Pericompsus (Pericompsus) sellatus Le Conte 1852

Pericompsus sellatus LeConte, 1851:191

DESCRIPTION.—Form (Figure 131): Elongate and broad, with broadly explanate sides on the pronotum and elytra, and immediately distinguished from members of all other Pericompsus species on form.

Color: Testaceous, midventer and elytral cloud rufous, lateroapical margin of cloud piceous.

Head: Across eyes wider than width of pronotum; depressed; frontal furrows well impressed, prolonged linearly onto vertex; eyes large and prominent, densely pubescent.

Pronotum (Figure 131): Subcordate, sides sinuate and constricted in basal half; base broadly lobed; hind angles acute, prominent; side margins broadly reflexed, disc quite flat; anterior pair of setigerous pores set at medial edge of explanation.

Elytra: Each elytron with 6 punctate interneurs; punctures moderately large and almost contiguous; rows 1–6 entire, interneur 7 effaced externally throughout; interneur 8 well impressed and foveate just anterior to middle; fovea small, smaller in diameter than width of elytral explanation; posterior fovea of humeral group large, as large as midfovea; humeral margin abruptly angulate at base, not connected to base of interneur 4; side margins broadly reflexed, minutely setulose-serrate in basal fourth; chaetotaxy as in P. ephippiatus; plica long and well developed externally.

Microsculpture: Strongly granulate, nearly isodiametric reticulation on entire dorsal surface.

Genitalia: Male (Figure 133) (2 examined); female as in P. ephippiatus (1 examined).

Size: Length, 3.16–3.72 mm; width, 1.16–1.48 mm; 10 specimens measured.

VARIATION.—Except for size and color intensity of the elytral cloud, the members of this species are quite homogeneous.

NATURAL HISTORY.—I have not seen any newly collected specimens of this species. None of the old labels indicate habitat. Specimens were collected in January, March, and August. The two teneral specimens seen were not date-labeled. Because of the granulate microsculpture common to other halophilus carabid beetles and general distribution, I suspect this species lives near saline water holes or on alkaline river banks in the deserts of the southwest.

LOCALITY RECORDS (Figure 134).—I have seen 27 specimens from the following localities:

UNITED STATES: ARIZONA: Maricopa County, Phoenix (MCZ); Pima County, Tucson (USNM); Yuma County, Yuma (MCZ), Fort Yuma (MCZ); County unknown, East Bridge (USNM), Riverside (USNM). CALIFORNIA: (MCZ, USNM).

The centroplagiatus group

The members of the centroplagiatus group are characterized by their subpedunculate form and trisetose third interval of the elytron. As in the punctipennis group, brasiliensis group, and jeppeseni group, some members of the centroplagiatus group have become plurisetose along the elytral margin and anterolateral margins of pronotum.

There are presently five species representing the centroplagiatus group, with a combined range extending from about 26° S latitude in Brazil and Argentina to about 9° N latitude in Colombia.