Trechus franzianus Mateu & Deuve, 1979

Schmidt, Joachim, 2009, Taxonomic and biogeographical review of the genus Trechus Clairville, 1806, from the Tibetan Himalaya and the southern central Tibetan Plateau (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechini) 2178, Zootaxa 2178 (1), pp. 1-72 : 26-27

Trechus franzianus Mateu & Deuve, 1979

( Figs. 40, 41 )

Catalogue: Trechus franzianus Mateu & Deuve, 1979: 103 . Locus typicus: Western Nepal, Jumla Distr., SW slope of Sisne Himal, “Mahidoela-Pass” [pass at Dhauli Lake north of Maharigaon], altitude 5000 m.

= Trechus surdipennis Mateu & Deuve, 1979: 104 , syn. n. Locus typicus: Western Nepal, Jumla Distr., SW slope of Sisne Himal, “Mahidoela-Pass”, altitude 5000 m.

Type material: Trechus franzianus Mateu & Deuve, 1979 : Not studied. Species identification is based on the original description including drawing of the very striking specific male genitalia characters which allow unambiguous diagnosis, as well on additional material from the type locality.

Trechus surdipennis Mateu & Deuve, 1979 : Not studied. Species identification is based on the original description and differential diagnosis which allows unambiguous determination, as well on additional material from the type locality.

Remarks on synonymy: The taxa T. franzianus and T. surdipennis were described from the same locality. While the type series of the former included two males and two females, that of the latter included only female specimens (five altogether). In the differential diagnoses of both the species Mateu & Deuve (1979) noted remarkable differences in elytral microsculpture beside aberrances in depth of the frontal furrows of the head, prolongation of the temples, and proportions of the elytra. However, the study of a greater number of additional specimens from the type locality and adjacent mountain slopes suggests an uncommon case where elytral microsculpture in females are dimorphically developed: Approximately 80% of female specimens have the micromeshes deeply engraved, with surfaces of sculpticells strongly convex, making the elyta appear quite dull (“forma surdipennis”). By contrast, the remaining 20% of females have the elytral microsculpture developed as in males, with the micromeshes moderately engraved and surfaces of sculpticells only slightly convex and therefore, their elytra are moderately shiny (“forma franzianus”). In addition, all the other differential characters noted by Mateu & Deuve (1979) could not be confirmed but certain variations of these characters could be recognized. Therefore, the taxon T. surdipennis is herewith proposed to be a junior synonym of T. franzianus . The latter taxon was described in the same work but one page before the former, and it was dedicated to the late Herbert Franz, an important zoologist and biogeographer, who first collected this species.

Additional material: NEPAL: Jumla District : 20 males, 12 females, 15 km N Talphi, Dhauli Lake , 4400 m, 28.VI.1997, leg. A. Weigel ( CWG, NME) ; 1 male, Umg. Hochlager am Dhauli Lake [environment high camp at Dhauli Lake], 3800–4400 m, 29°22’26N 82°23’26E, 17.VI.1997, leg. J. Weipert ( CSCHM) ; 3 males, 1 female, Maharigaon , Pass am Dhauli Lake, 4230–4600 m, 29°22’26N 82°23’26E, 18.VI.1997, leg. E. Grill ( CSCHM, NME) ; 2 males, 1 female, Weg ü. Pass am Dhauli Lake [trail across pass at Dhauli Lake], 3980–4360 m, 29°23N 82°23E, 5.VII.1999, leg. E. Grill ( NME) ; 1 male, 30 km NE Jumla, Sisne Himal , S- Hang am Dolphu Kang [Southern slope at Dolphu Kang], 4400 m, 25[29!]°28N 82°24E, 3.VII.1999, leg. A. Weigel ( CWG) ; 2 males, S Pass Dolphu Kang , 4600– 4300 m, 29°24N 82°24E, 3.VII.1999, leg. E. Grill ( NME) .

Identification: See key above.

Relationships: See remarks in chapter Relationships of T. tilitshoensis Schmidt, 1994 .

Distribution: Fig. 98 . High Himalaya of Western Nepal: South slope of Sisne Himal, which is the western most part of Kanjiroba Massif in Jumla District. The small distributional area extends from the upper Chaudhabise Danda above Maharigaon in a northward direction as far as the south slope of Dolphu Kang pass.

Habitat: Edaphic species of the lower alpine zone; vertical distribution approximately 4200–4600 m.

Figures

FIGURE 98. Map of central parts of Tibet and the Himalaya showing distribution of species of the Trechus thibetanus group (white circles), of the Trechus pumoensis group (white squares), of the Trechus rolwalingense group (black circles), and of the Trechus stratiotes group (black squares). 1, T. namtsoensis sp. n. 2, T. dongulaensis sp. n. 3, T. thibetanus Jeannel, 1928. 4, T. glabratus sp. n. 5, T. thorongiensis Schmidt, 1994. 6, T. eutrechoides eutrechoides Deuve, 1992. 7, T. eutrechoides mondaensis Deuve, 1997. 8, T. pumoensis Deuve, 1997. 9, T. tilitshoensis Schmidt, 1994. 10, T. franzianus Mateu & Deuve, 1979. 11, T. muguensis sp. n. 12, T. eremita sp. n. 13, T. aedeagalis sp. n. 14, T. sculptipennis sp. n. 15, T. rolwalingense rolwalingense ssp. n. 16, T. rolwalingense daldunglana ssp. n. 17, T. stratiotes stratiotes ssp. n. 18, T. stratiotes malikasthana ssp. n.

FIGURES 39–51. Aedeagal median lobe with sclerotized portions of internal sac in lateral view (Figs. 39, 40, 42, 43, 45, 47, 49; Figs. 39, 40, 47, 49 in addition with parameres) and in dorsal view (Figs. 41, 44, 46, 48, 50). Fig. 39, Trechus pumoensis Deuve, 1997, paratype. Figs. 40, 41, T. franzianus Mateu & Deuve, 1979, non-type specimen from Dhauli Lake. Fig. 42, T. tilitshoensis Schmidt, 1994, non-type specimen from Gungdang N-slope. Fig. 43, 44, T. muguensis sp. n., paratype (43) and holotype (44). Figs. 45, 46, T. eremita sp. n., paratype. Figs. 47, 48, T. sculptipennis sp. n., paratype. Figs. 49, 50, T. aedeagalis sp. n., paratype. Fig. 51, T. stratiotes sp. n., paratype.