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

description: <i>Trechus lama</i> sp. n. (Figs. 66, 93) <b>Type material:</b> Holotype male, with label data “ TIBET (South Central) 29.VI.07, Dulong, Kurum vall. NW Lhasa, 4900–5200 m, ca. 29°42’18N 90°35’16E ”, “south ascent of Tsubu side valley, above Tsurphu Monastery” (BMNH). Paratypes: 21 males, 7 females, with same label data as holotype (BMNH, CKAB, CSCHM). <b>Description:</b> Body length: 3.5–4.0 mm. Colour: Dorsal surface dark brown, shiny, with pronotum in most specimens somewhat lightened reddish brown. Antennae, palpi and legs yellowish brown; in some specimens distal half of antennal segment III or IV and antennal segments IV–XI on the whole darkened. Microsculpture: As described in <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> Head: Temples 4/5 – 5/6 of length of eyes, in some specimens almost as long as eyes. In all other characters agreeing with <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> Pronotum: Proportions: WP/LP = 1.19–1.29, WP/WPB = 1.29–1.36, WP/WH = 1.19–1.23, WE/WP = 1.69–1.79. Sides more strongly concave anterad of hind angles, the latter large, sometimes slightly bent outwards, slightly obtuse or rectangular. Base slightly curved anteriorly at outer fifth. Basal depression rugose both sides of middle of pronotum due to the presence of several small longitudinal wrinkles in addition to the convex surfaces of sculpticells. In all other characters agreeing with <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> Elytra: Broader oval, with proportion WE/LE = 1.50–1.55. Sides with shoulders almost evenly rounded. Striae more deeply punctate. Preapical seta is located close to the second stria and at the beginning of the posterior elytral seventh or eighth. In all other characters agreeing with <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b> Legs: Relatively slender. Male genitalia: Aedeagal median lobe average in length (LE/LA = 2.69–2.88), more strongly curved in basal half, slightly elongate towards apex, but with terminal lamella short; the latter distinctly curved upwards, its base slightly stepped from level of ventral margin of median lobe. Basal bulb average. Internal sac with slightly sclerotized longitudinal sheets below median lobe ostium, without distinct copulatory piece. <b>Etymology:</b> The specific name refers to the Buddhist monks of Tibet, and especially to the monks of the very old Tsurphu Monastery which is located near the type locality of the new species; noun in apposition. <b>Identification:</b> This new species is very similar to the above described <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b>, but differs in having antennae paler, pronotal hind angles larger, basal depressions more distinctly rugose, elytra broader oval, and especially by having aedeagal internal sac only weakly sclerotized. It is also similar to <i>T. folwarcznyi</i> Deuve, 1997, but has larger body size, head, antennae and legs slender, temporae longer and elytra much broader. In male genitalia characters <i>T. lama</i> sp. n. can easily be distinguished from both <i>T. budhaensis</i> <b>sp. n.</b> and <i>T. yeti</i> <b>sp. n.</b>, which also have more slender appendages, broader oval elytra and weak internal sac sclerotisation of aedeagal median lobe, by the much stouter aedeagal median lobe with a shorter terminal lamella which is slightly stepped from the level of the ventral margin of the median lobe. <b>Relationships:</b> This species is the presumed sister species of <i>T. astrophilus</i> <b>sp. n.</b>, see the latter, above. <b>Distribution:</b> Fig. 100. Transhimalaya: Currently only known from the source area of a snow water brook on south western side of middle Tsubu Valley (or Tsurphu Valley) which is the north western side valley of the Kurum Valley north west of Lhasa. <b>Habitat:</b> Higher alpine zone. The specimens were found under stones on gently inclined slopes of eastern exposition and close to small melt water brooks at altitudes between 5100 and 5200 m.
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 55-56, 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."]}