Harpalini Bonelli, 1810

Will, Kipling, 2015, Resolution of taxonomic problems in Australian Harpalini, Abacetini, Pterostichini, and Oodini (Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 545, pp. 131-137 : 132-133

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

Harpalini Bonelli, 1810

Lecanomerus Chaudoir, 1850; type species, Lecanomerus insidiosus Chaudoir, 1850.

Veradia Castelnau, F.L. Laporte de, 1867; type species Veradia brisbanensis Castelnau, F.L. Laporte de, 1867. syn. n.

Lecanomerus brisbanensis (Castelnau, 1867). comb. n.

Material examined.

Holotype, male [MCSN]. Type locality Brisbane. A female specimen, " 26.49S 151.58E [29°49'S / 151°58'E] Yarraman QLD State F. No. 282, 31 Mar. 1982, R.A. Barrett, M. Lenz, L. Miller ”//” Rotten log" [ANIC].

Notes.

Originally this species was placed by Castelnau (1867) near Moriodema Castelnau, 1867, a Moriomorphini taxon, which was then considered to be within Pterostichini . Subsequently it was moved to Harpalini by Chaudoir (1880) and according to Chaudoir it did not differ from Hypharpax W.S. Macleay, 1825. Sloane (1898) agreed with the placement in Harpalini , but deferred on the generic assignment and its possible similarity to Hypharpax . Straneo (1941) thoroughly reviewed the pertinent literature and studied the type specimen of Veradia brisbanensis . He concurred with the placement in Harpalini and suggested there were similarities with Nemaglossa Sloane, 1920 (= Lecanomerus Chaudoir, 1850, not Nemaglossa Solier, 1849), Euthenarus Bates, 1874 and Diaphoromerus Chaudoir, 1843 (= Notiobia (Anisotarsus) Chaudoir, 1843). These taxa fall in three different tribes of Harpalini and Straneo pointed out that without access to Australian material for comparison that he could not make a decision regarding the status or relationships of the genus and species. Moore et al. (1987) maintained the genus in Harpalitae incertae sedis, accurately reflecting the uncertainty of the placement of the taxon at that time.

I examined the holotype and confirm that it has typical Harpalini character states, e.g. single supraorbital seta and no elytral plica, and does not have any character states that would place it in any other tribe. Additionally the male has the front and middle tarsomeres expanded with spongy ventral pads, the penultimate labial palpomere is bisetose, the posterior lateromarginal seta of pronotum is absent and the angular base of stria 1 is absent. This combination of character states is consistent with placement of this taxon in subtribe Pelmatellina and is identical to the state combination found in many Australia Lecanomerus species. Based on this evidence, Veradia is considered a junior synonym of Lecanomerus .

A search in the holdings of the ANIC and QM did not yield any additional specimens of this species beyond the single female, but at least six very similar looking Lecanomerus species were found. Each was distinctly different, but all are very likely closely related based on their general similarity. How many of these are currently named species cannot be assessed without recourse to the types.