Sophiodela Nakane, 1955

Aston, Paul, 2016, Catalogue and Bibliography of the Hong Kong Carabidae Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Adephaga), with notes on the historic boundaries of Hong Kong as related to zoological collections, Zootaxa 4121 (3), pp. 201-257 : 209

Subgenus Sophiodela Nakane, 1955

Cicindela (Sophiodela) chinensis chinensis De Geer, 1774

Bates (1873a), Mell (1931) and Hua (2002) list this species for Hong Kong. It seems likely that Bowring never recorded this species from Hong Kong as in a letter dated 2nd June 1851 he seemed excited at finding this species near Guangzhou: "The other day, when up at Canton, I got no less than thirty-two specimens of C. Chinensis —magnificent fellows, as perfect as can be." (Anon 1851). Material: The A.F.C.D.'s insect Museum at Tai Lung Farm has a specimen dated 18 May 1997. Biology: This species is quite large, seems never to have been common in Hong Kong and if still extant is probably quite rare locally. Nowadays in China it appears to be associated with mountains, though Mell (1931) commented that it was found throughout Guangdong province where rice is grown and was very common from sea level to 500 m altitude on pathways though rice paddy fields, and seems to be associated with water. Mell also noted this species was the earliest of the Cicindelinae to emerge in the province, giving the time of appearance as early March to the beginning of October.