Lithocharis nigriceps KRAATZ 1859

Lithocharis nigriceps KRAATZ, 1859

Lithocharis nigriceps KRAATZ, 1859: 159.

Lithocharis changlingensis LI, 1992: 56 ff.; nov.syn.

Type material examined:seeASSING (2008).

Additional material examined: Australia:Australian Capital Territory 1♀, Pialligo, sprouting garlic, 20.VIII.1984, leg. Banks (ANIC). Northern Territory: 1♀, Jasper Gorge, 16°02'S, 130°48'E, at light, 15.X.2000, leg. Weir & Yeates (ANIC). South Wales: 5♂♂, 1♀, 8 km NE Batemans Bay, 35°39'S, 150°14'E, from grass clippings, 28.IV.1991, leg. Gush (ANIC, cAss); 1♂, 1.8 km E Loomberah, 31°12'S, 151°02'E, rotting straw, 5.X.1992, leg. Horning; 1♀, Bawley Point, 35°30'S, 150°24'E, 8.XII.1995, leg. Rentz & McCarron (ANIC). Queensland: 1♀, Mt. Coot-tha, 27°29'S, 152°57'E, light trap, 18.XII.1990, leg. Lawrence (ANIC); 1♂, Gap Creek, 15°51'S, 145°20'E, at light, 24.XI.1992, leg. Calder & Zborowski (ANIC); 2♂♂, Bucasia, 13.II.2004, leg. Sandery (ANIC); 1♀, same data, but 31.III.2004 (ANIC); 2♂♂, 1♀, Bramston Beach via Innisfall, coastal melaleuca swamp, at light, 15.VIII.1987, leg. Walford-Huggins (ANIC, cAss); 1♀, same data, but flight interception trap, 18.IX.-11.XI.1987 (ANIC); 1♀, 6 km WSW Tallebudgera, 29°11'S, 153°23'E, at light, 18-23.IV.1994, leg. Rentz et al. (ANIC).

Comment: The type material of L. nigriceps was revised and a lectotype was designated earlier (ASSING 2008). Lithocharis changlingensis was described from Jilin Province, Northeast China. Previous attempts at locating type material of species decribed in LI et al. (1990) and LI (1992) have failed (e.g., FELDMANN et al. 2014). In the short original description LI (1992) states that L. changlingensis is similar to L. nigriceps, but does not indicate any distinguishing characters whatsoever. The presence of only two species, L. nigriceps and L. ochracea, has been confirmed for the northern East Palaearctic region. According to LI (1992) the type material of L. changlingensis has the midline of the pronotum impunctate, so that there is little doubt that it is conspecific with L. nigriceps, a common species in China.

Lithocharis nigriceps is the most common and the most widespread representative of the genus throughout the Palaearctic and Oriental regions (numerous specimens examined), which is why the material is not listed individually. In addition, material from the Americas and the Afrotropical regions was studied, but is not listed above. Only primary data for specimens seen from Australia are provided. For illustrations of the male sexual characters see ASSING (2012a).