Platymetopus flavilabris laticeps Dejean, 1829

Kataev, Boris M., 2023, A review of Asian species of the genus Platymetopus (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalini), Zootaxa 5306 (5), pp. 501-536 : 515-519

Platymetopus flavilabris laticeps Dejean, 1829 , stat. n.

( Figs. 6 , 21–31 , 41 )

Platymetopus laticeps Dejean, 1829: 76 . Type locality: “iles Philippines ”.

Platymetopus corrosus Bates, 1873: 270 . Type locality: “Hiogo; Nagasaki ”, Japan and “the Yang-tsze and at Foohow”, China.? Platymetopus obscuripes Schaufuss, 1887: 106 (non Chaudoir, 1878). Type locality: “Sunda-Inseln”.

Dioryche formosana Dupuis, 1912: 324 . Type locality: “Anping (Formose)”, Taiwan.

Type material examined. Syntype of Platymetopus laticeps : female, with labels “ ♀ ”, “ laticeps In. Ins. Philippines ”, “... Eschscholtze ”, and “ Ex Musaeo Chaudoir ” ( MNHN) .

Syntypes of Platymetopus corrosus : 1 male, with labels “ Nagasaki ”, and “ corrosus Bates ” ( MNHN); 1 male, with label “ Foo-chou ” ( MNHN) .

Syntypes of Dioryche formosana : 1 male, with labels “Anping / Formosa / H. Sauter V. 11”, “ Dioryche formosana Dupius ”, “Type”, “TYPUS”, “DUPIUS DET.”, “Syntypus”, “DEI Coleoptera # 200401” ( DEI); 2 specimens (may be not syntypes, since, according to the original description, the type series includes only two specimens): “ Anping ”, “ Formosa, H. Sauter, 1911”, “22.VII.”, “ Dioryche formosanus D. Dupius det.” and “ Paratypus ” ( NRM).

