Gnaptorina himalayana, Shi & Ren & Merkl, 2007

Shi, A-M., Ren, G-D. & Merkl, O., 2007, Six New Species Of Gnaptorina Reitter, 1887 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae: Blaptini) From The Tibet Plateau, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 53 (3), pp. 219-238 : 226-228

Gnaptorina himalayana sp. n.

(Figs 37–48, 79–80, 88)

Description – Body black, partially brownish, antennae and legs brownish, weakly shining. Male body length 8.2–8.9 mm, width 4.4–4.8 mm; female body length 9.0– 10.3 mm, width 4.8–5.2 mm.

Male (Fig. 79). Anterior margin of clypeus slightly sinuate or straight. Outer margin of head with shallow obtuse-angled incision above base of antennae. Genae parallel-sided before eyes. Eyes not protruding beyond outer margin of head. Dorsal surface of head weakly convex, punctures finer and denser at disc center than laterally. Antennae, when posteriorly extended, reaching beyond posterior 1/4 of pronotum. Length (width) ratio of 2nd to 11th antennomeres 9 (8): 18(9): 10(9): 9(9): 10(9): 11(9): 10(12): 10(12): 11(13): 15(13).

Pronotum (Fig. 37) transverse, 1.30–1.39 (1.36 on average, n = 12) times as wide as long, widest in the middle, 1.75–1.84 (1.78 on average, n = 12) as wide as head. Ratio of pronotal width at anterior margin to its maximum width and width at base (n = 12) 0.62: 1.00: 0.89 on average. Outer margins of pronotum more sharply arcuately narrowing to anterior martgin than to base, bordered along entire length. Anterior margin and base straight, not bordered; Anterior angles of pronotum widely obtuse, posterior ones weakly obtuse. Pronotal surface between outer margins regularly convex, without trace of median depression, covered with fine punctures. Prothoracic hypomeron weakly concave, with thick longitudinal wrinkles and very sparse granules. Prosternum steeply sloping before coxae; intercoxal process with wide shallow median depression, obliquely sloping behind procoxae and slightly swelling to apex.

Elytra elongate-oval, 1.37–1.45 (1.43 on average, n = 12) times as long as wide, widest immediately before the middle, 1.21–1.27 (1.25 on average, n = 12) times as wide as pronotum. More than anterior 2/3 of epipleural carina visible from above, the whole sometimes. Elytral surface with sparse fine punctures and irregular wrinkles. Epipleura surface densely covered with fine wrinkles. Visible abdominal sternites with punctures and brown setae, 1st to 3rd visible abdominal sternite with wrinkles.

Legs (Figs 39–41) rather strong, length (width) ratio of fore, middle and hind femora 80(26): 85(24): 100(25); that of corresponding tibiae: 70(10): 70(15): 92(18). Fore tibiae weakly incurved, with massive upper spur longer than 1st protarsomeres, lower spur missing. Only 1st protarsomeres with a tuft of light setae at apical margin of plantar surface. Middle tibiae distinctly incurved; hind tibiae weakly incurved. Length (width) ratio of 1st to 4th metatarsomeres 24(7.0): 14(6.0): 12(6.0): 21(6.0).

Aedeagus (Figs 42–44): length 1.76 mm, width 0.48 mm. Parameres 0.57 mm long and 0.36 mm wide, with outer margin sinuate. Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 45. Apical margin of abdominal sternite 8 sinuate (Fig. 46).

Female (Fig. 80). Body longer and wider. Antennae short, when posteriorly extended, reaching posterior 1/3 of pronotum. Upper spur of fore tibiae very large, parallel-side, and rounded apically. Plantar surface of 1st protarsomeres without tuft of light setae. Middle and hind tibiae straight. Ovipositor as in Figs 47–48.

to base in basal half; more than anterior 2/3 (sometimes the whole) of epipleural carina visible from above; elytral surface covered with punctures and wrinkles.

Distribution – China: Tibet.