Pectocera attenuator Liu and Jiang, 2021

Liu, Zhen & Jiang, Shi-Hong, 2021, The genus Pectocera Hope, 1842 (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Oxynopterinae) in China, with description of two new species and one new record, Journal of Natural History 55 (3 - 4), pp. 247-270 : 251-254

Pectocera attenuator Liu and Jiang sp. nov.

( Figures 1–2 , 10 (1))

Type locality

Guizhou, China.

Material examined ( SZPT)

Holotype: ♂, Guizhou Prov., Leigong Mts. (light trap) (雷公山), 2015.VII.13, leg. Bo-yan Li, Shenzhen Polytechnic, No. 20180013 . Paratype: 1♂ ( SZPT), same data as holotype, No . 20180029.

Diagnosis

Body dark brown-black; labrum simply projected medianly; antennae hardly reaching middle of elytra, four antennomeres extending beyond apices of pronotal hind angles, flabellum of 3rd antennomere 4.3 times longer than itself, reaching middle of 7th antennomere; 11th antennomere with a distinct attenuation at apical 1/6; pronotum with a broad medio-longitudinal depression; scutellar shield strongly emarginate anteriorly; elytra 2.9 times longer than wide, 4.5 times longer and 1.2 times wider than prothorax, respectively, striae obliterated but weakly depressed; sternite VII strongly concave laterally at middle, rounded at apex, 1.2 times wider than long; penis of aedeagus reaching beyond apex of parameres; apico-lateral expansion of paramere sinuate laterally, 1.6 times longer than wide. Pectocera attenuator Liu and Jiang sp. nov. is similar to P. tonkinensis Fleutiaux, 1918 , but can be distinguished from the latter by the longer flabellum of 3rd antennomere reaching middle of 7th antennomere (reaching middle of 6th antennomere in P. tonkinensis ), the scutellar shield cordate (round in P. tonkinensis ), the lateral margins of pronotum straight (sinuate in P. tonkinensis ), the deep medial-longitudinal furrow on pronotum (shallow in P. tonkinensis ), and the smoothly sinuate apico-lateral expansion of paramere (crenellated in P. tonkinensis ). This new speciesdistinguishes from other known species mostly by its apical antennomere with a distinct attenuation at apical 1/6 (others gradually tapered to apex) combined with its dark appearance and broad and deep depression on pronotum.

Description

Male (holotype). Body ( Figure 1 (a–c)) length 24.3 mm, width 5.9 mm; dark brown-black on head, pronotum, elytra, ventral surfaces, legs, and antennae brown-black, especially lighter on apical antennomere; dorsal pubescence argenteous, longer, denser, and swirled on pronotum, directed anterad on head, shorter, directed posterad, and forming whitish marmoreal macula on elytra, ventral pubescence more recumbent, denser, and directed posterad.

Head. Transverse, 1.9 times wider (including eyes) than median length ( Figure 2 (d)). Frons triangularly depressed, spaces between punctures shiny and 0.5 to 1 puncture diameter wide, punctures denser and umbillicate laterally. Labrum simply projected medianly; eye spherical, strongly prominent, ocular index 40, width across eyes as wide as anterior angles of pronotum. Last segment of maxillary palpus 1.6 times longer than wide. Antennae ( Figures 1 (a), 2(h)) hardly reaching middle of elytra, four antennomeres extending beyond apices of pronotal hind angles; 1st antennomere robust, subclavate; 2nd antennomere shortest, triangular, 1.1 times wider than long; 3rd antennomere 2.5 times longer than 2nd, its flabellum 4.3 times longer than itself and reaching middle of 7th antennomere; 11th antennomere 12.5 times longer than wide, 4.8 times longer than 10th antennomere, oblong with a distinct attenuation at apical 1/6, proportions of antennomeres as follows: 100; 43; 106; 125; 142; 144; 153; 142; 143; 153; 729.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figure 2 (a)) 1.3 times wider than long, subparallel-sided in dorsal view, widest at hind angles, anterior margin distinctly emarginated behind eyes, acutely pointed at anterior angles, lateral margin nearly straight, not concave before hind angles, crenate laterally from anterior angles to base of hind angles, disc convex mediolongitudinally with a broad depression on it; summit with punctures large, umbillicate and dense, spaces between punctures 1–1.5 puncture diameters wide, uneven in density and size, most parts down to the summit with very small and sparse punctures, spaces between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters wide, punctures smaller and denser laterally; hind angles divergent, triangular, without carination nor basal incisions, with posterior edges finely crenate. Prosternum a little shiny, subumbillicate and irregularly punctate, intervals 1–3 times puncture diameters wide; anterior lobe semicircle ( Figure 2 (b)), 1.9 times wider than long, with subumbillicate punctures uneven in density. Prosternal process parallel-sided to a little broader subapically before gradually narrowed to pointed apex. Meso- and meta-ventrites with small punctures than those on prosternum, intervals smooth, 1–3 times puncture diameters wide. Metaventrite wholly furrowed medially.

