Platycaelus Blanchard, 1853:25

Will, Kipling W., 2011, Taxonomic review of the Pterostichini and Loxandrini fauna of New Caledonia (Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 147, pp. 337-397 : 339

Genus Platycaelus Blanchard, 1853:25 Figs 1343A

Type species.

Platycaelus depressus Blanchard 1853, by monotypy.

Description.

Head. Clypeo-ocular sulci long, straight, very broadly and very shallowly impressed; mentum emarginate, sides divergent, paramedial pits small, deeply impressed; median tooth bifid; paraglossae small, without elongate setae at apex; ligular sclerite with two seta on apical margin; maxillary palpifer with one basal seta; antennae filiform, with three basal segments glabrous. Thorax. Pronotum quadrate, width across base slightly broader than apex, two marginal setae; pro-, meso- and metasterna glabrous; proepisternum with very shallow scattered punctulae; elytra free, border at base, nine well impressed striae, apicolateral plica large and visible, parascutellar stria long, impressed, not connected to stria 1, angular base of stria 1 well impressed, parascutellar punctues at base of stria 2, no discal punctures, intervals flat or scarcely convex; hind wing full; anterior tarsi of male with three basal segments expanded, ventrally squamous. Abdomen. Ventrites 3-6 without sulci; aedeagus (fig. 2) ostium dorsal, median lobe oriented left side up in repose; parameres attenuate with long narrow apex, both nearly of equal length; female reproductive tract (fig. 3) with dorsolateral bursal lobe, elongate spermatheca broadly attached laterally at base of bursal lobe, with appended gland attached near base of spermatheca, spermatheca without digitiform diverticulum near base, without spermathecal gland duct diverticulum.

New Caledonian species.

Platycaelus melliei (Montrouzier, 1860)

= Feronia melliei Montrouzier 1860

= Poecilus chlaenioides Macleay 1888

= Feronia herbaceus Chaudoir 1865

= Feronia resplendens Laporte de Castlenau 1867

Platycaelus prolixus (Erichson 1842)

= Pterostichus prolixus Erichson 1842

= Chlaenioidius caledonicus Tschitscherine 1901

= Feronia funebris Laporet de Castlenau 1867

= Chlaenioidius planipennis Macleay 1871

= Poecilus sulcatulus Macleay 1888

Exemplars of species examined.

Platycaelus melliei , Platycaelus prolixus , Platycaelus poeciloides (Chaudoir).

Generic Distribution:

Australia, Moluka Islands, New Britain Island, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Tasmania.

Notes.

These beetles are abundant and commonly collected in Australia. Based on my UV/MV light collections in Australia they are strong fliers. Most likely the presence of the two Australian species in New Caledonia is due to human transport or possibly dispersal.