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For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#1339709
Pterostichus hypogeus - male

Pterostichus hypogeus - Male
Wayah Bald, Macon County, North Carolina, USA
September 5, 2012
Size: ~14mm
Collected and determined by Todd Lawton.
Image taken by Jackson Means at Virginia Tech.

Images of this individual: tag all
Pterostichus hypogeus - male Pterostichus hypogeus - male Pterostichus hypogeus - male Pterostichus hypogeus - male

Pterostichus hypogeus Barr, 1971: 11
An important contribution to the BugGuide photographic atlas. This rare species is known only in NC counties Graham and Macon (not "Mason" in YB 2012: 823). Metatrochanter is shown nicely with its distinctive acuminate shape and absent setae. Latter character not mentioned by Barr (1971) but emphasized by Bousquet (1999) as it separates Cylindrocharis from eastern Hypherpes in which both subgenera have elytra dorsally impunctate. I understand why Todd Lawton card-pointed this precious specimen which would normally be pinned for such a large size (14 mm) but that runs the risk of damaging parts. So where is this beautiful specimen reposited?

 
Indeed, an awesome species
It's currently in my collection, pointed by myself. It will end up in an institutional collection eventually, I just need to gush over it a bit longer.

Reminds me of Kip Will's (2008) conclusion that Cyclindrocharis is most closely related to Monoferonia, and neither are closely related to Hypherpes! Based on genetic analyses..