Other material examined. Japan. 2 females, “Japonia” ( ZIN) ; 1 male, “128. ... Japan, Kaaji” ( ZIN) . Honshu : 1 female, Okazaki , 8.VIII.1962, N. Ohira leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 female, Hyogo Pref., Kobe, Rokko Mts., Mt. Maya , forest, 21.VIII.–14.IX.2005, S. Belokobylskij leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 male, 1 female, Osaka, 14.X.2009, Dubovikoff leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 male, Kanazawa env., 31.VII.2006, K.I. Zinchenko leg. ( ISEN) . Kyushu : 2 females, “ Platymetopus corrosus Bates, Laga, Kyushu ” ( ZIN) . Ryukyu : 1 male, Okinawa, Sunabe , at light, 20.V.1945, E. Ray leg. ( FMNH) ; 1 female, same data, but 1–10.VI.1945 ( FMNH) ; 1 male, Okinawa, Iwa , at light, 25.VIII.1945, E. Ray leg. ( FMNH) ; 1 male, same data, but 20–23.VII.1945 ( FMNH) . North Korea (DPRK). Kangwon: 1 female, “ Sempenchan-kori ” [between Wonsan and Tongchon], 27.VI.1900, P. Schmidt leg. ( ZIN) . South Korea. 1 female, “Chiri” [= Mt. Chirisan (= Jirisan )], 19.IX.1900, P. Schmidt leg. ( ZIN) . China. 1 female, with bottom label “ Thunbergii Quensel / Chine merid. / C. Dejean ” and pinned label “Ex Musaeo Chaudoir” ( MNHN) . Fujian: 1 female, “Foochow” [= Fuzhou ], 30.V.1935, M.S. Yang leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 male, same data, but “1935–6” ( ZIN) ; 2 males, 3 females, “ Foochow, Kushan ”, 28.V., 2.VIII., 6.IX., and 14.X.1957, M.S. Yang leg. ( ZIN) . Hong-Kong : 1 male, 2 females, “ Hong-Kong ”, “Thunbergi Sch.., Hong-kong, Chaud. [Ménétriés’ handwriting]” ( ZIN) . Sichuan: 1 male, Moxi env, 1597 m, 9.39491°N 102.06589°E, R. Sehnal & M. Tryzna leg (cSHN). Yunnan : 1 male, Lijiang Pref., Daju , 24–29.VI.1994, E. Kučera leg. (cWR) ; 1 female, Lijiang Naxi Aut. Co., 2 km NW Yongsheng, 54 km WSW Lijiang , 2120 m, 26°41.9′N 100°44.2′E, limestone hill, under stones/plants, 14.VIII.2003, M. Schülke leg. [02] (cWR) ; 1 female, Lijiang Pref., Yangtze River Valley, 5–15 km W Shigu, 26°49′24.1″N 99°53′27.8″E, 1934– 1866 m, 31.V.2002, A. Konstantinov & M. Volkovitsh leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 male, 1 female, [Jingdong Yi Aut. Co.], Jingdong , 1200 m, 9.V.1957, A. Monchadskij leg. ( ZIN) ; 3 females, [Yuanjiang Hani, Yi and Dai Aut. Co.], 20 km NE “Yuankiang” [= Yuanjiang ], 800 m, 24.III.1955, O. Kryzhanovskij leg. ( ZIN) . Philippines. 1 male, 1 female, “ Platymetopus sp. , Ins. Phil. 34, Müller” ( ZIN) . Luson : 1 male, “ Manill. ” [= Manila], “ laticeps Eschs., Philipp. Jn. ” ( ZIN) . Mactan : 1 female, Buyong , XII.1982, C. Frandsen leg. ( ZMUC) . Mindanao : 1 female, Zamboanga del Norte, Gutalac , V.2016 local collector (cWR). Palawan: 1 male, Brookes Point, Uring Urino , 21.VIII.1961, Noona Dan Exp. 61–62 ( ZMUC) ; 1 female, Balabac, Dalawan Bay , 4.X.1961, Noona Dan Exp. 61–62 ( ZMUC) . Indonesia. Moluccas : 1 female, “ Amboine, Felder [ Chaudoir’s handwriting]”, “ Ex Musaeo Chaudoir ” [determined by Chaudoir as P. laticeps and pinned together with the syntype of this species] ( MNHN) ; 1 male, 1 female, “ Ins. Ternate, East India. Dr. Fischer , 1880” ( ZIN) ; Borneo : 1 female, Sarawak, Bintulu env., Similajau National Park , 8.V.1999, P. Votruba leg. (cWR) ; 1 female, “BORNEO— Sapulut / 2.–10.IV.2000 / Barančik F.” (cWR) .

The specimens with intermediate characteristics of P. f. laticeps and P. f. thunbergi : China. Hainan: 7 males, 2 females, Danzhou , SC Tropical Agr. Univ., light trap, 19.50903°N 109.48934°E, 145 m, 16.V.2007, Ge Deyan leg. ( IOZ) ; 2 males, 1 female, same data, but 19.49767°N 109.51508°E, 140 m, 15.V.2007, H.B. Liang leg. ( IOZ) ; 1 male, Changjiang Shilu reservoir, light trap, 19.25192°N 109.08924°E, 132 m, 14.V.2007, H.B. Liang leg. ( IOZ) ; 2 males, 2 females, Ledong, Jianfeng township , light trap, 18.69824°N 108.78957°E, 70 m, 6.V.2007, night, H.B. Liang leg. ( IOZ) ; 1 male, Changjiang County, Bawangling, Dong-er , 19.09901°N 109.17540 m, 1015 m, 10.V.2007, night, H.B. Liang leg. ( IOZ) ; 4 males, 5 females, NE Foluo , station, 18°36′10″N 108°46′21″E, 17 m, 14/ 15.XI.2017, I. Kabak leg. (cIKAB, ZIN) . Vietnam. Lao Cai: 1 male, Lao Cai, at light, 5.VI.1963, O. Kabakov leg. ( ZIN) . Ha Noi: 1 male, 2 females, Hanoi, 4–30.X.1961, O. Kabakov leg. ( ZIN) . Hoa Binh: 1 male, SE Hoa Binh, Cho-ben , 29.II.1963, O. Kabakov leg. ( ZIN) . Thai Nguyen: 1 male, vic. Ngoc Thanh, vic. Me Linh (IEBR station), 21°23′3″N 105°42′44″E, 60–80 m, KL, 11–15.V.2017, A. Weigel leg. ( NME) ; 1 female, same data, but 85 m, LFF, 13.V.2017, A. Weigel leg. ( NME) . Ninh Binh: 2 males, 3 females, 7.5 km SSW of Nho Quan, Dong Tam Vill. , 20°15′08″N 105°44′09″E, 100 m, at light, 1–5.V.2019, A. Prosvirov leg. ( SIEE, ZIN) ; 2 males, 4.5 km SW of Ninh Binh, 20°13′30″N 105°56′11″E, 130 m, at light, 26–30.IV.2019, D. Fedorenko leg. ( SIEE) ; 1 male, 2 females, Cuc Phuong National Park , 20°17.57′N 105°40.05′E, 270 m, KL, 4–9.V.2017, A. Weigel leg. ( NME) . Nghe An: 1 female, Vinh , 6.III.1961, O. Kabakov leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 male, mts W Kui-chau , 200 m, 10.III.1961, O. Kabakov leg. ( ZIN) . Quan Binh: 1 male, Minh Hoa Distr, Yen Hop env., 23.IV.1999, S. Kruskop leg. ( MPU) .

