The Pseudolathra species of the East Palaearctic and the Oriental regions ( Coleoptera : Staphylinidae : Paederinae ) With 70 figures and 3 maps

The available types and additional material of the species of the lathrobiine genus Pseudolathra Casey, 1905 of the East Palaearctic (including Middle Asia) and the Oriental regions are revised. In all, thirteen valid species are recognised, six of which are new to science: P. brevincisa sp. n. (Thailand), P. cordiformis sp. n. (SE-India), P. himalayana sp. n. (Pakistan, N-India, Nepal), P. sagittata sp. n. (Thailand), P. transversicollis sp. n. (Thailand, N-India), and P. vellicans sp. n. (N-India). All the species of the study region are (re-)described or diagnosed; thirteen species are illustrated. Pseudolathra pulchella (Kraatz, 1859), previously a synonym of P. caffra (Boheman, 1848), is revalidated. Two synonymies are proposed: Pseudolathra pulchella (Kraatz, 1859) = P. caffra javana (Cameron, 1940), syn. n.; P. unicolor (Kraatz, 1859) = P. chujoi (Last, 1966), syn. n. Two species are moved from Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey, 1878 to Pseudolathra: P. nigerrima (Cameron, 1924), comb. n., and P. regularis (Sharp, 1889), comb. n. The East Palaearctic and Oriental species on the one hand and the West Palaearctic species on the other hand form separate phylogenetic lineages. The former are tentatively attributed to the subgenus Allolathra Coiffait, 1972 and the latter to the nominate subgenus. The species of the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions are assigned to three species groups. A key to species and a catalogue are provided. Additional records are reported, among them several new country records. The distributions of twelve species are mapped.


Introduction
According to Smetana (2004), the lathrobiine genus Pseudolathra Casey, 1905 is represented in the Palaearctic region by fifteen species in two subgenera, the nominate subgenus and Allolathra Coiffait, 1972.Only four species are listed from the East Palaearctic region; one of them is assigned to Allolathra and the remainder to the nominate subgenus.An accurate estimate of how many species there are worldwide is currently impossible for several reasons.The vast majority of Pseudolathra species was originally assigned to Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802.Currently available evidence suggests that Lathrobium has a Holarctic distribution (Assing in press), so that all the species from other zoogeographic regions that today are attributed to this genus refer to other genera of Lathrobiina, partly also to Pseudolathra.Moreover, Pseudolathra is -and has been -treated as a subgenus of not only of Lathrobium, but also of Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey, 1878 even by recent authors (e.g., Newton et al. 2001).According to a database compiled by Newton (unpubl.),33 species of Pseudolathra have been recorded from North America north of Mexico.Recent and ongoing revisions of the Himalayan Lathrobium species (Assing in press) and of the East Palaearctic representatives of the genus Lobrathium (2012), which included the study of the type material of numerous species originally described in Lathrobium, revealed that two taxa previously assigned to Lobrathium (Lathrobium nigerrimum Cameron, 1924 andL. regulare Sharp, 1889) in fact belong to Pseudolathra.In order to clarify the status of other Pseudolathra species, further types and additional material previously attributed to this genus were examined.The present paper focuses on the East Palaearctic region sensu Smetana (2004).Since the distributions of several Pseudolathra species are not confined to the south of the East Palaearctic, the Oriental region is included, too.However, material from these regions is rather poorly represented in the collections examined, so that the current knowledge of the Pseudolathra fauna of the study regions, particularly that of the Oriental region, must be regarded as preliminary.Moreover, several species of "Lathrobium" described from regions like New Guinea (e.g., by Last 1984) have never been revised and are of uncertain generic affiliations.

