Chydaeus chuliensis, Kataev, Boris M., Wrase, David W. & Schmidt, Joachim, 2014

Kataev, Boris M., Wrase, David W. & Schmidt, Joachim, 2014, New species of the genus Chydaeus from China, Nepal, Myanmar, and Thailand, with remarks on species previously described (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalini), Zootaxa 3765 (1), pp. 1-28 : 21-22

Chydaeus chuliensis sp. n.

( Figs 50 , 56–63 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, “ NEPAL Manaslu Mts. SE-slope, W Gupchi Danda 25–2600 m 28°08'59N 84°46'06E, 19/ 20.5.2006 leg. J. Schmidt ” (cJS).

Paratypes: Nepal: 2 ♂, 2 ♀, same data as holotype (cJS, cWr); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, same data, but “ 2200–2300 m 28°08'37N 84°44'42E, 18.5.2006 ” (cJS, ZIN).

Description. Dorsal habitus: Fig. 50 .

Size. Body length 8.9–9.5 mm, width 3.8–4.2 mm; in holotype 9.1 and 3.9 mm, respectively.

Color. Black, shiny on dorsum; palpi and antennae brown or light brown, palpomeres 1–3 and antennomere 1 infuscate, blackish brown; often tarsi and occasionally knees brown or blackish brown.

Very similar in external structural characters to C. semenowi (Tschitschérine) , which was redescribed by Kataev & Schmidt (2002), differing as follows:

Ligular sclerite subtruncate at apex, with apical angles acute and protruding laterad. Antennae slightly slenderer, with antennomeres 5–7 each about 1.7–2.0 times as long as wide. Pronotum relatively narrower than in C. semenowi , markedly narrowed basad, in male without microsculpture even along sides, in female with very fine, isodiametric meshes present only latero-basally. Elytra in male with microsculpture present in very narrow area along basal borders, consisting of isodiametric meshes, and on external two or three intervals, consisting of slightly transverse meshes; in female elytral microsculpture present throughout, consisting of fine transverse meshes on disc, and of more distinct, isodiametric meshes in area just at basal borders and in anterior third of three external intervals; meshes in posterior two-thirds of three external intervals in female slightly transverse, much more distinct than on disc and on apex of inner intervals. Metepisterna ( Fig. 59 ) short, about as long as wide, rather strongly narrowed posteriad.

Pro- and mesotarsi in male ( Figs 60–61 ) less strongly enlarged, slightly narrower than pro- and mesotibia at apex, respectively. Female genitalia: Figs 62–63 . Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 57–58 ) in lateral aspect with apex straight or slightly directed ventrad; terminal lamella in dorsal aspect ( Fig. 56 ) much narrower than that in C. semenowi ; internal sac with a large spiny patch on left side and a small spiny patch on right side.

Proportions: HWmax/PWmax = 0.70–0.75; HWmin/PWmax = 0.61–0.63; HWmax/HWmin = 1.15–1.19; PWmax/PL = 1.33–1.45; EL/EW = 1.36–1.43 (1.37–1.43 in male and 1.36–1.40 in female); EL/PL = 2.43–2.57 (2.43–2.55 in male and 2.53–2.57 in female); EW/PWmax = 1.24–1.31 (1.25–1.31 in male and 1.24–1.27 in female); PWmax/PWmin = 1.29–1.34.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the Chuli Himal on the southeastern Manaslu mountain range in Central Nepal, on which southern slope the type series was collected.

Comparative remarks. This new species is very similar in habitus and apparently closely related to C. semenowi , which is widely distributed over the Himalaya. Chydaeus chuliensis sp. n. distinctly differs from the latter species in having the metepisterna much shorter, the elytral microsculpture in female much finer and consisting largely of transverse meshes, and the median lobe of aedeagus in male with much narrower terminal lamella and with a larger left spiny patch in the internal sac. Additionally, the apex of the median lobe of the new species is straight or slightly directed ventrad, as opposed to that of C. semenowi , which has the apex distinctly directed dorsad.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality, the southeastern slope of the Chuli Himal west of Gupchi Danda, Central Nepal. This new species seems to be endemic to the southeastern portion of the Manaslu mountain range.

Figures

FIGURES 49 – 52. Chydaeus, dorsal habitus (holotypes). 49, C. ganeshensis sp. n.; 50, C. chuliensis sp. n.; 51, C. wuliangensis sp. n.; 52, C. luxiensis sp. n. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 53–63. Chydaeus. 53–55, C. ganeshensis sp. n.; 56 – 63, C. chuliensis sp. n. (53–54, 56–61, holotypes; 55, 62–63, paratypes). 53, 57–58, median lobe of aedeagus; 54, 59, left metepisternum; 55, 62, laterotergite IX and stylus; 56, terminal lamella of median lobe; 60, protarsus; 61, mesotarsus; 63, stylus. 53, 56, 58, 60–61, dorsal aspect; 54–55, 59, 62, ventral aspect; 57, 63, lateral aspect. Scales: A = 0.5 mm (Figs 53, 55–56), B = 1.0 mm (Figs 54, 57–63).