Scutellar shield. ( Figure 2 (e)) 1.2 times wider than long, strongly emarginate anteriorly, widest at anterior third, then gradually narrowing to apex laterally, hind margin arched;

disc flat, obscure with small punctures, spaces between punctures irregular, 1–3 puncture diameters wide, with long (0.5 diameter of antennomere 2) white, inwardly oriented pubescence.

Elytra. Slender ( Figure 1 (a)), 2.9 times longer than wide, 4.5 times longer and 1.2 times wider than prothorax, respectively, widest at humeral angle, parallel-sided, gradually narrowing to apex from posterior third, striae obliterated but weakly depressed with uneven shallow and minute punctures of different size and density, interpuncture spaces smooth, about 1.5–4.0 puncture diameters wide, interstriae elevated, punctures as on striae.

Legs ( Figure 2 (g)). Slender; tarsomere 4 shortest; metacoxal plate strongly narrowed from middle on apical margin.

Abdomen. Surfaces of sternites III–VII like metaventrite; sternite VII ( Figure 2 (i)) strongly concave laterally at middle, rounded at apex, 1.2 times wider than long, punctures becoming denser posteriorly.

Genitalia ( Figures 2 (f,j). Sclerotised; length of phallobase to penis (measured medially) 0.3, penis reaching beyond apex of parameres, gradually narrowed to pointed apex; parameres gradually narrowing to apico-lateral expansion which sinuate laterally and 1.6 times longer than wide.

Female

Unknown.

Etymology

The name of the new species is derived from ‘ attenuate ’ referring to its apical antennomere with a distinct attenuation at apical 1/6.

Distribution

China (Guizhou) ( Figure 10 (1)).

Figures

Figure 1. Pectocera attenuator Liu and Jiang sp. nov. Holotype, male, (a) habitus, dorsal view; (b) habitus, ventral view; (c) habitus, lateral view.

Figure 2. Pectocera attenuator Liu and Jiang sp. nov. Holotype, male, (a) pronotum, dorsal view; (b) thorax, ventral view; (c) head and pronotum, lateral view; (d) head, dorsal view; (e) scutellar shield, dorsal view; (f) aedeagus, ventral view; (g) hind leg, ventral view; (h) antenna, dorsal view; (i) sternite VII, ventral view; (j) aedeagus, dorsal view.

Figure 10. 1–15: Distribution map of Pectocera Hope, 1842. 1: P. attenuator Liu and Jiang sp. nov.; 2: P. babai Kishii, 1990; 3: P. brevicollis Candèze, 1878; 4: P. cantori Hope, 1842; 5: P. fleutiauxi Schimmel, 1997; 6: P. formosana Kishii, 1990; 7: P. fortunei Candèze, 1873; 8: P. hige Kishii, 1993; 9: P. jiangxiana Kishii & Jiang, 1994; 10: P. kobayashii Kishii, 1996; 11: P. kucerai Schimmel, 2006; 12: P. sechuana Schimmel, 2003; 13: P. tonkinensis Fleutiaux, 1918; 14: P. truncata Liu and Jiang sp. nov.; 6: P. formosana Kishii, 1990; 15: P. yaeyamana Suzuki, 1976.