Lilioceris neptis ( Weise, 1922 )

Xu, Yuan, Xiong, Yun & Liang, Hongbin, 2021, A review of the neptis species group of the genus Lilioceris (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Criocerinae), Zoological Systematics 46 (4), pp. 300-316 : 307-308

Lilioceris neptis ( Weise, 1922) ( Figs 9–10 , 18 , 21 , 28 )

Crioceris neptis Weise, 1922: 40 ( China: Fujian).

Lilioceris neptis: Heinze, 1943: 104 .

Lilioceris melli Heinze, 1943: 104 ( China: Guangdong).

Material examined. Total 56 specimens. China: Zhejiang: 1♂, Tianmu Shan / 1936.VII.27; 1♂, Tianmu Shan / 1936.VII.15; 1♂, Huangyan / 1955.VII.16; Hunan: 1♂, Changsha, Yuelu Shan, 1957.VIII.2 / Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1079; Fujian: 1♂, Jiangle, Longqi Shan / 1991.V.26, Wenzhu Li coll.; 3♂ 3♀, Fuzhou, Gu Shan / 1973.V.24, Peiyu Yu coll.; 1♂, Dehua, Chengguan 510–550m / 1960.VI.1, Fuji Pu coll.; 1♂, Dehua, Shangyong, 780–850 m / 1960.VI.16, Fuji Pu coll.; 1♂, Dehua, Dongli to Lianhuachi, 800–1560 m / 1960.VI.4, Chenglin Ma coll.; 2♀, Dehua, Dongli, 800–1150 m / 1960.VII.12, Fuji Pu coll.; Taiwan: 1♂ ( MBSU) ， Formosa, Arisan to Boshe, Tainan-Taichu District, 1948.VIII.2, Gressitt / En-077135; Guangdong: 1♀ ( NHMB), China, Canton, 1909 –1910, Mell S. V. / Lilioceris melli n. sp. det. Eric Heinze / Cotype; 1♀ ( MNHU), China, Canton, 1909 –1910, Mell S. V. / Lilioceris melli n. sp. det. Eric Heinze / Type / SYNTYPUS, Lilioceris melli Heinze, 1943 / labeled by MNHUB 2009; 1♀ ( MNHU), China, Canton, Su Lium Kum, Mell S. V. / Lilioceris melli n. sp. det. Eric Heinze / Cotype / SYNTYPUS, Lilioceris melli Heinze, 1943 / labeled by MNHUB 2009; 1♀, Dinghu Shan / 1965.IV.11–13, Youwei Zhang coll.; 6♂ 6♀, Guangzhou, Shipai / 1958, Baolin Zhang coll.; 2♀, Shenzhen, Yangmeikeng, 2020.III.17, Baoping Huang & Ying Yan; 1♂ ( MBSU), Shenzhen / 2003.IV.15, Fenglong Jia coll. / Ent- 077161; 1♂ ( MBSU), Shenzhen / 2004.V.14, Fenglong Jia & Dandan Zhang coll. En-SYS; 1♀ ( MBSU), Shenzhen, Wutong Shan / 1999.IV.19–22, Fenglong Jia coll. Ent-077861-SYS; 1♀ ( MBSU), Shenzhen, Wutong Shan / 1998.IV.17–19, Qisheng Peng coll. Ent-077851; Hong Kong: 1♀ ( MBSU), Honghualing / 2013.IV.14, H. Pang Legt / Ent-413219-SYS; 1♀ ( MBSU), Honghualing / 2013.IV.14, H. Pang Legt / Ent-413217-SYS; 1♂ ( MBSU), [no locality], L. Gressitt collector / NEPTIS / CRIOCERIS NEPTIS WS, J.L. Gressitt Det. / En-077423-SYS; Guangxi: 1♂ 9♀, Guilin Liangfeng / 1952.IV.30–V.17.; 1♀, Guilin, Yan Shan 202 m / 1963.V.13, Shuyong Wang coll.; 1♀, Yangshuo / 1938.VI.13.; 1♂, Pingyue / 1987.IV.