Material, methods, and measurements
The material referred to in this study is deposited in the following public institutions and private collections:

BMNH
The The morphological studies were conducted using a Stemi SV 11 microscope (Zeiss Germany) and a Jenalab compound microscope (Carl Zeiss Jena).A digital camera (Nikon Coolpix 995) was used for the photographs.Head length was measured from the anterior margin of the frons to the posterior mar gin of the head, elytral length at the suture from the apex of the scutellum to the posterior margin of the elytra, and the length of the aedeagus from the apex of the dorsal plate or from the apex of protruding internal structures (whichever forms the apex of the aedeagus) to the base of the aedeagal capsule.The "parameral" side (i.e., the side where the sperm duct enters) is referred to as the ventral, the opposite side as the dorsal aspect.
The limits of the zoogeographic regions are in accordance with the concept used by Löbl & Smetana (2004).The maps were created using MapCreator 2.0 (primap) software.

Diversity and species groups
In all, thirteen species are recognised in the study region, with ten of them represented in the East Palaearctic (including Middle Asia) and six in the Oriental region.Six species are described for the first time, two new synonymies are proposed, two new combinations are established, and one name is revalidated.
Ten valid species are currently known from the West Palaearctic, at least one of them, P. nehemiahensis Drugmand, 1989, is of doubtful status.The synapomorphically derived morphology of the aedeagus (long, slender and apically acute ventral process) of these species suggests that they form a monophyletic group, which is tentatively attributed to the nominate subgenus.However, the type species of Pseudolathra is Lathrobium anale LeConte, 1880, a species described from the Nearctic region.Until the male sexual characters of this species have been examined, the subgeneric assignment of the West Palaearctic lineage remains preliminary.If L. anale were shown to represent a different lineage, the valid subgeneric name would be Lathrobidium Portevin, 1929, which is currently listed as a junior synonym of Pseudolathra.
The East Palaearctic and Oriental species clearly represent a different lineage and are assigned to the subgenus Allolathra Coiffait, 1972, whose type species is P. methneri (Bernhauer, 1911) from the Afrotropical region.Based on the male sexual characters (shape of sternite VIII and morphology of the aedeagus), as well as on external characters such as the shape and punctation of the pronotum, the East Palaearctic and Oriental lineage can be subdivided into three species groups.
The P. regularis group is represented by only one species, P. regularis, and is characterised particularly by the unique shape the male sternite VIII (posterior excision shallow and broad, in all other species deep and very narrow), the intricate morphology of the aedeagus (similar to that of some species of the P. nigerrima group), and the slender pronotum.The P. nigerrima group comprises three species (P.nigerrima, P. transversicollis, P. sagittata), which are distinguished from other species distributed in the study regions by relatively large size, the blackish coloration of the head, pronotum, and abdomen, a distinctly transverse head with very short temples, the weakly oblong or even transverse pronotum, the dorsal series of the pronotum being composed of only few coarse punctures, and by the intricate morphology of the dorso-ventrally somewhat depressed, rather weakly sclerotised aedeagus with a weakly sclerotised dorsal plate.The similarly derived shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VII and the similarly derived morphology of the aedeagus suggest that P. nigerrima and P. transversicollis are adelphotaxa.
The remaining nine species belong to the P. unicolor group, which is characterised by relatively small to medium body size, more or less reddish to brownish coloration (often with the head and elytra darker), and a distinctly sclerotised aedeagus with a long, apically projecting, and strongly sclerotised dorsal plate.As can be inferred from the similar general morphology of the aedeagus (structure of dorsal plate and of ventral process), P. unicolor and P. himalayana are probably sister species.The same is probably true of P. villiersi and P. cordiformis, as is suggested by the similarly derived structure of the dorsal plate (long and slender, almost circular in crosssection).

Natural history
All the Pseudolathra species of the study region are fully winged and evidently capable of flight, as is suggested by numerous records of light trap catches.The examined material was collected at low to intermediate altitudes.One species was found in a desert.Unlike most Lathrobium and Lobrathium species, Pseudolathra species may be extremely widespread.
The observations that material is relatively rare in the collections examined, that some species have become known only from one or two localities, and that the majority of specimens seems to have been collected with light traps suggest that at least the East Palaearctic and Oriental representatives of the genus reproduce in a cryptic subterranean habitat.

