Laius rodriguesensis, Yoshitomi, 2014

Yoshitomi, Hiroyuki, 2014, Comparative morphology of the endophallic structures of the genus Laius (Coleoptera, Melyridae), with the descriptions of three new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 97, pp. 1-29 : 9-13

Laius rodriguesensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5ACC9D36-0154-4FE3-9D27-D5AAF61A9143

Figs 3C , 5E–F , 7C , 8C , 9C , 10 , 11

Diagnosis

Male antennomere III transverse, deeply concave in dorso-mesal portion, L/W= 0.74; aedeagal apex rounded; gonoporal piece slightly curved; ligula strongly curved; additional sclerite absent; coloration of female antennomeres I–III black or dark brown.

Etymology

After the type locality, Rodrigues Island, Republic of Mauritius.

Type material

Holotype

♂ ( NMW), “ RODRIGUES Bucht zw. Trou d’Argent und Anse Bouteille intertidal zone 12.- 13.4.11, leg. M. Madl ”.

Paratypes

3 ♀♀ ( NMW), same data as for the holotype; 1 ♀ ( NMW), “ MAURITIUS Rodrigues, Latanier Rivière Cascade Victoire 7.5.08. leg. M. Madl ”; 2 ♀♀ ( NMW), “ MAURITIUS Rodrigues Anse Fumier 2.4.09, leg. M. Madl ”; 4 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀ ( NMW, EUMJ), ditto but “2.5.08”.

Description

Male

Body oblong, shining, densely covered with short black setae. Coloration of body black with dully bluish luster on elytra; antennomeres I–III yellowish-orange, but anterior margin of antennomere I infuscate.

Head narrower than pronotum, very densely punctate; vertex slightly depressed dorsally; eyes relatively large, prominent; HL/HW 0.72–0.89 (0.78). Antennae ( Fig. 7C ) long; antennomere III ( Fig. 8C ) transverse, deeply concave in dorso-mesal portion, L/W = 0.74; approximate ratio of each antennomeres (n = 1) as 11.2: 1.0: 6.8: 3.2: 2.6: 2.2: 2.2: 2.4: 2.0: 2.2: 4.0. Pronotum quadrate, widest near anterior margin, rounded and obscure in antero- and postero-lateral angles; punctate as in head; PW/PL 1.33–1.49 (1.39). Scutellum semicircular, finely punctate. Elytra oblong, widest at apical 1/3; sides weakly expanded postero-laterally; EL/EW 1.31–1.50 (1.43); EL/PL 2.62–2.76 (2.69); EW/PW 1.31–1.42 (1.36); TL/EW 2.18–2.52 (2.42). Legs relatively long and slender. Caudal margin of tergite VII shallowly concave. Aedeagus ( Fig. 9C ) about 1.17 mm, round at aedeagal apex. Gonoporal piece ( Fig. 3C ) slightly curved, 0.63 mm in GL; GL/AL 1.81. Ligula ( Fig. 3C ) long, strongly curved in half; LL 0.30 mm; LW 0.11 mm; LL/LW 2.84; GL/LL 2.11.

Female

Similar to male in general appearance; bluish luster on elytra weak; coloration of antennomeres I–III black or dark brown; HL/HW 0.74–0.95 (0.84); PW/PL 1.32–1.42 (1.37); EL/EW 1.29–1.47 (1.39); EL/PL 2.47–2.86 (2.68); EW/PW 1.30–1.48 (1.41); TL/EW 2.25–2.47 (2.39). Antennae ( Fig. 7C ) long; antennomere III short, L/W = 2.16; approximate ratio of each antennomeres (n = 1) as 8.6: 1.0: 4.4: 2.0: 2.0: 1.8: 1.8: 2.0: 2.0: 2.0: 3.8.

Measurements

Male (n = 5): TL 5.50–5.75 (5.64) mm; HL 1.00–1.20 (1.08) mm; HW 1.30–1.45 (1.38) mm; PW 1.60– 1.83 (1.72) mm; PL 1.20–1.30 (1.24) mm; EL 3.20–3.40 (3.32) mm; EW 2.20–2.60 (2.33) mm. Female (n = 10): TL 4.10–4.68 (4.41) mm; HL 0.80–1.00 (0.88) mm; HW 1.00–1.10 (1.05) mm; PW 1.20–1.38 (1.32) mm; PL 0.90–1.00 (0.96) mm; EL 2.35–2.80 (2.57) mm; EW 1.70–2.00 (1.85) mm.

Larvae

Coloration of head capsule and urogomphi dark brown; thoracic and abdominal segments and legs cream. Head capsule ( Fig. 10B ) suboblong, L/W = 1.3; four pairs of stemmata situated near anterolateral corners. Antennae missing. Labrum ( Fig. 11B ) with a pair of long lateral and five pairs of short mesal setae in anterior portion; anterior margin of epipharynx bearing short stout setae. Maxillae ( Fig. 11A ) bearing long setae in antero-lateral portion. Mandibles ( Fig. 11C ) with two apical teeth; mola with two short teeth. Labium ( Figs 10C , 11A ) relatively wide, with 2-segmented palpi. Thorax weakly sclerotized, widest at posterior part of metathorax; pronotum with two pairs of longitudinal sclerotized bands in mesal portion, bearing short setae in lateral and mesal portions. Abdomen ( Fig. 10A ) weakly sclerotized, subparallel-sided, bearing short setae in lateral and postero-mesal portions. Urogomphi ( Fig. 10D–F ) subparallel-sided, closely covered with long setae, simply bifurcate in apical 1/2, upturned in apical portions, pointed at apices, with some very long hairy setae in apical parts. Legs relatively long.

Additional material examined

2 Larvae (NMW, in ethanol), “ MAURITIUS Rodrigues Anse Fumier 10.05. 2008, leg. M. Madl”.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality, Republic of Mauritius (Rodrigues Isl.).

Remarks

This species is closely related to Laius madli Yoshitomi, 2010 known from Mauritius, but differs from the latter in the following characteristics: 1) ligula strongly curved in middle portion (rather weakly curved

basally in madli ); 2) male antennomere III projecting laterally, transverse, L/W = 0.7 (antennomere III slightly projecting laterally, L/W = 0.9 in madli ).

The larvae of two Japanese species, L. asahinai Nakane, 1955 and L. miyamotoi Nakane, 1955 , were described by Satô (1964) and Asano & Kojima (2009). The larva of L. rodrigesensis sp. nov. is similar to those of the aforementioned species, and differs from them in that the teeth of the mola are rather short, and that the head is narrower.

Figures

Fig. 3. Endophallic sclerites of Laius spp. A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). J. L. asahinai Nakane, 1955.

Fig. 5. Dorsal habitus of Laius spp. of ♂ (holotypes A, C, E) and ♀♀ (paratypes B, D, F). A–B. Laius baliensis sp. nov. C–D. L. andamanensis sp. nov. E–F. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 7. Left antennae of Laius spp. (above: male; below: female). A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype).

Fig. 8. Male antennomere III of Laius spp. A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype).

Fig. 9. Aegeagi of Laius spp. A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype).

Fig. 10. Larva of Laius rodriguesensis sp. nov. A. Dorsal habitus. B. Head in dorsal view. C. Head in ventral view. D. Abdominal segment IX in dorsal view. E. Abdominal segment IX in ventral view. F. Abdominal segment IX in lateral view.

Fig. 11. Larva of Laius rodriguesensis sp. nov. A. Maxillae and labium in ventral view. B. Labrum in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) views. C. Mandible in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) views.