Diagnosis. Femora bicolored, brownish red with apex black; antennomeres 5–10 twice as long as wide; pronotal disc usually with two longitudinal rows (rarely one row) of punctures; elytra punctures strong in basal half, diminishing posteriorly, at most absent at extreme apex; apex of mesoventral process strongly widened.

Redescription. BL 8.5–10.0 mm, BW 4.2–4.5 mm. Head, antennae, scutellum, prosternum, mesoepisternum, mesoepimeron, metaepisternum, tibiae, tarsi and apex of femora black, remainder of femora, pronotum, elytra, mesoventrite, metaventrite, and abdomen brownish red.

Head ( Figs 9–10 ). HL/HW 1.0–1.2; vertex with a shallow fovea in middle, punctate and setose laterally; occiput with a shallow furrow medially, densely punctate; frontal tubercle glabrous, slightly raised; frontoclypeal area triangular, disc with punctures and setae laterally; labrum transverse, with long setae; antennae filiform, nearly half as long as body, antennomeres 1–4 nearly globular, 2 shortest, 5–10 cylindrical, twice as long as wide; antennomeres 1 and 2 sparsely pubescent and punctate, 3–11 densely pubescent and punctate.

Pronotum ( Figs 9 , 18A ). PW/HW 1.2–1.3, PL/PW 1.1–1.3; anterior angle protruding, posterior angle not protruding; side constricted in middle; anterior margin of disc with punctures, middle of disc usually with two rows (rarely one row) of punctures; anterior and posterior transverse impression absent, basal transverse groove weak. Scutellum triangular and densely pubescent.

Elytra ( Fig. 9 ). EL/EW 2.2–2.5; sutural angle rounded; humeri protruding, humeral groove distinct, basal impression indistinct; intervals with fine punctures; strial punctures coarse at base, diminishing posteriorly, at most absent at extreme apex; scutellary striole composed of 2–4 punctures; epipleura with upper margin strongly raised, with a row of fine punctures laterally.

Mesoventrite pubescent; apical portion of mesoventral process strongly widened, convex, tuberculate, horizontally connected with metaventrite ( Fig. 18B ); outer metaventral disc with a long arcing setose area, extending from posterior margin to anterior margin ( Fig. 18C ); metepisternum densely pubescent.

Abdominal sternite with setae and punctures, transverse impressions distinct on sternites 2–5, with dense punctures and pubescence.

Legs slender; tibiae with dense punctures, pubescence and two spurs; femora with dense pubescence on dorsal surface, with sparse setae on ventral surface.

Male genitalia ( Figs 21A–D ). Median foramen occupying 1/5 length of median lobe ( Fig. 21A ); apex triangular ( Fig. 21B ); tegmen Y shaped, slender, basal piece of tegmen triangular, lateral lobes strongly scleritized, combined with second connecting membrane; internal sac membranous, with dorsal, median, and ventral sclerites strongly scleritized, distal part of dorsal sclerites distinctly widened ( Figs 21C–D ).

Female reproductive organs ( Figs 28A–C ). Tergites 8 and 9, sternites 8 and 9 of female sclerotized, posterior areas of tergite 8 and sternite 8 with dense setae, without apodemes, spiculum gastrale long, Y shaped, slightly widened in distal part, apical margin rounded; vaginal palpi with dense setae, cylindrical and long; spermatheca simply folded.

Distribution ( Fig. 30 ). China (Zhejiang, Hunan, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong), Japan ( Kimoto, 1961).

Host plant and habitat. This species feeds on Smilax sp. (Smilacaceae) according to the observation of the collector ( Fig. 34 ). It is confined to southeast China, and its living elevation is usually lower than L. cantonensis and L. fouana . One collecting locality of L. neptis in Shenzhen city ( Fig. 35 ) is situated at the tropics area. The vegetation is tropical evergreen monsoon rain forest and south subtropical monsoon rain evergreen broad-leaved forest. The climate is characteristic of high temperature, plentiful precipitation, and high humidity. The forests are composed of tall trees, woody vines and epiphytes. The host plant Smilax sp. (Smilacaceae) shares habitat with other plants such as Schefflera octophylla (Araliaceae) , Litchi chinensis (Sapindaceae) , Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Myrtaceae) , Melicope pteleifolia (Rutaceae) , Ilex asprella (Aquifoliaceae) , Rhaphiolepis indica (Rosaceae) , Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia (Lauraceae) and Itea chinensis (Iteaceae) .