Comment:
The -extremely short -original description of Lathrobium unicolor is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from "India orientale, praecipue boreali" collected by "Dom.Bacon" (Kraatz 1859).Four syntypes, one male and three females, were located in the Kraatz collection at the SDEI.They had lectotype and paralectotype labels by V. Gusarov attached to them, but since a lectotype designation had not been published, these labels were removed to avoid confusion.The male is here designated as the lectotype; its aedeagus is illustrated in Figs 1-2.Lathrobium testaceum was described from an unspecified number of syntypes from "Indes orientales" (Motschulsky 1858).This name is a junior primary homonym and was subsequently replaced with L. pallens by Gemminger & Harold (1868).Lathrobium pallens and L. testaceum have been treated as synonyms of L. unicolor at least since Fauvel (1904).
In the original description of L. chujoi, which is based on a "Type, " [sic] and eleven paratypes from "Thailand: Nakon Sawan (Last 1966), there is no reference whatsoever to Pseudolathra unicolor.An examination of three paratypes revealed that they are conspecific with P. unicolor, hence the synonymy proposed above.The aedeagus of a male paratype is illustrated in Figs 5-6.

Intraspecific variation:
This species is highly variable, particularly in coloration, density of punctation, eye size, shape of head and pronotum, to some extent also in the size of the aedeagus.In material from India, the body is usually of uniformly reddish coloration, whereas in specimens seen from Myanmar and China the head and the postero-lateral portion of the elytra are often more or less distinctly infuscate; occasionally the head may even be black.In most specimens the eyes are large, bulging, and longer than the postocular region; in the male from China, however, they are less convex and shorter than the postocular region.The variation of the aedeagus is illustrated in Figs 1-8.

Distribution and natural history:
The species is evidently widespread in the southern East Palaearctic and Oriental regions.Malebased records have been seen from Nepal, North India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, and Thailand (Map 1).Owing to possible confusion with externally similar species (P.himalayana, P. villiersi, etc.), all previous records and all the female-based records listed above should be considered doubtful.
On at least two occasions, P. unicolor was collected at light traps in May and November.In one locality in southern central Nepal, the species was found together with P. himalayana and P. pulchella.One specimen from China was taken on the shore of a reservoir.

Etymology:
The specific epithet is an adjective derived from Himalaya.

Description:
Body length 5-6 mm; length of forebody 2.7-3.0 mm.Coloration variable: body uniformly reddish or partly (head, posterior portion of elytra, abdominal segments III-VI) more or less distinctly infuscate; legs yellowish to pale reddish; antennae reddish.Of similar external appearance and as variable as P. unicolor; reliably distinguished only by the male sexual characters.: sternite VII in the middle with rather extensive impression, setae in this impression directed obliquely postero-mediad, posterior margin very weakly concave (Fig. 11); sternite VIII of similar shape as in P. unicolor, but midline without setae (Fig. 12); aedeagus 1.0-1.1 mm long, shaped as in Figs 13-14.

Comparative notes:
As can be inferred from the similar external morphology and particularly by the similar male sexual characters (shape and chaetotaxy of sternite VIII; general morphology of the aedeagus), P. himalayana is closely allied to and probably the adelphotaxon of P. unicolor, with which it was previously confounded.It is distinguished from P. unicolor especially by the differently shaped (both in lateral and in ventral view) and smaller aedeagus.

Distribution and natural history:
The currently known distribution ranges across the West Himalaya from northern Pakistan to central Nepal and northern India (Map 2).The specimens were collected at altitudes between 700 and at least 1500 m.Numerous beetles were collected at light sources in May and June.In one locality in southern central Nepal, the species was collected together with P. unicolor and P. pulchella.

