2. Tychius rufirostris Schoenherr, 1832

(Figures 5–6, 129–130, 245–246, 308, 365, 398)

Tychius rufirostris Schoenherr, 1832: 223 . Franz, 1949: 265. Caldara, 1990: 99.

Tychius glycyrrhizae Becker, 1864: 486 . Caldara, 1990: 99.

Material examined. CHINA: Gansu: Jiuquan Chengjiaonongchang, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, 24-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (1) ; Xinjiang: Shihezi (520m), Beta sp., 7-VI-1957, leg Guang Wang (1); same data, leg Weiyi Yang (1); same data, leg Chunpei Hong (1); Shihezi (520 m), 7-VI-1967 (1); 18-VII-1957, leg Guang Wang (1) .

Redescription. Length 2.80–3.70 mm. Integument reddish brown, darker on pronotum; on dorsum uniformly covered with dense, moderately elongate, subelliptical to subrectangular, yellowish unicolorous scales arranged in 4–5 irregular rows on elytral interstriae (Fig. 5–6). Rostrum (Fig. 129–130) in lateral view tapered in apical half, male rostrum moderately long (Rl/Rw 3.61–4.10; Rl/Pl 0.82–0.92), female rostrum longer (Rl/Rw 4.12–4.35; Rl/Pl 0.94–1.00). Antennal funicle 7-segmented. Eyes large, flattened. Pronotum subconical, with nearly subrectilinear sides, widest at base, being distinctly narrower than elytra (Pw/Pl 1.10–1.30; Ew/Pw 1.32–1.42). Elytra short (El/ Ew 1.44–1.52), oval, widest at basal third, with subrectilinear sides in basal half. Metafemora with small sharp tooth; in male, profemora (Fig. 245–246) with short fringe of scales and protibiae (Fig. 308) with sharp triangular tooth at middle of inner margin. Third tarsomere distinctly wider than second tarsomere. Claws with robust medial teeth, as long as 2/3 of claw. Male genitalia: body of penis (Fig. 365) almost subparallel-sided towards apex, which is broad and with small subacute tip (Fig. 398), apodeme nearly of same length as body of penis. Female genitalia: spermatheca with gradually narrowed, short ramus and distinctly curved, long collum, stout nodulus, curved long cornu parallel-sided and ending with a blunted apex; spiculum ventrale with arms poorly sclerotized in basal third then moderately spaced and convex, narrowing to apex.

Remarks and comparative notes. This species together with two other very closely related taxa ( T. fausti (Reitter, 1890) and T. retusus Faust, 1885 known from Central Asia and Mongolia) form a very distinctive group in the genus. They differ from each other in characters based on the shape of the pronotum / elytra and the elytral vestiture, although the latter needs to be confirmed since the two above-mentioned taxa are currently known from very few specimens.

Biology. This species was collected primarily on Glycyrrhiza glandulifera W. & K. (Caldara 1990), with some specimens collected on G. uralensis Fisch. We also have one specimen labeled as collected on Beta sp. ( Chenopodiaceae, syn. of Amaranthaceae according to APG 2016), however, we believe this plant association to be incidental.

Distribution. This species was known from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Middle East and central Asia. It is here reported from China for the first time (GAN XIN in the Northwest).