal third. Median longitudinal impression distinct, not reaching basal or anterior margins. Lateral groove evenly narrow along sides, with single setigerous punctures in anterior third.

Elytra oval or more or less cylindrical, with distinct, finely punctate striae, with rudimentary scutellar stria, scutellar setigerous punctures missing. Third elytral interval with two setigerous punctures (normal 2nd and 3rd dorsal elytral pores in carabids) situated in apical half of elytra; exceptionally with one or three punctures. Umbilicate series consisting of 13–17 pores in all but one species (10 pores in T. relegatus sp. nov., see below); one setigerous punctures at the end of 7th elytral stria.

Mesepisternum without punctation. Last abdominal segment (sternum VII) with two pores ( T. machardi , some specimens of T. phrygius ) or four pores (other species).

Legs relatively short, robust, tarsomeres 1–4 glabrous above, pubescent ventrally. Onychium without setae underneath (except T. machardi - with one or two pairs of setae). Two setigerous punctures on middle coxa, only one on middle trochanter. Three setigerous punctures on hind coxa, including medial one situated below meeting point of coxae; single seta on hind trochanter. Profemur with two setigerous punctures on anterior ventral margin; mesofemur with three medio-ventral seta on anterior margin and 3 (rarely 4) on posterior ventral margin; metafemur with two setae on posterior ventral margin. Mesotibial ctenidium clear but poorly differentiated (as in Molops spp. and Myas ). Males with first three protarsomeres dilated, ventrally with densely arranged adhesive setae.

Male genitalia: Aedeagus relatively large, median lobe rectangulary arcuate and apex variable (ventral view), short and subtriangular (dorsal view) in T. molopiformis to very long, narrow, and hooked at extremity in T. wiedemanni , apical orifice deflected to left lateral position. Left paramere with transverse apophysis; right paramere elongate apically.

Female genitalia: Tergum VIII with convex or subtriangular distal margin and ± short proximal “legs”. Sternum VIII consisting, in most species, of two chitinised plates connected by a membrane which Connected by membrane which is disappeared in T. wiedemanni . Syntergum IX+X long, narrow, bearing a pair of small, articulated ovipositors. Ovipositor consisting of large valvifer and one-segmented stylus (in the most species) or two-segmented stylus (in T. molopiformis ). Spermatheca with seminal canal and receptaculum discrete; receptaculum shorter than seminal canal; spermathecal canal long or short, inserted at junction of receptaculum and seminal canal.

Larvae. Unknown.

Distribution. The presence of T. (M.) molopinus (cf. Chaudoir, 1868) in Europe is doubtful. In Asia, Molopsis inhabit the western half of the Anatolian Peninsula but the eastern limits of the range remain poorly documented at present. The species occur in forested regions, elevated alpine meadows, near wet places, streams, thawing snow, under stones, leaves, and pieces of wood.