On a collection of Carabidae from Timor Leste, with descriptions of nine new species (Insecta: Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Abstract
The ground beetle (Carabidae) fauna of Timor is reviewed based on recent collecting by the Australian Museum, in Timor Leste. 53 species were collected, of which the following nine species are described as new: Mecyclothorax timorensis sp. nov. Baehr; M. reidi sp. nov. Baehr; Rhytisternus externus sp. nov. Baehr; Arhytinus timorensis sp. nov. Baehr; Notagonum reidi sp. nov. Baehr; N. angusticolle sp. nov. Baehr; Perigona timorensis sp. nov. Baehr; Aristolebia timorensis sp. nov. Baehr; Lebia timorensis sp. nov. Baehr The new species are compa red with their nearest relatives. The remaining material is identified to species, or at least to genus, and discussed according to the current classification of Carabidae. Several species and genera are newly recorded for Timor. In spite of the rather small number of species contained, the sample allows some insight into the relations of the Carabid fauna of Timor to the Oriental and Australopapuan Regions, with about two thirds of the species belonging to the Oriental fauna, and one third to the Australopapuan fauna. A few species also belong to subgroups that are restricted to the southeasternmost Oriental Region “Wallacea”—Sulawesi, and the Maluku, Aru and Kei Islands.