Description. Body length: 6.6–9.3 (m 8.3) mm. Body proportions in Table 2 . Habitus as in Figs. 21–26 .

Head densely punctate on frons and vertex, without microsculpture. Antennae, on average, shorter than in the two preceding subspecies, slightly surpassing pronotal basal margin or (mainly on the islands) not reaching it; infuscate from apical half of antennomere 2 or 3. Pronotum coarsely rugose-punctate, without microsculpture between punctures. Proepisternum finely punctate. Legs black throughout or with tibiae paler (brown) basally. Male genitalia as in Figs. 27–31 , 35–38 , with median lobe generally bent slightly more medially than in the two preceding subspecies; female genitalia as in Fig. 6 .

Distribution ( Fig. 41 ). Based on the examined material and literature, the range of this subspecies occupies Japan, North and South Korea, East and Southwest China (Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan (except for the westernmost part), Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan), Philippines, Borneo, Moluccas (Buru, Amboine, and Ternate), and Western New Guinea. The following records are based on the literature data without examination of specimens: Zhejiang (as P. f. var. thunbergi: Schauberger 1933 ), Guangxi (as P. flavilabris: Hua 2002 ), Guangdong (as P. flavilabris: Hua 2002 ), Macao (as P. f. var. thunbergi: Andrewes & Scott 1924 ), and Buru and Western New Guinea ( Darlington 1968). In Japan, it is recorded from Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Ryukyus ( Habu 1973).

There is a rather wide intergradation zone between P. f. laticeps and P. f. thunbergi in Northern Vietnam and Hainan, inhabited by populations with intermediate characteristics of these two subspecies. In my opinion, the same form is also found on the Paracel Islands, South China Sea ( Lemaire 2017).

Comparison. This subspecies is recognizable by a coarsely rugose-punctate pronotum without microsculpture, combined with the dark legs. The pronotal base is on average wider than in other subspecies.

Remarks. Platymetopus laticeps was originally described from the Philippines and has been considered a separate species until now ( Lorenz 2021), also known from the Moluccas and Western New Guinea (Darlingtom 1968). The description of P. corrosus was based on the series collected in Japan (“Hiogo; Nagasaki ”) and eastern China (“the Yang-tsze [? Jiangsu Prov.] and at Foohow [= Fuzhou, Fujian Prov. ”); it was later treated either as a variety of P. flavilabris ( Andrewes 1930, Csiki 1932, Schauberger 1933) or as a synonym of this species ( Habu 1973). Platymetopus formosanus , originally described from two specimens from Anping, Taiwan ( Dupuis 1912), has been considered identical to P. corrosus by all subsequent authors. I examined the type specimens of these three taxa and found no considerable differences between them, although each with its own individual characteristics. Thus, I refer them all to one subspecies P. f. laticeps .

