Deltomerodes Deuve, 1992

Yan, Weifeng, Shi, Hongliang, Liang, Hongbin & Shi, Juan, 2021, Two new species of the genus Deltomerodes Deuve, 1992 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Patrobini) from Xizang, China, ZooKeys 1023, pp. 151-169 : 151

Deltomerodes Deuve, 1992

Type species.

Deltomerodes memorabilis Deuve, 1992.

Diagnosis.

The genus can be identified by the following combination of character states: Slender, medium-sized Partrobini , body elongate, length 8.5-12.0 mm; dorsal side black to reddish-brown. Head large with small eyes; first antennomere unisetose or with one seta distinctly longer than the others; two to four pairs of setae between eyes and neck constriction; mandibles normal, right mandible with a tooth beneath basal inner margin; terminal maxillary palpomere fusiform, broadest in middle; submentum with two pairs of setae in males, one to four pairs (usually two) in females. Pronotum ovate, longitudinal, cordate to subquadrate; lateral margins usually with one pair of setae before middle (two pairs in D. memorabilis ); posterior angles usually with one pair of setae (two or three pairs in D. schmidti ). Elytra oblong-ovate, shoulders rather narrow, oblique to slightly angulate; discal setiferous pores present on the third interval, usually also on the fifth and/or seventh intervals; striae more or less smoothed laterally. Thorax with suture between mesepisternum and mesosternum joining anterior margin of mesepimeron. All tarsomeres pubescent dorsally; fifth meso- and metatarsomeres with two to five pairs of setae ventrally. Apical lamella of aedeagus narrow, more or less bent dorsally in lateral view and twisted rightwards in dorsal view; endophallus with two groups of copulatory pieces: the proximal one near middle, usually loop-shaped (straight in D. conaensis sp. nov.); one or two spiniform distal pieces near distal margin of apical orifice. Parameres with short apical projections, left one somewhat obtuse or truncated at apex. Female gonopods dimerous, gonocoxite I glabrous; gonocoxite II thin, with one or two small subapical setae in one fovea; reproductive tract with a well-marked annular sclerotized ring on bursa copulatrix.

Comparision.

Deltomerodes is rather similar to Deltomerus and Platidiolus , and these are the only three genera with tarsi pubescent dorsally in Patrobini . Deltomerus also shares some other characters with Deltomerodes , including: body slender; fifth and seventh intervals of elytra usually with additional discal setiferous pores; fifth meso- and metatarsomeres with several setae ventrally. But Deltomerus is different in many characters: (1) first antennomere plurisetose, with several long setae; (2) submentum with more than two pairs of setae in males; (3) pronotum lateral margins plurisetose before middle (in Deltomerodes , only D. memorabilis with two pairs of mid-lateral setae); (4) all elytral striae distinct, subequally developed; (5) basal loop-shaped sclerite of endophallus absent (in Deltomerodes , only D. conaensis sp. nov. without basal loop-shaped sclerite). Platidiolus is differentiated from Deltomerodes by: (1) smaller size, body length less than 6 mm; (2) apical maxillary palpomere broadest at base, attenuate towards apex; (3) submentum with more than two pairs of setae in males; (4) elytra with discal setiferous pores only on the third interval.