Remarks. L. neptis is widely distributed in southeast China and southeast Japan. However, there are some mistakes in the former literatures. Gressitt & Kimoto (1961: 44, fig. 13e) correctly illustrated its metaventral stripe of setae, extending from anterior to posterior margin. It is also characterized by the elytral punctures present nearly full length of striae. Specimens of L. neptis examined in IZCAS, MBSU, MCAU, MHU, fit well with these characters. While the “ L. neptis ” illustrated by Lee & Cheng (2007: 44) is actually L. lateritia (Baly, 1863) . Based on the type specimen in BMNH, the outer metaventral disc of L. lateritia is fully covered with dense setae, and apex of mesoventrite is very narrow, perpendicularly connected with metaventrite.

In addition, Lilioceris formosana Heinze, 1943 was originally described as a subspecies of L. neptis . Based on Heinze’s type series in MNHU, Kimoto (1984: 39) raised it as a distinct species, and distinguished it from L. neptis (Kimoto & Takizawa, 1994: 108; 1997: 107) by the flat mesoventrite (tuberculate on L. neptis ). We examined three syntypes in BMNH, whose mesoventral process are pubescent, not widened apically, not tuberculate, but perpendicularly connected with metaventrite. Moreover, “ L. formosana ” illustrated by Lee & Cheng (2007: 46) was misidentified, and needs further study.

Figures

Figure 30. Distribution map of Lilioceris spp. in East Asia.

Figures 7–10. Habitus of Lilioceris spp. 7–8. L. fouana, ♀, syntype, China (Yunnan), photoed by Christophe Rivier. 9–10. L. neptis, ♂, China (Zhejiang: Tianmu Shan). 7, 9. Dorsal view. 8, 10. Ventral view. Scale bars=5.0 mm.

Figures 15–19. Pronotum, mesoventral process and metaventrite of Lilioceris spp. 15. L. vietnamica, ♂, China (Yunnan: Menghai). 16. L. cantonensis, ♂, China (Zhejiang: Tianmu Shan). 17. L. fouana, ♂, China (Sichuan: Luding). 18. L. neptis, ♀, China (Hong Kong: Honghualing). 19. L. subpolita, ♂, Japan (Osaka: Minomo). A. Pronotum. B. Mesoventral process. C. Metaventral disc.

Figures 20–24. Male genitalia of Lilioceris spp. 20. L. cantonensis, China (Zhejiang: Tianmu Shan). 21. L. neptis, China (Fujian: Dehua). 22. L. vietnamica, China (Yunnan: Menghai). 23. L. subpolita, Japan (Osaka: Minomo). 24. L. fouana, China (Sichuan: Luding).A. Aedeagus, lateral view. B. Aedeagus, dorsal view. C. Dorsal sclerite, dorsal view. D. Sclerites in internal sac, lateral view. Scale bars: A–B=0.5 mm; C–D=0.2mm.

Figures 25–29. Female reproductive organs of Lilioceris spp. 25. L. fouana, China (Sichuan: Luding). 26. L. vietnamica, China (Yunnan: Jinghong). 27. L. cantonensis, China (Zhejiang: Tianmu Shan). 28. Lilioceris neptis, China (Guangxi: Guilin). 29. L. subpolita, Japan (Mont Takao). A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C. Spermatheca. Scale bars: A–B=0.5mm; C=0.1mm.

Figures 34–37. 34. A couple of Lilioceris neptis Weise standing on leaf of Smilax, Shenzhen, 2020.III.17, photoed by Baoping Huang. 35. Habitat of Lilioceris neptis Weise, Shenzhen, 2020.III.10, photoed by Baoping Huang. 36. Host plant of Lilioceris vietnamica Medvedev: Smilax sp., Menghai, 2021.IV.2. 37. Habitat of Lilioceris vietnamica Medvedev, Menghai, 2021.IV.2.