This subspecies is highly variable in size and body proportions, both within the same population and between differing populations, but without clear boundaries, although some individuals may differ markedly from each other, so dividing it into two or more additional subspecies faces great difficulties. Compared to the specimens from mainland China, the specimens from Japan, Philippines and the Indo-Malay Archipelago are on average smaller [body length 6.7–9.0 mm (m 8.0 mm) versus 7.6–9.3 mm (m 8.6 mm)], have slightly wider pronotum [PWmax/PL 1.62–1.72 (m 1.66) versus 1.59–1.67 (m 1.63)] and shorter antennae ( Figs. 23–26 ). There is also a wide intergradation zone between P. f. laticeps and P. f. thunbergi in Northern Vietnam and Hainan, inhabited by populations having intermediate characteristics of both of these subspecies (pronotum more coarsely punctate than in the nominotypical subspecies and P. f. thunbergi and almost without microsculpture; tibiae generally somewhat pale, occasionally infuscate; in some specimens from Hainan the femora pale) ( Figs. 21, 22 ). A change in characters towards P. f. thunbergi , but to a lesser extent, is already observed in some individuals from Southwest China. It is possible that there is also an intergradation zone between the subspecies P. f. laticeps and P. f. thunbergi in Sumatra and Borneo. According to Andrewes (1930, 1933), Csiki (1932) and Stork (1986), these islands are inhabited by P. f. var. thunbergi and P. f. var. punctulicollis . Habu (1973) also reported pale tibiae in the specimens from Sarawak (Borneo) that he studied. However, two specimens from northern Borneo examined by me are very similar in their characteristics to those from Philippines and should be referred to the subspecies P. f. laticeps . In this regard, the status of P. obscuripes remains unclear. It was described from “Sunda-Inseln” (Indo-Malay Archipelago), without additional details, as similar to P. thunbergi , but with only one red basal antennomere, tibiae not paler than femora and tarsi darker ( Schaufuss, 1887). These distinctive characters well agree with those of P. f. laticeps , so P. obscuripes may be its junior synonym. In opinion of Andrewes (1927: 110), who studied the type of P. obscuripes at MFNB, it is a variety of flavilabris , which seems hardly distinguishable from “ var. thunbergi ”. A re-study of the type and additional specimens from the Indo-Malay Archipelago is needed to determine the status of this taxon.

Figures

FIGURE 41. Platymetopus flavilabris (Fabricius, 1798), distribution. Shaded area: populations with intermediate characteristics of P. f. thunbergi Quensel, 1806 and P. f. laticeps Dejean, 1829.

FIGURES 3–12. Platymetopus flavilabris (Fabricius, 1798): P. f. flavilabris (3, 5, 7–12), P. f. laticeps Dejean, 1829 (6). 3–5, 9, 10, Nepal; 6, China (Fujian); 7, 8, Sri Lanka; 11, 12, Myanmar (Yangon). 3, labium; 4, gonocoxite; 5, 6, laterotergite, gonosubcoxite, and gonocoxite; 7–12, median lobe of aedeagus. Lateral (4, 8, 10, 12), ventral (3, 5, 6) and dorsal (7, 9, 11) views. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 21–22. Platymetopus flavilabris laticeps Dejean, 1829 (transition to P. f. thunbergi Quensel, 1806). 21, Northern Vietnam; 14, Hainan). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 23–24. Platymetopus flavilabris laticeps Dejean, 1829, habitus (Japan). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 25–26. Platymetopus flavilabris laticeps Dejean, 1829, habitus (Philippines). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 27–31. Platymetopus flavilabris laticeps Dejean, 1829, median lobe of aedeagus. 27, 28, Japan; 29, 39, China (Yunnan); 31, China (Fujian). Dorsal (27, 29) and lateral (28, 30, 31) views. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 35–40. Platymetopus flavilabris (Fabricius, 1798):P.f.laticeps Dejean, 1829 (35–38) and P. f.punctulatus (MacLeay, 1825) (39, 40), median lobe of aedeagus. 35, 36, Philippines; 37, 38, Moluccas (Ternate); 39, 40, Sumbawa. Dorsal (35, 37, 39) and lateral (36, 38, 40). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.