Stomis exilis ssp. exilis Sciaky & Wrase, 1997

Sciaky, Riccardo, 2024, Review of the Chinese Stomis, with description of nine new taxa and a new key (Carabidae: Pterostichini), Zootaxa 5523 (1), pp. 1-34 : 7-8

Stomis exilis ssp. exilis Sciaky & Wrase, 1997

Loc. typ.: Shaanxi, Qin Ling Shan, 110.06 E, 34.27 N, Hua Shan , 118 km E Xian, N valley, 1200–1400 m .

This species has been described almost at the same time as S. brivioi Sciaky, 1998 , but I unfortunately omitted to compare the two species with each other. The two are clearly similar, but I think that they can be maintained as a distinct subspecies. Although S. exilis ssp. exilis was described upon a single male specimen, several specimens of both sexes have later been collected in the type locality and its vicinity, allowing to confirm the characters exposed in the original description. This subspecies shows little variation in its features, both in shape and size.

Description. Habitus (as in Fig. 7 ). The combination of characters that distinguishes this subspecies are: length 10.7–12.9 mm; integuments very feebly metallic green, smooth and shiny; body rather convex ( Fig. 5 ); legs and antennae dark brown, rather elongated; head moderately broad, but with eyes rather convex, mandibles longer than the rest of the head; pronotum widest at anterior fourth, then rectilinearly constricted towards base; elytra rather narrow, oval, with striae well engraved anteriorly, gradually shallower towards the sides; shoulders angulose and with a very small tooth. Median lobe of aedeagus with apical portion longer than basal portion; in lateral view evidently bent downwards, in dorsal view feebly constricted at apex, with apex rounded and without a small tooth on the left side. Aedeagus as in Fig. 34 . Ratios: El/Pl = 1.92; Ew/Pw = 1.50; El/Ew = 1.43.

Distribution. This subspecies seems limited to the central part of the Qin Ling mountain chain, in the area around the highest mountain of the chain, the Taibai Shan.

Material examined: Shaanxi prov., Zhouzhi Co., Houzhenzhi env., 1200 m, Benes leg.: 1 ♂, 2 ♀ ( CS) ; Shaanxi, Taibai Shan MT ., Tsingling mts. 2200 m, 33° 55’ N 107° 44’ E, V . Siniaev & his team leg.: 1 ♂ ( CS) .

Figures

FIGURES 5–8. Habitus of: (5) S. deuvei ssp. deuvei from Sichuan, pass Zhangla-Nanping (8.5 mm); (6) S. romani from Sichuan, mts. 15 km W Keluodong (9.2 mm); (7) S. exilis ssp. exilis PT from Shaanxi, Taibai Shan (11.2 mm); (8) S. exilis ssp. brivioi PT from Gansu, Dengkagoin (11.3 mm).

FIGURES 32–36. Aedeagus in lateral and dorsal view of: (32) S. deuvei ssp. deuvei from Sichuan, pass Zhangla-Nanping; (33) S. romani from Sichuan, mts. 15 km W Keluodong; (34) S. exilis ssp. exilis from Shaanxi, Taibai Shan; (35) S. exilis ssp. brivioi from (36) S. exilis ssp. pauli HT.