Amara (Curtonotus) banghaasi Baliani, 1933

Fig. 8

Amara (Curtonotus) banghaasi Baliani, 1933: 90 (type locality: Pechino [= Peking, Beijing]; holotype in MSNG).

Specimens examined.

3 males, 5 females (CBJFU), China, Inner Mongolia, Hexigten Banner, Dalinuoer Lake Nature Reserve, 1200 m, 2006.07.06, Hongliang Shi leg. ; 1 female (CBJFU), China, Beijing, Mentougou District, Donglingshan Mt, 40.0252°N, 115.4542°E, 1974 m, 2022. 08.22, Hongliang Shi leg. ; 1 female (CLYH), China, Gansu, Zhangye, Gaotai, near Heihe, 2015.08.07 -09, Deyao Zhou leg. ; 1 male (CLYH), China, Gansu, Zhangye, Gaotai, Hongshahe, 2015.07.30, Deyao Zhou leg. ; 1 female (CBJFU), China, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Lingwu, Lingwu Farm, 2017.08.03, Yidan Zhang leg ; 1 male, 1 female (CBJFU), China, Qinghai, Hainan, 36.42681°N, 100.9955°E, 3323 m, 2019.08.13, Shihao Wang leg.; 1 male (CBJFU), China, Qinghai, Gangca, Qonj Xiang, Qinghaihu bank, 32.1973°N, 99.8039°E, 3200 m, 2017.07.19, Hongliang Shi leg.

Chinese common name.

棒暗步甲 .

Diagnosis.

Medium to large-sized species, BL = 11.5-13.0 mm; dorsum black or dark brown, legs dark brown; head relatively large, more than half length of pronotum maximum width, with two supraorbital setae. Pronotum (Fig. 8B) cordate, widest near anterior third; densely and coarsely punctate at basal region, impunctate or scarcely punctate at mid-anterior region; lateral margins with sinuation long and distinct before posterior angles; posterior angles nearly rectangular or a little acute, apex not protruded. Elytra elongated, widest behind middle, with very strong isodiametric microsculpture; lateral sides of abdominal sternites sparsely wrinkled and punctate. Male mesotibiae projection composed of two denticles (Fig. 8C); proximal denticle very large, acutely pointed, a little after the middle; distal denticle much smaller, present between the proximal one and tibiae apex. Male genitalia with apical lamella shortly triangular (Fig. 8F), slightly bent leftward, narrowed to tip, apex rounded; gonocoxite 2 (Fig. 8G) of ovipositor stout, length ~ 1.5 × greatest width, apex widely rounded.

Comparison.

This species is most similar to A. (C.) fodinae among the eastern Chinese species of Amara Curtonotus . Comparisons between them are provided under the latter species.

Distribution.

China (Beijing, Heilongjiang, Hubei, Liaoning, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia*, Gansu*).

Remarks.

Amara (Curtonotus) daurica Motschulsky, 1844 was recorded from Heilongjiang and Qinghai provinces of China (Hieke, 2017), but there is no reliable record anywhere else in China of this species either from the literature or in our examined specimens. Due to its similar external appearance to A. (C.) banghaasi, we hesitate these records might be based on a misidentification of A. (C.) banghaasi or other similar Amara Curtonotus species.