Loxandrus proximus Chaudoir, 1868:344

Bousquet, Yves, 2006, New Synonymies and Notes on North American Loxandrus LeConte (Coleoptera: Carabidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 60 (2), pp. 145-157 : 150

18. Loxandrus proximus Chaudoir, 1868:344

This taxon was described from a single specimen collected «[probably from] Texas ». The holotype, a female in MHNP, is labelled « proximus Tejas [handwritten]/ Muséum Paris [handwritten]» .

The specimen (SBL ¼ 6.6 mm; ABL ¼ about 6.8 mm) belongs to a species obviously closely related to L. crenatus LeConte, 1852 , ‘‘one of the more distinct species of smaller Loxandrus ’’ (Allen 1972:112). Like members of L. crenatus seen, the holotype of L. proximus has the following character states: body reddish-brown dorsally, palpi, antennae and legs yellowish; pronotum, elytra, and ventral side markedly iridescent, microsculpture indistinct, except along anterior margin of abdominal sterna; anterior tentorial pits on head deep; elytral striae, including 7th, relatively coarsely punctate up to about middle of elytra; metasternum laterally and metepisternum coarsely punctate; base of visible abdominal sternum 1 with transverse row of punctures; tarsomeres 5 of all legs with relatively long setae underneath. The holotype of L. proximus differs from specimens of L. crenatus seen in having the microsculpture on the clypeus more impressed, the sides of the pronotum not sinuate [slightly sinuate posteriorly in L. crenatus ], the hind angles slightly obtuse [acute in L. crenatus ], the lateral bead on each side distinct [indistinct in L. crenatus ], the lateral depressions much deeper, the anterior sulcus well impressed even medially [absent in L. crenatus ], the base between the impressions relatively densely punctate [with one or two punctures if any in L. crenatus ]. According to Allen (1972:111) the SBL in L. crenatus varies between 4.9–6.2 mm, while the holotype SBL of L. proximus is 6.6 mm.

Allen and Ball (1980) stated that the crenatus group of Loxandrus included only two species, the Mexican L. littleorum Allen and Ball and L. crenatus . However, using Allen and Ball’s (1980) key to Loxandrus species from Mexico, the holotype of L. proximus keyed to L. stockwelli Allen and Ball which was included in its own group along with L. anthracinus Allen and Ball. I have not seen any specimens of both Mexican species, but based on the descriptions provided by Ball and Allen (1980), the holotype of L. proximus is very likely not conspecific with specimens of either species.