Chaetocnema (Udorpes) alticola Det. S. Maulik 1926

53. Chaetocnema (Udorpes) alticola Maulik, 1926

(Figs. 74, 75)

Chaetocnema alticola Maulik, 1926: 217. TL: Kumaon, India. TD: BMNH. Lectotype designated here.

Distribution: China (Xinjiang, Tibet) (new record), India (Maulik, 1926).

Host plants: Unknown.

Description: Body length 2.30–2.65 mm, body width 1.10–1.30. Ratio of length of antenna to that of body: 0.48–0.52. Ratio of elytron length (along suture) to width (maximum): 3.00–3.10. Ratio of pronotum width (at base) to length: 1.40–1.45. Ratio of length of elytron to length of pronotum (along middle): 3.00–3.20. Ratio of width of elytra at base to width of pronotum at base (in middle of humeral calli): 1.04–1.08. Ratio of maximum width of elytra to maximum width of pronotum: 1.30–1.35.

Dorsum coppery to bronzy (occasionally with metallic purple luster). Antennomeres 1–5 dark brown dorsally and yellow ventrally, 6–11 completely dark brown. Antennomeres 3–5 completely yellow. Pro- and mesotibia partially brown. Metatibia yellow. Profemora light brown. Mesofemora light brown to brown. Metafemora brown.

Head hypognathous. Frontolateral sulcus absent. Suprafrontal sulcus nearly straight, with a pit in middle. Ratio of width of frontal ridge to width of antennal socket: 3.4–3.6. Lower area of frons covered with short white setae. Vertex flat, situated on same level as orbit. Vertex densely and evenly covered with punctures.

Base of pronotum without longitudinal impressions. Deep row of large punctures at base of pronotum absent. Pronotal base evenly convex. Short longitudinal impressions on base of pronotum absent.Area adjacent to mid basal margin of pronotum covered with or without smaller punctures. Pronotum without shallow antebasal transverse impression. Lateral margins of pronotum slightly convex, converging forward. Anterolateral prothoracic callosity protruding laterally. Posterolateral prothoracic callosity poorly developed. Diameter of pronotal punctures 1.5 to 3 times smaller than distance between them. Elytra somewhat parallel sided. Scutellar row of elytral punctures regular and single. Second to eleventh rows of punctures regular. Humeral callus weak.

Large lateral denticle on metatibia sharp. Metatibial serration proximal to large lateral denticle present, sharp.

Apex of aedeagus in ventral view narrowing gradually. Ventral longitudinal groove present, shallow. Apical denticle in ventral view absent or poorly developed. Minute transverse wrinkles on ventral side absent. Aedeagus in lateral view unevenly curved, straight at base and apex. Maximum curvature in lateral view situated near middle.

Types: Lectotype (there are two specimens mounted on one card, the one on the right is designated as Lectotype): 1 (BMNH), labels: 1) Type; 2) India, N. Kumaon, Laptel, 15,000 ft. H. G.C. 2; 3) Chaetocnema alticola Det. S. Maulik, Type. 1925; 4) Lectotype Chaetocnema alticola Maulik, 1926 Des. Ruan et al., 2016.

Paralectotype: 3 (BMNH), labels: 1) India, N. Kumaon, Laptel, 15,000 ft. H. G.C. 2; 2) Chaetocnema alticola Det. S. Maulik, Type. 1925; 3) Paralectotype Chaetocnema alticola Maulik, 1926 Des. Ruan et al., 2016.

Material: 1♂ 1♀ (IZCAS), China, Xinjiang, N slope of Karlyktag Mt. R., alt. 2800 m, 14.VI.2002, Kabak I. I. leg., Chaetocnema sp. det. Konstantinov, 2003; 1♂ (BMNH), China, Tibet, Shekkar, 14000 ft., 7.V.1924, Maj. R. W. G. Hingston., Everest Exp. Brit. Mus., 1924–386.

Remarks: This species is rather distinct amongst the species of Oriental Chaetocnema with unusually elongate body (body length to width ratio exceeds 2.00). It somewhat resembles C. shanxiensis and the Palearctic species C. splendens in the strongly elongate body shape, however, it can be distinguished from the latter two species by the highly reduced humeral calli (and hind wings), elytral punctation, color and the shape of the aedeagus.

The highest record in Oriental Chaetocnema specimens we have examined is Chaetocnema alticola Maulik collected from 15000 ft. (= 4572 m) above sea level in North Kumaon, India.