Comment:
The original description of L. seriatum is based on "two examples" from "Yokohama" (Sharp 1889).The name is a junior primary homonym and was replaced with the nomen novum Pseudolathra lineata by Herman (2003).The above type specimen, a male in good condition, is designated as the lectotype.

Redescription:
Body length 4.9-5.8mm; length of forebody 2.9-3.1 mm.Habitus as in Fig. 15.Coloration: head blackish-brown; pronotum and elytra reddish, with the postero-lateral portion of the elytra more or less extensively infuscate; abdomen dark-reddish; legs and antennae reddishyellow.Head (Fig. 16) approximately as broad as long; punctation coarse and sparse, in median dorsal portion very sparse; interstices without microsculpture, but with micropunctation, and glossy.Eyes large, longer than postocular region in dorsal view.Antennae slender, 1.9 mm long; all antennomeres oblong.Pronotum (Fig. 16) approximately 1.15 times as long as broad and approximately 1.05 times as broad as head; on either side of the impunctate midline with series of approximately 15 punctures, these punctures partly accompanied by additional punctures; punctation of lateral portions unevenly distributed; interstices without microsculpture.Elytra (Fig. 16) 1.0-1.1 times as long as pronotum; laterally with fine submarginal carina; punctation moderately coarse, arranged in several series; interstices without microsculpture.Hind wings fully developed.Abdomen distinctly narrower than elytra; punctation very fine and dense; interstices with microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: protarsomeres I-IV strongly dilated; sternite VII with almost truncate posterior margin, pubescence unmodified; sternite VIII oblong, posterior excision narrow and deep, almost reaching middle of sternite (Fig. 17); aedeagus 0.9 mm long, shaped as in Figs 18-19.: not available.

Distribution:
Pseudolathra lineata was previously known only from Japan.The above specimens from Jiangsu (Map 1) represent the first record from China.They were collected in the same locality as P. regularis.

Etymology:
The specific epithet is composed of the Latin adjectives brevis (short) and incisa (incised), and refers to the shape of the posterior incision of the male sternite VIII, one of the characters distinguishing this species from the similar P. unicolor.
In external characters highly similar to P. unicolor (Fig. 20) reliably distinguished only by the male primary and secondary sexual characters: : sternite VII not distinctly modified; sternite VIII oblong, posterior incision moderately deep, its depth little more than one third of length of sternite (Fig. 21); aedeagus small, 0.75 mm long and of very distinctive shape , ventral process apically bifid (Fig. 24).

Comparative notes:
This species is reliably distinguished from L. unicolor, L. himalayana, and other similar species only by the morphology of the aedeagus and the relatively short posterior excision of the male sternite VIII.

Distribution:
Pseudolathra brevincisa is currently known only from the type locality in Thailand (Map 1).

Comment:
The original description of Lathrobium villiersi is based on a "Type à l'Ifan" from "Monts Tarraouaji (900 m.)" (Cameron 1950) in the Air range in Niger.The aedeagus of the holotype was figured by Coiffait (1982b).

Diagnosis:
In external characters highly similar to P. unicolor and P. himalayana; reliably distinguished only by the male primary and secondary sexual characters: : sternite VII without distinctly modified pubescence, posterior margin almost truncate (Fig. 25); sternite VIII of similar shape and chaetotaxy as in P. unicolor (Fig. 26); aedeagus approximately 1.0 mm long, dorsal plate with slender and apically acute (ventral view) apical portion of distinctive shape .

Distribution and natural history:
Pseudolathra villiersi was previously known from the Sahara and Saudi Arabia (Coiffait 1982a(Coiffait , 1982b)).The above specimens from Pakistan represent a new country record and considerably expand the known distribution eastwards.The female-based record from Yemen is tentative and requires confirmation.The species appears to be adapted to arid habitats.One specimen collected in August is slightly teneral.

Etymology:
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: heart-shaped) alludes to the shape of the dorsal plate of the aedeagus.

