Classification of the Genus Harpalus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of the World Based on Imaginal Morphology

• Published in: Diversity (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 9; p. 971
• Main Author: Kataev, Boris M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2023
• Subjects: Carabidae; Carabus; Classification; Comparative studies; Genera; ground beetles; Harpalini; Harpalus; Insects; Morphology; new subgenera; Species; Subgroups; Taxonomy
• ISSN: 1424-2818; 1424-2818
• DOI: 10.3390/d15090971

The genus Harpalus, Latreille, 1802, is the largest ground beetle genus of the tribe Harpalini and one of the most diverse genera of Carabidae (more than 400 described species). The definition and taxonomic boundaries of the genus, as well as previously proposed classifications, all based on regional faunas, are briefly reviewed in this paper from a historical perspective. The classification of the genus Harpalus proposed herein is based, for the first time, on a comparative morphological study of the world fauna and covers all the described species. The genus is divided into seventy subgenera combined into nineteen subgroups and ten groups; thirty-six subgenera are newly described: Afroharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus fulvicornis Thunberg, 1806), Hyloharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus laevipes Zetterstedt, 1828), Sinoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus puetzi Kataev et Wrase, 1997), Macroharpalus subg. n. (type species Erpeinus major Motschulsky, 1850), Meroharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus fulvilabris Mannerheim, 1853), Ameroharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus spadiceus Dejean, 1829), Drymoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus atratus Latreille, 1804), Caucasoharpalussubg. n. (type species Omaseus aeneipennis Faldermann, 1836), Calathoderussubg. n. (type species Harpalus potanini Tschitschérine, 1906), Isoharpalussubg. n. (type species Carabus serripes Quensel, 1806), Psammoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus kozlovi Kataev), 1993, Platyharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus ventralis LeConte, 1848), Asioharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus nigrans Morawitz, 1862), Anamblystus subg. n. (type species Carabus latus Linnaeus, 1758), Homaloharpalussubg. n. (type species Carabus tardus Panzer, 1796), Bactroharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus cautus Dejean, 1829), Diaharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus vittatus Gebler, 1833), Mesoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus gisellae Csiki, 1932), Eremoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus remboides Solsky, 1874) Oreoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus famelicus Tschitschérine, 1898), Hypsoharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus arnoldii Kataev, 1988), Anophonus subg. n. (type species Ophonus cyanopterus Tschitschérine, 1897), Haloharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus salinulus Reitter, 1900), Megaharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus stoetznerianus Schauberger, 1932), Aristoharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus ingenuus Tschitschérine, 1898), Cycloharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus pulvinatus Ménétries, 1848), Euryharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus cisteloides Motschulsky, 1844), Brachyharpalussubg. n. (type species Carabus autumnalis Duftschmid, 1812), Hemipangussubg. n. (type species Harpalus klapperichi Jedlička, 1955), Mauriharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus cardoni Antoine, 1922), Caloharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus cupreus Dejean, 1829), Baryharpalussubg. n. (type species Carabus dimidiatus Rossi, 1790), Heteroharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus metallinus Ménétries, 1839), Idioharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus numidicus Bedel, 1893), Pachyharpalussubg. n. (type species Harpalus crates Bates, 1883) and Paraharpalus subg. n. (type species Harpalus oblitus Dejean, 1829). A detailed morphological description of the genus, diagnoses, composition and distribution of all supraspecific taxa with brief biotopic notes are given.