New Species Groups of Pseudanophthalmus from the Central 
Basin of Tennessee (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae) 
Thomas C. Barr, Jr. 
School of Biological Sciences, 
University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506 
ABSTRACT. —Two new species groups of Pseudanophthalmus are 
proposed. The simplex group includes P. simplex n. sp. and P. fowlerae 
n. sp. The cumberlandus group includes P. cumberlandus Valentine, P. 
productus n. sp., and P. inquisitor n. sp.; the following are full species 
and also belong to the cumberlandus group: tiresias, catherinae, insularis, 
occidentalis, acherontis, tullahoma, and bendermani. All species dis- 
cussed occupy caves in the Central Basin of Tennessee. 
Cave carabids of the very large genus Pseudanophthalmus Jeannel 
(about 200 species) have traditionally been arranged in “species groups” 
— neutral categories of supposedly monophyletic species assemblages 
which are of lower rank than subgenera. The comparative homogeneity 
of the genus does not readily permit division into clearly distinguishable 
subgenera, but within certain limits there is substantial diversity at the 
species group level. In preparing a new classification of Pseudan- 
ophthalmus I was unable to assign two undescribed species from Jackson 
and Clay counties, in the upper Cumberland River basin, Tennessee, to 
an existing group. These species are described in the present paper and 
placed in the new simplex group. Two other species with which they are 
sympatric are close to P. cumberlandus Valentine, which I have made the 
type species of a widely distributed new group, the cumberlandus group. 
This group, occurring throughout the Central Basin of Tennessee and 
with species in southwestern and southeastern Kentucky, the western 
Tennessee River valley in Tennessee, and one county in north Alabama, 
is the largest species group in the genus, including about 30 species. 
simplex group (new group) 
Size medium (4.0-5. 1 mm); robust, depressed; moderately pubescent 
to nearly glabrous; elytral microsculpture a fine, transverse meshwork, 
with hint of pruinosity in one species. Pronotum transverse, hind angles 
right or nearly right. Labrum doubly emarginate. Anterior discal 
puncture at level of 4th umbilicate; apical groove subparallel or slightly 
oblique to suture, connected obliquely to 3rd stria in advance of anterior 
apical puncture, or running to this puncture via prominent crosier; 
humeri finely serrulate. Mentum tooth broad, emarginate. Mesosternum 
Brimleyana No. 3: 85-96 July 1980. 
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