Description:
Body length 5 mm; length of forebody 2.7 mm. Coloration: head blackish-brown; pronotum and elytra reddish; abdomen reddish, with segments III-VI slightly darker; legs and antennae reddish-yellow.Head approximately as long as broad, tapering behind eyes; posterior angles weakly marked; punctation coarse and sparse.Eyes bulging, slighly longer than postocular region in dorsal view.Antennae 1.8 mm long.Pronotum 1.15 times as long as broad and 1.1 times as broad as head; dorsal series composed of approximately 15 punctures and some additional punctures; lateral portions with sparse punctation.Elytra nearly as long as pronotum; punctation arranged in straight series.Hind wings fully developed.Abdomen narrower than elytra; punctation dense and fine; interstices with microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: protarsomeres I-IV strongly dilated; sternite VII with weakly concave posterior margin, pubescence unmodified (Fig. 29); sternite VIII oblong, posterior excision narrow and deep, its depth nearly 2/5 the length of sternite (Fig. 30); aedeagus 1.0 mm long, similar to that of P. villiersi, but apex of dorsal plate somewhat heart-shaped in ventral view .

Comparative notes:
The similarly derived morphology of the aedeagus suggests that P. cordiformis is closely allied to P. villiersi.Both species are reliably distinguished only by the shape of the aedeagus, particularly that of the apex of the dorsal plate.

Distribution and natural history:
The type locality is situated in Tamil Nadu, near Cuddalore, in southeastern India (Map 1).The holotype was collected with a light trap.

Comment:
The original description is based on a male holotype and a female paratype from "Kyzil Kala by Kurga Tube" in Tajikistan (Bohač 1988).

Diagnosis:
In external characters highly similar to P. unicolor and P. himalayana, but on average slightly larger and of darker coloration (head blackish-brown to blackish); reliably distinguished only by the male primary and secondary sexual characters.The distinctive aedeagus is illustrated by Bohač (1988).

Distribution and natural history:
This species was originally described from Tajikistan.The examined specimens represent the first record since the original description and a new country record from Pakistan (Map 1).They were collected with a light trap, together with 14 specimens of P. himalayana.L. caffrum Boheman, 1848by Fauvel (1903), a species whose original description is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from "Caffraria orientali" (Boheman 1848).Repeated loan requests addressed to the curator in charge at the natural history museum in Stockholm, where the Boheman collection is deposited, remained unanswered.Last (1966) figured the aedeagus of what he regarded as P. caffra, but failed to state if he had seen type material and what specimen his illustrations were based on.In any case, they show that the male he studied is not conspecific with the present interpretation of the P. pulchella, but probably with P. vellicans.
An examination of material from Kenya (one male and one female) and from South Africa (two females), which had been identified by Cameron as P. caffra, revealed that this material represents an externally highly similar and, based on the similar general morphology of the male sexual characters, closely related, but nevertheless distinct species.Furthermore, it is often impossible to reliably distinguish Pseudolathra species based on external characters alone, and the male sexual characters of true P. caffra had never been examined and illustrated.Therefore, it seems most unlikely that both names should refer to the same species and, until there is evidence proving otherwise, P. pulchella is revalidated.For illustrations of the aedeagus of P. caffra from Kenya see Figs 35-37. Cameron (1940) described Lathrobium caffrum javanum based on "two examples" from "S.Java: Tjilatjap", stating that this subspecies was distinguished from the nominate subspecies by slightly smaller size, different coloration, and denser punctation of the head and pronotum.Only one syntype was located in the Cameron collection, although, according to the original description, both syntypes were deposited there.In external characters, the examined syntype is indistinguishable from material seen, e.g., from northern India.Hence the synonymy proposed above.

