Trechodes kogelbergensis, Geginat, Gernot, 2007

Geginat, Gernot, 2007, A new species group of the genus Trechosia from the Cape region of South Africa (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae), Zootaxa 1469, pp. 43-50 : 44

Trechosia intermedia species group

The T. intermedia species group is erected for three species ( T. intermedia n.sp, T. kogelbergensis n.sp., and T. humeralis ) which in their general external morphology are most similar to T. monticola (Péringuey) . In the T. intermedia species group as well as in the T. monticola species group the posterior discal setiferous puncture is positioned in the 3rd elytral stria. The general shape of the aedeagus is similar to other species of the genus Trechosia but the internal sack bears a series of prominent spines instead of the single large copulatory piece present in most other species of the genus. Further the elytral striae 1–3 are less impressed, the outer striae are less effaced, and also the elytral microsculpture is less transverse than among other known species of the genus. The sum of these characteristic clearly separates the T. intermedia species group from all other species of the genus Trechosia as well as from all other genera of the tribus Plocamotrechini.

As all these characteristics (elytral striation, copulatory pieces of internal sack, elytral microsculpture) are known to vary largely among some members of the subfamily Trechinae I currently refrain from erecting a new genus or subgenus for these species. Instead, all three species are put into a new species group in order to indicate their suspected close relationship.

All three species of the T. intermedia group are geographically restricted to the Cape region of South Africa within the limits of the Cape Floral Kingdom. They are currently only known from their type localities. However, their distribution probably is not strictly localized as all three species are macropterous and show no sign of adaptation to an endogeic life style. The type locations of T. intermedia and T. kogelbergensis suggest that these species require a high degree of humidity. Thus in their ecological requirements they probably resemble the other known species of the genus Trechosia , which all are macropterous and frequently found near open water.