Lamellipalpus nepalensis, Brancucci, Michel & Geiser, Michael, 2009

Brancucci, Michel & Geiser, Michael, 2009, A revision of the genus Lamellipalpus Maulik, 1921 (Coleoptera, Lampyridae), Zootaxa 2080, pp. 1-20 : 18

Lamellipalpus nepalensis sp. nov.

( Fig. 15 )

Type locality: E Nepal, Kosi, Dhankuta Distr., Thamur Valley.

Description. 3. Habitus: Body broad, elongate-oblong, testaceous except for the antennae from the 3rd joint onwards and for the extreme apex of the elytra covering which are dark brown. Underside completely testaceous.

Head: Small, transverse, very short, testaceous brown, distinctly depressed, broad; the distance from eye to pronotum only about half the eye diameter. Interocular space very large, 3 times as large as eye diameter. Anterior margin of frons straight; head depressed on antero-median part. Surface shining, covered with fine and long yellow setae. Mandibles robust, thick, only slightly curved; the left one abruptly curved dorsally, probably the result of abnormal development or of unintentional treatment during preparation. Last segments of maxillary and labial palpi testaceous brown, slender, 3.5 times as long as broad, flattened. Last joints of labial palpi narrowly rounded distally, maxillary palpi more broadly rounded. Antennae dark brown, long, 1st joint elongate, 2nd joint very small, globose, 3rd–11th joints very slightly serrate, subequal, 1.3 times longer than broad, the last three narrower and shorter.

Pronotum: Testaceous, strongly transverse, only slightly constricted posteriorly before angles. Anterior angles broadly rounded. Posterior angles with a distinct ridge. Entire surface shining with small punctures, each with a long and very fine seta. Scutellum somewhat elongate, triangular and testaceous.

Elytra: Testaceous brown with 2 very weakly impressed and superficial costae, with coarsely but obsolescent punctures; punctures large and close together but superficial, slightly impressed and partly confluent and so not individually discernible. Pubescence dense; setae yellow, fine and long. Elytral margins strongly bordered

Underside: Completely testaceous.

Aedeagus: Lateral lobes narrow, rounded posteriorly ending in a ridge dorsally. Median lobe with a sharp ridge dorsally.

Female: Unknown.

Measurements: TL: 8.8 mm; TL-P: 7.1 mm; TL-H: 6.2 mm; HL: 0.8 mm; HW: 1.8 mm; LP: 1.8 mm.

Type material: Holotype 3 ( NHMB): “Dhankuta, 23.V.1989, 1150 m / E. Nepal, Thamur V., M. Brancucci” [white printed label]. “ Holotype Lamellipalpus nepalensis n.sp. Brancucci & Geiser 08” [red printed label].

Etymology: The name has been given because the species was collected during an expedition to Nepal.

Affinities: This species can be easily identified by the short head and the distinctly curved mandibles, and is the species most reminiscent of the genus Lamellipalpodes . However, the head is still very broad and the mandibles very large.

Distribution: E Nepal (Kosi Zone).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Habitus of: Lamellipalpus nepalensis sp. nov.