Synuchus nitidus reticulatus Lindroth, 1956

Yin, Wenqi, Zhu, Pingzhou & Shi, Hongliang, 2023, Taxonomic study on the subgenus Orientostichus, the Pterostichus pulcher species group (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Pterostichus), ZooKeys 1175, pp. 163-185 : 163

Synuchus nitidus reticulatus Lindroth, 1956

Figs 43-45

Synuchus nitidus reticulatus Lindroth, 1956: 501 (holotype in ZMC, type locality: China: Prov. Chekiang, Mokanshan).

Tritrichis chinensis Jedlička 1962: 308(type in NMPC; type locality: Kiukiang). Syn. nov.

Pterostichus (Steropanus) chinensis : Sciaky 1996: 430.

Pterostichus (Orientostichus) chinensis : Fedorenko 2018: 111.

Material examined.

Holotype: Holotype of Tritrichis chinensis Jedlička, 1962, ♂ (NMPC) "Kiu-Kiang/ China mer.", “TYPUS” [red label], "Mus. Nat. Pragae/Inv. 26018" [orange label], " Tritrichis chinensis /sp.n./det. Ing. Jedlička” [pink label] . Non-type materials: more than 500 specimens from China (Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi provinces) .

Distribution.

This subspecies is widely distributed in south China: Gansu*, Shaanxi*, Henan*, Anhui*, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi*, Hunan*, Hubei, Chongqing*, Sichuan*, Yunnan*, Guizhou*, Guangxi* (based on our examined specimens, new province records in China are marked by asterisks). The distribution of HEB (Hebei) is most likely a misspelling of HUB (Hubei) in the Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera ( Hovorka 2017). The nominate subspecies Synuchus nitidus nitidus (Motschulsky, 1862) is distributed China (Liaoning), North Korea, South Korea, Russia (Sakhalin Island and Kuril Islands) and Japan.

Discussion.

Tritrichis chinensis was described by Jedlička (1962). Subsequently, Sciaky (1996) treated these two genus-group names Tritrichis Andrewes and Steropanus Fairmaire as synonyms, and this species was assigned to the subgenus Pterostichus Steropanus of genus Pterostichus . Thereafter, based on the original description only, Fedorenko (2018) suggested the placement of Pterostichus chinensis ( Jedlička) within the subgenus Pterostichus Orientostichus . One of us (HS) examined the holotype of Tritrichis chinensis Jedlička in NMPC (Fig. 43 ) and discovered that the specimen belongs to the genus Synuchus as it has non-crossed elytral epipleuron, pectinate claws, broad terminal labial palpomere and a typical form of pronotum in Synuchus . After comparing many specimens (Fig. 44 ) collected from areas near the type locality, Jiangxi, we found that the holotype of Tritrichis chinensis Jedlička is identical to Synuchus nitidus reticulatus Lindroth, 1956 in many aspects of morphology, including the rounded shape of pronotum, the broadly securiform terminal labial palpomere, and the linear microsculpture on elytra. Although the male genitalia of the holotype was not studied, we are confident that Tritrichis chinensis Jedlička is a junior synonym of Synuchus nitidus reticulatus Lindroth.

Figures

Figures 43 - 45. Synuchus nitidus reticulatus Lindroth, 1956 43 habitus and labels of holotype of Tritrichis chinensis Jedlicka, 1962 44, 45 a non-type male specimens from Guizhou, China 44 habitus 45 male genitalia, left lateral view and dorsal view of median lobe of aedeagus. Scale bars: 2 mm (43, 44); 0.5 mm (45).