Trechus astrophilus Schmidt 2009, sp. n.
Creators: name: Schmidt, Joachim
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Trechus
Trechus astrophilus

description: <i>Trechus astrophilus</i> sp. n. (Figs. 65, 74, 91) <b>Type material:</b> Holotype male, with label data “ TIBET (South Central) 19.VI.07, Budha Vall. N of Yangpachem, ca. 30°11’07N 90°28’42E, 5300–5600 m ” (BMNH). Paratypes: 52 males, 12 females, with same label data as holotype (BMNH, CKAB, CSCHM, CWR, MNHN, SMNS); 1 male, 1 female, South Central Tibet, Budha Vall. N of Yangpachem, 5000–5200 m, ca. 30°10’56N 90°29’21E, 17–20.VI.07 (CSCHM). <b>Description:</b> Body length: 3.2–3.9 mm. Colour: Dorsal surface dark brown, shiny, with pronotum dark reddish brown. Scapus, basal segment of maxillary palpus and legs yellowish brown; distal half of antennal segment II, antennal segments IV–XI on the whole, second segment and basal portion of the third segment of maxillary palpus darkened. Microsculpture: Supraorbital area and disc of pronotum almost polished, with very faintly engraved meshes, visible under high magnification only (x100). More deeply engraved almost isodiametric meshes in frontal furrows of head and in pronotal basal depression. Slightly engraved slightly transverse meshes on disc of elytra (x60). Head: Average, with eyes small and slightly protruding; temples approximately 4/5 of length of eyes and strongly wrinkled to the neck. Frontal furrows slightly flattened at level of hind suborbital seta. Antennae average, 3 antennomeres extend beyond the pronotal base. Antennomere III slightly longer than antennomere II and IV, both the latter are alike in length. Pronotum: Relatively small, cordate, moderately transverse and strongly contracted towards base; proportions WP/LP = 1.25–1.31, WP/WPB = 1.35–1.39, WP/WH = 1.15–1.20, WE/WP = 1.72–1.81. Surface strongly convex. Sides concave anterad of hind angles; the latter moderately large, sometimes slightly bent outwards, rectangular or slightly obtuse. Marginal gutter narrow, slightly widened anterad of laterobasal depressions. Base rectilinear or weakly convex in middle, more strongly curved anteriorly at outer fifth; basal depressions smooth. Elytra: Oval, broadest almost at mid-length, with proportion WE/LE = 1.48–1.54. Surface strongly convex, not flattened on disc. Shoulders rounded, indistinct. Striae faintly or indistinctly punctate, first stria fully deep impressed, striae II–IV deeply impressed on disc but reduced at base and extreme apex, outer striae shallower, stria VII very faintly impressed but present. Stria VIII moderately impressed from level of the fifth umbilicate pore backwards and more deeply impressed at levels of seventh and eighth pores. Recurrent elytral preapical sulcus connected with the end of the fifth or seventh stria. Intervals I–IV (-V) strongly convex. Preapical seta is located in the third interval distinctly before the end of the second stria and at the beginning of the last seventh of the elytra. Legs: Relatively slender. Male genitalia: Aedeagal median lobe average in length (LE/LA = 2.55–2.78), more strongly curved in basal half, slightly elongate towards apex, but with terminal lamella short; the latter slightly curved upwards. Basal bulb average. The structure of the sclerotized internal sac portion is distinctly bipartite, in dorsal view with a long needle-like copulatory piece which is surrounded by a more sac like sheet. Parameres slender. <b>Etymology:</b> The specific name is derived from the Latinized Greek words “astrum” (starry sky) and “philum” (friend) and refers to the habitat of the new species which extends to exceptionally high altitudes, and which offer ideal condition to watch the stars; adjective. <b>Identification:</b> In external characters similar to <i>T. folwarcznyi</i> Deuve, 1997, but with body size on average larger, with head, antennae and legs somewhat slender, with temporae longer and with antennae darker. Moreover, <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> is easily distinguished from all other species of the <i>T. antonini</i> group by the more extensively sclerotized aedeagal internal sac. <b>Relationships:</b> <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> and the below described <i>T. lama</i> <b>sp. n.</b> together share some conspicuous similarities in the shape of body and aedeagus which are considered to be synapomorphies and therefore, which indicate a sister species relationship: Antennae and legs more slender, elytra more evenly rounded, aedeagal median lobe more elongated towards apex. The above newly described species <i>T. budhaensis</i> <b>sp. n.</b> and <i>T. yeti</i> <b>sp. n.</b> share a similar body shape, however, based on apomorphic charater states of male genitalia both the latter species seem to belong to another evolutionary line which includes <i>T. antonini</i> Deuve, 1997, a species with a shorter head and appendages and with less rounded elytra (see discussion above). Therefore, parallel evolution of similar external body shape characters are very likely in both the sister species pairs <i>T. budhaensis - T. yeti</i> and <i>T. astrophilus - T. lama</i> without indicating close relationships. <b>Distribution:</b> Fig. 100. Currently only known from the source area of the glacier brook of the Budha Valley on south slope of central Nyainqentanglha Shan Massif north of Yangpachem. <b>Habitat:</b> Higher alpine zone. The species seems to be strictly limited to altitudes above 5200 m. Its vertical distribution extends to the upper limit of the alpine zone and adjoins the nival zone. Up to an altitude of 5600 m the species was frequently found under stones on gently inclined slopes in southern and western expositions as well on the top of an older moraine. At its highest occurrences, <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> lives sympatrically with <i>Amara altiphila</i> Hieke, 1995, and with a hitherto undescribed species of the <i>Bembidion baehri</i> group.
description: Published as part of <i>Schmidt, Joachim, 2009, Taxonomic and biogeographical review of the genus Trechus Clairville, 1806, from the Tibetan Himalaya and the southern central Tibetan Plateau (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechini) 2178, pp. 1-72 in Zootaxa 2178 (1)</i> on pages 53-55, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2178.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5312276
description: {"references": ["Deuve, T. (1997) Nouveaux Trechini du Tibet et des regions limitrophes (Coleoptera, Trechidae). Revue Francaise d'Entomologie (Nouvelle serie), 19 (3 - 4), 139 - 154."]}