Pheropsophus bimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1771)

Venugopal, Akhil S. & Thomas, Sabu K., 2019, Bombardier beetles of the genus Pheropsophus Solier 1833 (Carabidae: Brachininae: Brachinini) from Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 4608 (1), pp. 65-89 : 68-70

Pheropsophus bimaculatus ( LINNAEUS, 1771)

( Fig. 1 C , 5 C )

Ssp. Pheropsophus bimaculatus posticalis ARROW, 1901 Carabus bimaculatus Linnaeus, 1771: 532 ; Fabricius, 1775: 243; Olivier, 1795: 65; Dejean, 1821: 3; 1825: 299; Hope, 1838:

100; Motschulsky, 1855: 55; Redtenbacher, 1844: 5; Chaudoir, 1876: 34; Bates, 1886: 200; Andrewes, 1919: 120; 1921a:

153; 1923(1924b): 460; 1930: 271. Ssp. Pheropsophus bimaculatus posticalis Arrow, 1901: 204 ; Andrewes, 1919: 198; 1930: 271.

Specimens examined (n=51): Holotype, labelled “ bimaculatus ”, type in LSUK

Other specimens examined: 43 exs., India: Kerala: Nilambur , 28.II.2016, Hand picking (under stones), coll. S.V. Akhil ; 3 exs., India: Kerala: Palakkad , 26.XI.2017, Hand picking (paddy field), coll. M. Divya ; 4 exs., India: Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore .

Description. Length: 15.8–17.5 mm; TW: 6.2–7.3 mm

Colour: Head yellow; pronotum disc and lateral margin brownish black, with a yellowish spot, oblong, more or less large, placed on each side along the lateral margin; elytra black with yellow spots; antennae, legs yellow; antennal segments 1–4 of lighter shade; underside of body blackish brown; eyes brownish.

Head: With a dark spot somewhat elongated towards the apex extending to the pronotum; two weak longitudinal impressions between the antennae; antennae about half the length of the body; eyes not protruding.

Pronotum: Subcordiform; contracted posteriorly; apical and basal margins straight; hind angles right angled, not protruding; median furrow distinct; a few scattered deep punctures on disc.

Elytra: Nearly twice as wide as pronotum; enlarged towards apex, straight truncated at apex; striations wide, rounded, intervals flat; humeral spot rounded; transverse band rounded with weakly serrated edges; apical yellow band narrow, extends anteriorly along each striation.

Geographical distribution. INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Anaimalai Hills, Kodaikanal, Thirunelveli, Chennai, Coimbatore, Ramanathapuram, Chengalpattu, Madurai, Thiruchirapalli ( Andrewes 1930); Pondicherry ( Andrewes 1930); Kerala: Travancore ( Andrewes 1930), Nilambur (New record), Palakkad (New record); Karnataka: Mysore: Chikkabellapura ( Andrewes 1930); Maharashtra: Pune ( Andrewes 1930); SRI LANKA: Kitugalle ( Bates 1886). Udagama ( Andrewes 1930). Weligama ( Andrewes 1930). Colombo ( Andrewes 1930). Elephant pass ( Andrewes 1930). Avisawella ( Andrewes 1930).

Remarks. In the subspecies P. bimaculatus posticalis the elytral transverse band has united with the humeral spot and covers two-thirds of the elytra, the posterior third of elytra, the sutural line (expanded below the scutellum) and two vestiges below the humerus are black.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus of Pheropsophus from India – A) Pheropsophus andrewesi (Holotype, ‘India: Assam’, ZMHB), B) P. aptinoides (Holotype, ‘East Indies’, MNHN), C) P. bimaculatus (Holotype, ‘Ind.Or.’, LSUK), D) P. cardoni (Syntype, ‘Chota Nagpore, Nowatoli’, ZMHB), E) P. catoirei (Holotype, ‘Bengalia’, MNHN), F) P. chaudoiri (Holotype, ‘Nepal’, BMNH), G) P. consularis (Syntype, ‘Burma’, NMPC), H) P. javanus (Holotype, ‘Java’, MNHN), I) P. lineifrons (Holotype, ‘Ind.Or.’, ZMHB)

FIGURE 5. Pheropsophus male genitalia, Right lateral aspect–A) Pheropsophus devagiriensis sp. nov. (Holotype, ‘India: Tamilnadu: Courtallam’), B) P. indicus sp. nov. (Holotype, ‘India: Kerala: Palakkad’), C) P. bimaculatus (‘India: Kerala: Nilambur’), D) P. lissoderus (‘India: Kerala: Kalpetta’), E) P. occipitalis (‘India: Kerala: Kalpetta’), F) P. picicollis (‘India: Kerala: Chelari’), G) P. sobrinus (‘India: Kerala: Palakkad’), H) P. tripustulatus (‘India: Kerala: Nilambur’). Scale Bar 1 mm.