Redescription:
Body length 5.7-7.0 mm; length of forebody 3.1-3.8mm.Coloration variable: head usually blackish-brown to blackish, rarely reddish-brown; pronotum reddish; elytra usually blackishbrown to blackish (sometimes with weak bluish hue), rarely reddish-brown; abdomen uniformly reddish to uniformly blackish-brown, sometimes reddish with darker apex (segments VII-X); legs reddish; antennae reddish to brown.Head approximately as broad as long; posterior angles usually broadly convex, weakly marked; punctation coarse and sparse, in median dorsal portion very sparse or absent; interstices without microsculpture and glossy.Eyes large, slightly shorter than distance between posterior margin of head and neck in dorsal view.Antennae slender, 2.0-2.4 mm long; all antennomeres oblong.Pronotum of somewhat variable shape, 1.15-1.25 times as long as broad and usually 1.00-1.05times as broad as head; on either side of the impunctate midline with series of 15-20 punctures, these punctures often accompanied by additional punctures; punctation of lateral portions sparse to moderately dense; interstices without microsculpture.Elytra approximately as long as pronotum or indistinctly shorter; laterally with fine and almost complete submarginal carina; punctation arranged in distinct series; interstices without microsculpture.Hind wings fully developed.Protarsomeres with very weakly pronounced sexual dimorphism, in both sexes strongly dilated, only slightly less so in female than in male.Abdomen slightly narrower than elytra; punctation very fine and very dense; interstices with microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: sternite VII without distinctly modified pubescence and shallow median impression, posterior margin truncate (Fig. 38); sternite VIII oblong, posterior excision narrowly V-shaped and deep, not quite reaching middle of sternite (Fig. 39); aedeagus 1.0-1.2mm long, shaped as in Figs 33-34; ventral process of aedeagus conspicuously laterally compressed and apical portion of dorsal plate of distinctive shape.

Comparative notes:
Pseudolathra pulchella is distinguished from the preceding species by slightly larger body size, on average darker coloration of the elytra and of the head, an on average more oblong pronotum, the slightly broader posterior excision of the male sternite VIII, and by the completely different morphology of the aedeagus.It is readily separated from P. nigerrima and P. regularis by external characters alone, especially by the different coloration (P.nigerrima and P. regularis: body completely blackish).

Distribution and natural history:
This species is remarkably widespread, its revised distribution ranging from Nepal to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia (Map 3).According to Fauvel (1903) and Cameron (1931), it has been recorded also from other parts of the Oriental region.However, in view of the similarity to other species, all previous records and all female-based records above should be considered doubtful.
Little is known about the habitat of this species.The highest altitude specified on the labels of the examined material is 500 m.On several occasions, the species was collected with light traps in March, May/June, and November.In one locality in southern central Nepal, the species was found together with P. unicolor and P. himalayana.Div., Siwalik Hills, 8.iv.1928. H.G. Champion. / cafrum" (BMNH).

Comment:
This species is evidently conspecific with Last´s (1966) interpretation of P. caffra, as is suggested by his schematic drawing of the aedeagus.

Etymology:
The specific epithet (present participle of the Latin verb vellicare: to pinch) alludes to the pair of claw-like apical structures of the aedeagus.

Description:
Body length 5.8-7.8mm; length of forebody 3.05-3.50mm.Coloration variable: head reddish to blackish; pronotum reddish; elytra brown to blackish, along suture, lateral and posterior margins, and at humeral angles usually more or less extensively reddish; abdomen reddish to dark-brown; legs and antennae yellowish to reddish yellow.Dorsal portion of head almost impunctate; punctures usually confined to lateral and posterior portions.Antennae rather fine and short, approximately 2.0 mm long.Other external characters as in P. pulchella.: sternite VII not distinctly modified; sternite VIII distinctly oblong, posterior excision narrow, sharply acute at apex, and deep, its depth approximately half the length of sternite (Fig. 40); aedeagus conspicuously large in relation to body size, 1.4 mm long, and of highly distinctive shape: apically with pair of claw-shaped structures extending beyond apex of dorsal plate (Figs 41-42); ventral process slender, laterally compressed, somewhat dagger-shaped in lateral view, and apically distinctly bifid in ventral view .

