Harpalus (Pseudoophonus) tridens Morawitz 1862

Harpalus (Pseudoophonus) tridens Morawitz, 1862

(Figs 40–41)

Harpalus tridens Morawitz, 1862: 245. Type locality: "Hakodate", Japan.

Harpalus (Pardileus) Pecirkai Jedlička, 1928: 93. Type locality: "Sumpanting" [=? Songpan], Sichuan, China. Harpalus (Pardileus) magnodentatus Schauberger, 1929: 190. Type locality: "Tsinchow", Gansu, China.

Harpalus hypogeomysis Huang, 1993: 451, 454, syn. n. Type locality: Beibei, 29°51'N 106°27'E, Chongqing, China. Harpalus (Pseudoophonus) pilosus Huang in Huang & Zhang, 1995: 113,116, syn. n. Type locality: Wuyi Mt., Fujian, China.

Type material. Lectotype of H. tridens [designated by Kataev (1997: 129)]: ♂, with labels "Hakodate, 132–3" and "132, tridens Mor. "; and 4 paralectotypes (2 ♂, 2 ♀) with geographical labels as in lectotype, but with numbers 132–1, 132–2, 132–4, and 132–5 (all in ZIN).

Lectotype of H. pecirkai [designated by Kataev (1997: 129)]: ♂, with labels "Szetschwan, Sunpanting, Exp. Stotzner", " Type ", and " pecirkai mihi, sp. n., det. Ing. Jedlička", "Mus. Nat. Pragae, Inv. 21337"; and paralectotype, ♂, with labels as in lectotype, but number 21338 (both in NMP).

Paratypes of H. pilosus: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, "Fujian, Wuyishan, Sangang, 740 m / light trap, 1982. IX.17, Liao Subai collector" [in Chinese], and " Harpalus pilosus sp. n. 1993.6.23, det Huang Tongling" (IOZ).

Additional material examined. More than 1800 specimens (1686 from China), including the following specimens from Hunan and Guizhou. China. HUNAN: 1 ♂, no additional locality, 6.IX.1987 (IOZ); GUIZHOU: 42 specimens (♂ and ♀), "Kouy-Tcheou [= Guizhou], Reg. de Pin-Fa, Pere Cavalerie, 1908" (MNHN); 1 ♀, 20 km NW of Jiangkou, Fanjing Shan—Kuaichang, 27.V.–3. VI.1995, E. Jendek & O. Sauša leg. (cITO); 1 ♂, Fanjingshan Mts, 25.VI.1986 (IOZ); 1 ♂, "Guizhou, Guiyang / 1981.X" [in Chinese], " Harpalus hypogeomysis Huang, 1993.6.23, det Huang Tongling" (IOZ).

Diagnosis. Well recognizable by the combination of the following characters: pronotum with basal angles sharp at apex; apical spur of protibia markedly dentate at margins (as in Figs 4–6); elytral striae smooth, impunctate; elytral disc in baso-medial portion with distinct transverse microsculpture; all elytral intervals punctate apically; and internal sac of median lobe of aedeagus (Figs 40–41) without any distinct sclerotized elements. Body length 8.8–14.0 mm.

Distribution. China: the north-eastern, eastern and southern parts. The species is known from Liaoning, Hebei, Hubei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong (Kataev et al. 2003). Schauberger (1930) also reported this species from Hongkong. According to Hua (2002), it also occurs in Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu. We provided here the additional material from Hunan and Guizhou.

The species is also distributed in the Russian Far East (the south of Maritime Territory), North and South Korea including Jejudo, and Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu Islands) (Habu 1973; Lafer 1989; Kryzhanovskij et al. 1995; Kataev 1997; Kataev et al. 2003; Moon & Paik 2006).

Remarks. The geographical and individual variation of H. tridens was discussed by Kataev (1997) on the basis of the material available at that time. The species demonstrates variation in shape of the pronotal basal angles, elytral punctation and pubescence of abdominal sternites, with most distinctive specimens occurring in Fujian.

Harpalus hypogeomysis was described from two specimens (the male holotype and the female paratype) collected together in Beibei, Chongqing as similar to H. tridens but differing in the presence of sparse punctation on intervals of elytra. Based on the original description and the male from Guizhou determined by Huang Tongling as H. hypogeomysis (see material above), we consider this taxon as conspecific with H. tridens. Although the elytra of this male from Guizhou are impunctate on inner intervals, the sparse micropunctation is occasionally present in specimens of H. tridens from various localities. Harpalus pilosus was described from seven specimens, all collected in Wuyi Mountain (Fujian), as similar to H. tridens (Huang & Zhang 1995). The synonymization of H. pilosus with H. tridens is based on the examination of the original description and two paratypes (see material above). In our opinion, all distinctive characters mentioned in the original description for H. pilosus are within the variation of H. tridens. Both paratypes have elytral intervals densely punctate and pubescent apically, and protibial apical spur dentate, though, according to the original description, apical spur of H. pilosus is "obtusely angulated laterally, not dentated". The examination of the holotype of H. pilosus will be very useful for confirmation of the present synonymy.