26. Tychius urbanus Faust, 1885

(Figures 81–84, 203–206, 287–288, 329, 342, 354, 385, 420, 449, 476)

Tychius urbanus Faust, 1885: 184 . Caldara, 1986: 179.

Lepidotychius urbanus desertus Franz, 1940: 14 . Caldara, 1986: 179 ( Tychius)

Material examined. CHINA: Xinjiang: Shache (1280m), 7-VI-1959 , leg Changqing Li (1); Tulufan (20–140 m), 24- VI-1958 , leg Guang Wang (3); Shanshan (22–550 m), 20-VI-1958 , leg Changqing Li (1); Tuokexun, 21-VI-1955 (1).

Redescription. Length 2.10–2.70 mm (Fig. 81–84). Vestiture on dorsum uniformly grayish to pale brown, paler on interstria 1 and sides of elytra. Rostrum (Fig. 203–206) curved (Rl/Rw 4.50–5.21 in male, 5.20–5.23 in female; Rl/Pl 0.84–0.90 in male, 0.92–0.98 in female), at apex subparallel-sided in dorsal view and tapered in lateral view, distinctly sexually dimorphic. Pronotum (Pw/Pl 1.10–1.20) curved at sides from base to apex, narrower than elytra (Ew/Pw 1.21–1.42). Elytra suboval (El/Ew 1.27–1.50). Femora (Fig. 287–288) unarmed, tibiae (Fig. 329) without sexual characters. Third tarsomere wider than second tarsomere (Fig. 342). Claws (Fig. 354) with small medial teeth as long as half of claw, fastened to claw in basal half. Male genitalia: body of penis (Fig. 385) stout at basal 2/3, narrow at apex (Fig. 420), nearly as long as apodeme. Female genitalia: spermatheca see Fig. 449; spiculum ventrale (Fig. 476) with thin arms spaced in basal third but distinctly narrowing to middle, then completely joined to apex.

Remarks and comparative notes. This species is distinguishable from the other Chinese species of the group by the shape of the rostrum and especially by the pronotum which has more curved sides especially towards the base.

Biology. This species lives on Alhagi pseudalhagi (M. Bieb.) Desv. ex B. Keller & Shap. in Central Asia (Karasjov 1994).

Distribution. This species was previously known from Egypt and western to central Asia. New record from China (XIN).