Comparative notes:
Pseudolathra vellicans is distinguished from the highly similar P. pulchella only by the slightly shorter and finer antennae (in P. pulchella usually longer than 2.0 mm and slightly more massive), the on average more extensively impunctate dorsal surface of the head, the different shape of the male sternite VIII, and particularly by the completely different morphology of the aedeagus.

Distribution:
This species is currently known only from several localities in Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh, northern India.

Comment:
The original description is based on an unspecified number of syntypes, among them at least one male, from "Siwaliks; Mussorie District; Arni Gad, Kaligad" (Cameron 1924).A male syntype was located in the collections of the BMNH; an additional male syntype was found in the collections of the MHNG.The specimen deposited in the BMNH is in better condition and designated as the lectotype.An examination of these specimens revealed that the species belongs to Pseudolathra.

Description:
Large species: body length 9.0-10.5 mm; length of forebody 4.5-5.0mm.Coloration: head and pronotum black, with the posterior and often also the anterior margins diffusely dark-reddish; elytra reddish to reddish-brown, posteriorly often weakly and diffusely infuscate; abdomen black, with the posterior and lateral margins of the tergites reddish; legs dark-yellowish; antennae reddish.Head (Fig. 52) strongly transverse, approximately 1.2 times as wide as long; posterior angles obtusely marked; dorsal surface conspicuously glossy, almost impunctate, except for the sparse micropunctation and for a few coarse macropunctures near eyes and near posterior margin.Eyes large and bulging, approximately 3 times as long as postocular region in dorsal view.Antenna approximately 3.2-3.5 mm long; antennomeres III-X with very narrow bases, distinctly dilated apically.Pronotum (Fig. 52) usually weakly transverse, 1.00-1.05times as broad as long and slightly wider than head; dorsal series composed of usually 5-6 coarse punctures; lateral portions with very sparse coarse punctures; surface glossy and with sparse micropunctation.Elytra (Fig. 53) nearly as long as pronotum; laterally with fine and complete submarginal carina; punctation arranged in three series, one along suture, one in the middle, and one near lateral margin; interstices with micropunctation and glossy.Hind wings fully developed.Protarsomeres without appreciable sexual dimorphism, in both sexes strongly dilated.Abdomen distinctly narrower than elytra; punctation moderately coarse and dense on tergite III, gradually becoming finer and less dense on tergites IV-VII; interstices with shallow microsculpture, but glossy; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: sternite VII with distinctly concave posterior margin (Fig. 57); sternite VIII oblong, posterior excision narrow and deep, its depth approximately 2/5 the length of sternite (Fig. 58); aedeagus large, 1.4-1.5 mm long, with short ventral process with apex of triangular shape and subapically with two minute teeth (lateral view) (Figs 53-56).

Intraspecific variation:
Slight differences between the males from Thailand and those from northern India were observed in the morphology of the aedeagus (see respectively).However, the two specimens from northern India were collected almost a century ago and the apical parts of the aedeagus are somewhat (semi-)membranous, so that the observed differences may be based on artefacts.Moreover, the distance between Thailand and northern India is considerable, which would account for some clinal variation, and the differences between the aedeagi of different species are usually rather pronounced.Therefore, in the absence of additional morphological evidence, the observed differences are attributed to intra-rather than interspecific variation.More material, particularly from northern India, is needed to clarify if the observed differences are constant.

Comparative notes:
Pseudolathra transversicollis is distinguished from all other Palaearctic and Oriental congeners by larger size, the distinctive coloration, the usually slightly transverse pronotum, the shape of the male sternite VII, and by the shape of the aedeagus.Based on the similarly derived morphology of the aedeagus and similar external characters, P. transversicollis is undoubtedly most closely related to P. nigerrima, apparently its adelphotaxon.From this species, it is additionally separated by the different shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VII.

