A review of the Helophorus frater-praenanus group of species, with description of a new species and additional faunal records of Helophorus Fabricius from China and Bhutan (Coleoptera: Helophoridae)

Abstract

The six species of the East Palaearctic Helophorus frater-praenanus group (Coleoptera: Helophoridae) are reviewed and a new species, H. aquila sp.n. is described from China (Qinghai). Habitus, head and pronotum and aedeagophores are figured for all the species and a key for their identification is given. Four further species which could be confused with the H. frater-praenanus group are discussed and illustrated. These are H. croaticus KUWERT, 1886, H. pumilio ERICHSON, 1837, H. pitcheri ANGUS, 1970 and H. shatrovskyi ANGUS, 1985. Additional faunal records of Helophorus FABRICIUS species from the Tibetan Plateau and other areas of China are given. Helophorus tuberculatus GYLLENHAL, 1808 is recorded from Bhutan for the first time