Harpalus impressus Roth, 1851

Kataev, B. M., Yeshitla, M. A. & Schmidt, J., 2020, Systematic position of Omostropus rotundatus and notes on some other species of Harpalina (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Ethiopia, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 29 (2), pp. 195-204 : 202

Harpalus impressus Roth, 1851

Material from Ethiopia examined. Amhara: 3 males, 20 km S of Debre Sina, baited trap, “ No. 31”, 18–21.IX.1980, A. Demeter leg. ( TMB) . Oromia: 7 males, 9 females, Mt. Kaka, E-slope above Meraro , 3300–3420 m, 07°24 ʹ N 39°12 ʹ E (env. Camp 1), 23–28.XI.2017, D. Hauth, J. Schmidt and M. Yeshitla leg. (cJS, ZIN, ZMAA) ; 3 males, 1 female, Mt. Kaka, E-slope above Meraro , 3370–3500 m, 07°22 ʹ 57 ″ N 39°11 ʹ 27 ″ E, 25.XI.2017, D. Hauth, J. Schmidt and M. Yeshitla leg. (cJS) ; 1 female, Mt. Kaka , SE of crater, 3700–4100 m, 07°21 ʹ 54 ″ N 39°09 ʹ 48 ″ E to 07°21 ʹ 09 ″ N 39°10 ʹ 18 ″ E, 1.XII.2017, D. Hauth, J. Schmidt and M. Yeshitla leg. (cJS) ; 2 males, Mt. Chillalo , SW-slope, 3000–3300 m, 07°54 ʹ 01 ″ N 39°11 ʹ 26 ″ E, 2.XII.2016, J. Schmidt leg. (cJS) ; 1 female, Arussi , IV.–V.1904, Brovtsyn leg. ( ZIN) ; 1 male, “ Coll. Mus. Congo, Abyssinie: Riv. Boule-Boulo [= Bulbula River, drains Lake Zeway to Lake Abyata in the Ethiopian Rift Valley : 7.89°N 38.74°E to 7.65°N 38.61°E], Col. P. Basilewsky ”, “ H. impressus Roth, P. Basilewsky det., 19” ( ZIN). Afar / Dire Dawa / Harari / Oromia: 1 male, Gewani – Harerge [the road between these two localities passes four provinces], VII.1994, R. Lízler leg. (cWR) . Somali: 1 female , “ Abyssinia Kovács / Urso [= Hurso] 1911” ( TMB) .

Wing status. The hind wings of the investigated specimens from the mountains of central southern Ethiopia within Amhara and Oromia are 0.70– 0.75 as long as the elytra and thus dysfunctional; the metepisterna are 1.15–1.25 as long as wide. In all other examined specimens from Ethiopia (including the specimens from Arussi and “Gewani – Harerge”), Eritrea and Yemen, the wings are fully developed. Consequently, H. impressus is considered a dimorphic/polymorphic species.

Distribution. Described from “ Tigré in N. Abissinien” (= Tigray, northern Ethiopia) ( Roth, 1851). Harpalus impressus is widely distributed in the mountains of Arabia and East Africa. Beside Ethiopia, it was recorded from Eritrea, South Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen ( Basilewsky, 1951, 1979; Abdel-Dayen et al., 2018). In the mountains of central southern Ethiopia it was collected on the northern face of the Bale Mountains [three collecting sites 8–25 km W of Dinsho mentioned by Clarke (1973)] and along the slopes of the Arsi volcanos Chillalo and Kaka (this study). Based on the collecting localities mentioned by Basilewsky (1951, 1953, 1957), Clarke (1973) and the newly collected material presented in this study, in Ethiopia H. impressus occurs in a very wide range of elevations (1500–3700 m).

Remarks. The interpretation of this species follows Basilewsky (1951), but because the species is variable morphologically, its taxonomy needs further study.