Distribution and natural history:
At present, P. transversicollis is known from one locality in Uttaranchal, northern India, and one locality in western Thailand, where the specimens were collected with flight interception traps in an evergreen rain forest at an altitude of 300 m.

Etymology:
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: arrow-shaped) refers to the shape of the apex of the dorsal plate of the aedeagus.

Description:
Body length 6.5-7.5 mm; length of forebody 3.5-4.0mm.Habitus as in Fig. 59.Coloration: body black; legs dark-yellowish; antennae pale-reddish.Head (Fig. 60) strongly transverse, 1.20-1.25 times as wide as long; posterior angles obtusely marked; dorsal surface conspicuously glossy, almost impunctate, except for a few punctures near eyes and near posterior margin.Eyes large and bulging, 3-4 times as long as postocular region in dorsal view.Antenna approximately 2.3 mm long; antennomeres III-X with very narrow bases, distinctly dilated apically.Pronotum (Fig. 60) almost as broad as long and approximately as broad as head; dorsal series composed of usually 5-6 coarse punctures; lateral portions with very sparse coarse punctures; surface conspicuously glossy.Elytra (Fig. 60) 0.90-0.95times as long as pronotum; laterally with fine and complete submarginal carina; punctation arranged in three series, one along suture, one in the middle, and one near lateral margin; interstices without microsculpture and very glossy.Hind wings fully developed.Protarsomeres without appreciable sexual dimorphism, in both sexes strongly dilated.Abdomen distinctly narrower than elytra; punctation rather coarse and very dense on tergite III, gradually becoming finer and less dense on tergites IV-VII; interstices without microsculpture and glossy; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: sternite VII not distinctly modified; sternite VIII oblong, posterior excision narrow and deep, not quite reaching middle of sternite (Fig. 63); aedeagus 1.0-1.1 mm long, slender, with apically deeply bifid ventral process, and with apically somewhat arrow-shaped dorsal plate in ventral view .

Comparative notes:
In external appearance, P. sagittata somewhat resembles P. nigerrima, from which it is distinguished by smaller size (no overlap), paler legs, the distinctly coarser punctation of the anterior abdominal tergites, as well as by the sexual characters, particularly the completely different shape of the aedeagus.

Distribution and natural history:
Pseudolathra sagittata is known from two localities in western Thailand (Map 2).The specimens were collected with flight interception traps in an evergreen rain forest and in a mixed oak and bamboo forest at an altitude of 300 m.

Comment:
The original description is based on "six examples" from "Yokohama" (Sharp 1889).The male syntype made available to me from the Sharp collection is designated as the lectotype.Sharp (1889) stated that L. regulare was a "species of the L. lusitanicum group", which today belongs to Pseudolathra.An examination of the lectotype confirmed that the species indeed belongs to this genus.Elytra (Fig. 65) approximately 0.8 times as long as pronotum, humeral angles marked; macropunctation arranged in one sutural and three dorsal series; microsculpture and micropunctation absent.Hind wings fully developed.Abdomen approximately as broad as elytra; punctation fine and dense; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: tergite VIII strongly convex posteriorly; sternite VII without conspicuous modifications; sternite VIII weakly transverse, with rather broad and shallow posterior excision (Fig. 66); aedeagus 0.95-1.00mm long, shaped as in Figs 67-70.

Comparative notes:
This species is distinguished from all other Palaearctic and Oriental species by the shallow and broad posterior excision of the male sternite VIII and by the shape of the aedeagus, from all other dark-coloured species also by the much more slender pronotum.

Distribution:
The species was described from Japan and subsequently reported also from China (Li & Chen 1990).In view of the external similarity of Pseudolathra species, as well as the fact that it was previously attributed to Lobrathium and that illustrations of the male sexual characters had been unavailable, there is some doubt if these records are based on correct identifications.Nevertheless, the species is present and widespread in China, as is confirmed by the above material from Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Yunnan provinces.