Lasconotus akitai, Aoki, 2018

Aoki, Jun-ichi, 2018, Japanese Species of the Genus Lasconotus (Coleoptera: Zopheridae: Colydiinae), with Description of a New Species from Ishigaki-jima Island, the Ryukyu Islands, Species Diversity 23 (1), pp. 69-74 : 72-73

Lasconotus akitai sp. nov.

( Figs 4 , 8–11 )

Type series. Holotype (NSMT-I-C 200237): Mt. Yarabu-dake, Ishigaki-jima island, the Ryukyu Islands , Japan, 24°25′20″N, 124°5′42″, 24 May 2010, K. Akita leg . Paratypes: 1 ex. (NSMT-I-C 200238), data same as in holotype; 1 ex. ♂ (NSMT-I-C 200239, dissected and mounted on slides), same data as in holotype; 1 ex. (NSMT-I-C 200240, dissected and mounted on slides), same data as in holotype; 1ex. ( OMNH-TI), place same as in holotype, 13 April 2016, S. Sugimoto leg. light trap; 1 ex. (MNMIn 9000005), data same as in holotype.

Description (the value in holotype presented in parentheses). Body length 1.52–1.90 (1.82) mm. Body yellowish brown, rather glossy. Pronotum length 0.44–0.52 (0.48) mm; pronotum width 0.40–0.51 (0.51) mm; elytral length 1.00–1.20 (1.20) mm; elytral width 0.47–0.55 (0.55) mm; PW/PL 0.91–1.06 (1.06); EW/PW 0.98–1.08 (1.08); EL/EW 2.18–2.36 (2.18); EL/PL 2.27–2.53 (2.50). Sides of vertex raised and carinate, frons and vertex granulate, eyes large, half as long as their mutual distance, bearing thick facetal setae. Antenna rather short and thick, 11-segmented, antennal club consisting of terminal three segments of equal size, all transverse, last segment twice as wide as long; segments III and IV same in size ( Figs 4 and 10 ). Pronotum, sides straight or slightly sinuate, parallel-sided or feebly narrowing posteriorly, four longitudinal carinae distinctly developed, admedian carinae nearly straight and parallel to each other, sublateral ones weakly sinuate, anterior and posterior angles distinct, nearly right angles; surface of pronotum covered with polygonal granules rather sparsely arranged. Elytra with distinct ridges, ridges 3 and 4 joined together before reaching elytral edge; sharply pointed setae arranged on ridges and intervals among punctures. Mesosternum, metasternum and abdomen ventrally covered all over with babble-shaped punctures of various shapes and sizes ( Fig. 8 ), ventral setae long, about 0.13× the length of metasternum. Aedeagus ( Fig. 11 ) trilobed-type, median lobe sharply pointed at tip, with fine hairs densely arranged on an elongate ring, parameres straight, each with four minute setae, 1.4 times as long as basal piece.

Distribution. Japan: the Ryukyu Islands (Ishigaki-jima island).

Etymology. The new species is named after Mr. Katsumi Akita who collected the specimens and offered them for my study.

Figures

Figs 1–4. Antennae (right side) of the four Japanese species of Lasconotus.—1, L. niponius (Lewis, 1879) (JAC-1); 2, L. okadai Aoki, 2011 (JAC-8); 3, L. sculpturatus (Sharp, 1885) (JAC-11); 4, L. akitai sp. nov. (paratype, NSMT-I-C 200239). Scale bars: 0.1mm.

Figs 5–8. Anterior part of ventrites of the four Japanese species of Lasconotus.—5, L. niponius (Lewis, 1879) (JAC-1); 6, L. okadai Aoki, 2011 (JAC-9); 7, L. sculpturatus (Sharp, 1885) (JAC-11); 8, L. akitai sp. nov. (paratype, NSMT-I-C 200239). Scale bars: 0.1mm.

Figs 9–11. Lasconotus akitai sp. nov.—9, Habitus (holotype, NSMT-I-C 200237); 10, antenna (right side) (paratype, NSMT-I-C 200238); 11, aedeagus (paratype, NSMT-I-C 200239). Scale bars:0.5mm for 9; 0.1mm for 10, 11.