Carabus (Tomocarabus) bessarabicus tangra (Coleoptera: Carabidae): a New Subspecies from the Karst Steppe Refugia of the Chepan Planina and Tri Ushi Mountains in Central-Western Bulgaria

Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) fauna of Bulgaria is relatively well studied, but recent research showed that there are still some unknown distributional patterns or new taxonomical issues to be faced and resolved. In this paper we describe and figure a new subspecies of the rare and protected steppe ground beetle Carabus (Tomocarabus) bessarabicus Fischer von Waldheim, 1823, named tangra. Carabus bessarabicus tangra subsp. n. was collected from the Chepan Planina and Tri Ushi Mountains in Bulgaria, where some preserved steppe refugia and peculiar faunistic complexes seem to exist.

The established new steppe stenobiont subspecies is significantly distant and isolated from the modern limits of the species range by more than 1000 km. The significant morphological differences and the range of C. bessarabicus tangra suggest that its potential separation as species is very probable and should be confirmed with genetic studies.