Miridiba sinensis ( Hope, 1842 )

Gao, Chuan-bu & Coca-Abia, María Milagro, 2021, Revision of the genus Miridiba Reitter, 1902 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae): genital morphotypes and new taxonomic data, European Journal of Taxonomy 749, pp. 1-94 : 64-66

Miridiba sinensis ( Hope, 1842)

Figs 12–13 , 83

Holotrichia sinensis Hope, 1842: 60 (type loc.: China).

Ancylonycha sinae Blanchard in Milne-Edwards et al., 1850: 139.

Rhizotrogus cribellatus Fairmaire, 1891: 200 .

Holotrichia dalatensis Frey, 1970: 249 , 264 (new combination; new synonym).

Holotrichia sinensis – Reitter 1902: 173. — Chang 1964: 146, 149, figs 40–41 (species list; in key). — Smetana & Král 2006: 219 (catalogue).

Miridiba sinensis – Nomura 1977: 88 (combination). — Li et al. 2015: 523 , 533, figs 6, 12, 18, 24, 39–40 (redescription; in key). — Bezděk 2016: 272. — Gao et al. 2018: 16 (catalogue); 2019: 462 (species list; in key).

Ancylonycha sinae – Burmeister 1855: 316 (synonym). — Smetana & Král 2006: 219 (catalogue).

Rhizotrogus cribellatus – Keith 2006: 43 (synonym).

Diagnosis

External morphology of adult ( Fig. 83 ). Body size 20.0– 23.5 mm. Dorsal surface glabrous. Clypeus with conspicuous punctures, flat, shorter than frons, oblique laterally, anterior edge strongly emarginate at middle. Frons with punctures similar to those of clypeus; frontal carina developed. Anterior pronotal margin glabrous, regularly flanged; posterior margin not flanged, glabrous; anterior angles almost right, posterior angles obtuse, vertices rounded. Prosternal process with two-pointed ends. Scutellum densely punctate and glabrous. Elytral surface with punctures regularly distributed; each puncture with a tiny bulge; epipleuron with pubescence on basal half. Foretibia with strong dorsal carina. Meso- and metatibia with transverse carina complete, inner margin of dorsal surface with spines. Metafemora with long pubescence on anterior and posterior margins. Prepygidium with definite punctures and inconspicuous pubescence. Pygidium irregularly punctate; surface glabrous, at most with a tiny seta on each puncture hardly visible, apex with pubescence. Ventrite 2 with conspicuous short decumbent pubescence regularly distributed. Ventrites 3 and 4 with inconspicuous pubescence. Ventrite 5 with punctures and stiff pubescence irregularly distributed. Ventrite 6 moderately bulging at anterior part, punctures and pubescence (long and short) irregularly distributed. Male genitalia: paramere ( Fig. 12 ) moderately curved downward, with two dorsal branches bilaterally asymmetrical, each one with an inner expansion. Endophallus ( Fig. 13 ) with a raspula at distal end with strong setae; proximal end with acicular soft setae. Temones ( Fig. 13 ) and female genitalia ( Fig. 14 ) described at morphotype V “ Sinensis ”.

Material examined

Lectotype of M. sinensis (here designated) CHINA • ♂; “China” [rounded label]; “Dr Cantor” [written on the back of the label] [Guangzhou]; “60.15 E.I.C.”; “Type” [rounded label]; “ sinensis Hope ”; “Lectotype Miridiba sinensis ( Hope, 1842) CH. Bu Gao & M. Coca-Abia , det. 2017”; BMNH .

Lectotype of R. cribellatus (here designated) CHINA • ♂; “Kiukiang” [Jiujiang]; “ July 1887, A. E. Pratt ”; “Muséum Paris 1906 Coll. Léon Fairmaire ”; “ Rhizotrogus cribellatus Fairm. Kiukiang ”; “ Miridiba sinensis (Hope) D. Keith det. 2005”; “Lectotype Miridiba cribellatus ( Fairmaire, 1891) CH. Bu Gao & M. Coca-Abia , det. 2017”; MNHN .

Paralectotype of R. cribellatus (here indicated) CHINA • ♀; same collection data as for lectotype of R. cribellatus ; MNHN .

Holotype of M. dalatensis (here labelled) VIETNAM • ♀; “VIETNAM: Dalat 6 Km S., 1400-1500 m ”; “ 9 VI – 7 VII 1961 ”; “Vietnam Dalat (Ardoin)”; “Type Holotrichia dalatensis n sp. det G. Frey 1969”; “Type”; “Holotype Miridiba dalatensis ( Frey, 1970) Chuan-bu Gao & Coca-Abia det. 2017”; NHMB .

Other material CHINA • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; China; BMNH • 1 ♀; Fuzhou; Jun. 1935; M.S. Yang leg.; BMNH • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Hongkong; 29–31 May 2019; IZCAS .

Remarks

Hope (1842) described briefly Holotrichia sinensis with specimens from Chusan and Canton sent to England by Dr Cantor. Subsequently, Hope (1843, 1845) republished the species a little more detailed. Burmeister (1855) included this species in Ancylonycha and synonymized Ancylonycha sinae Blanchard, 1850 with A. sinensis . Later, Reitter (1902) described the subgenus Pledina considering H. sinensis as the type species, remaining as H. (Pledina) sinensis until Nomura (1977) transferred it to Miridiba . We have studied four specimens of H. sinensis (BMNH) (three males and one female, including a male type), and have verified that these specimens show features that characterize Miridiba . However, male genitalia shows features not shared with species belonging to other genital morphotypes of Miridiba . Hence, we describe the male genitalia morphotype V “ Sinensis ” based on this species. On the other hand, Keith (2006) synonymized Rhizotrogus cribellatus Fairmaire, 1891 with M. sinensis transferring it to Miridiba . We have studied two type specimens (male and female) of R. cribellatus (MNHN) and have confirmed the synonymy. Besides, after studying the unique type specimen (female) (NHMB) used by Frey (1970) to describe Holotrichia dalatensis , and comparing its external morphology and female genitalia with that of M. sinensis , we have concluded that the features that characterize M. sinensis are also present in M. dalatensis . Therefore, we transfer H. dalatensis to Miridiba and synonymize it with M. sinensis . The female genitalia of morphotype V “ Sinensis ” is described based on H. dalatensis type. Hope (1842, 1843, 1845) never indicated how many specimens of H. sinensis were studied; in case other types are found, this unique syntype of M. sinensis is designated as the lectotype. We also designate the lectotype of M. cribellatus , which was not designated before, and a paralectotype is indicated. Moreover, the unique specimen of M. dalatensis used by Frey (1970) in describing H. dalatensis is a holotype by monotypy, and is labelled as holotype.

Distribution

China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hongkong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Zhejiang), Vietnam.

Figures

Figs 12–14. Morphotype V “Sinensis”. 12–13. Male genitalia of M. sinensis (Hope, 1842), lectotype (BMNH). 12. Parameres in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views. 13. Endophallus and temones in ventral view. 14. Female genitalia of M. dalatensis Frey, 1970, holotype (NHMB) in lateral view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 83–86. 83. Miridiba sinensis (Hope, 1842), lectotype, ♂ (BMNH). Habitus in dorsal view. 84– 86. M. pseudosinensis Keith, 2010, holotype, ♂ (DKC). 84. Habitus in dorsal view. 85. Parameres in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views. 86. Endophallus (everted) and temones in dorsal view. Scale bars: 83–84 = 5.0 mm; 85–86 = 1.0 mm.