A taxonomic review of the subgenus Hyparpalus (genus Parophonus) of the Oriental and Australian regions (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalini)

Abstract

A taxonomic review of the subgenus Hyparpalus Alluaud, 1930 (genus Parophonus Ganglbauer, 1892) of the Oriental and Australian regions is given. Nine species are recognised in the fauna of the Oriental Region, one of which reaches the northern Australia. The Oriental species are divided in three species groups: the cyaneotinctus (two species), subtilis (three species) and javanus (four species) groups. Distinctive characters and a key for identification of these groups and all the included species are provided. Relationships between Hyparpalus of the Oriental and Afrotropical regions and status of the Afrotropical taxon Orphanixus Clarke, 1971 are discussed. The following new synonymies are established: Parophonus subtilis (Bates, 1892) = Hyparpalus iridicolor Landin, 1955, syn. nov. = H. nagpurensis Ito, 1993, syn. nov. = H. nagpurensis curvatus Ito, 1993, syn. nov. = H. pakistanensis Ito, 2008, syn. nov.; Parophonus lividus (Andrewes, 1923) = Hyparpalus hiekei Ito, 1993, syn. nov.; Parophonus vitalisi (Andrewes, 1922) = Hyparpalus maniti Ito, 1993, syn. nov. = H. maniti similis Ito, 1993, syn. nov.; Parophonus acutangulus (Bates, 1891) = Hyparpalus gracilis Andrewes, 1947, syn. nov.; Parophonus javanus (Gory, 1833) = Diaphoromerus opacus MacLeay, 1888, syn. nov. = Parophonus australicus Baehr, 1986, syn. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Hypolithus cyaneotinctus Bates, 1889, H. cyanellus Bates, 1889 and H. acutangulus Bates, 1891.