Phellopsis chinensis Semenow

Foley, Ian A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2008, A revision of the genus Phellopsis LeConte (Coleoptera: Zopheridae), Zootaxa 1689, pp. 1-28 : 21-22

Phellopsis chinensis Semenow

( Figs. 1 B, 3C, 4C, E, 5A, 6C, 8D)

Pseudonosoderma chinense Semenow, 1893: 499 .

Phellopsis chinensis: Champion, 1894: 114 . Reitter, 1916: 131. Gebien, 1936: 668. Masumoto, 1990: 87 –91.

Diagnosis: This species can be distinguished from all other species of Phellopsis by the absence of the basal stop on the parameres of the male ( Fig. 8 D). It can be differentiated externally from P. amurensis by the rounded to flat elytral humeri ( Figs. 3 C, 4C), elongate and irregular elytral punctures, rugged nature of the elytral ridges ( Fig. 3 C, 4C), and smooth ventral surface of the head, and from P. yulongensis by the very large tubercles on the ventral body surface ( Fig. 4 E) and overall golden scale like vestiture ( Fig. 5 A).

Description (male): Length 12.5–21 mm. Robust species; dorsal setose vestiture golden consisting of dense flattened broad scale-like setae ( Fig. 5 A); dorsal elytral sculpture very rugged and squarrose.

Head with dorsal surface ( Fig. 6 C) with tuberculation almost completely reduced; lateral margin of epistoma anterior to suprantennal ridge long (0.32–0.35 mm); tubercles on ventral surface of head large and flattened creating a relatively smooth surface; gular sutures weakly defined; gula wide, narrowest point near gular pits; subgenal ridge produced apically, rounded margin; subgenal ridge shorter, not extending below eye; eye at same level as gena. Ligula subquadrate with slightly emarginate apical edge.

Pronotal disc between and anterior to lyriform ridges lacking distinct tubercles; paired elevations on apical margin of pronotum distinctly separated along midline; lateral margin of pronotum bisinuate, thickened; hypomeron with very large tubercles, dense intertuberculate setae present; prosternal process slightly biimpressed. Metasternum bituberculate with very large and very small tubercles.

Lateral profile of elytra rounded in dorsal plane; elytral humerus broadly rounded; scutellum rounded; scutellary striole distinct and deep; lateral margin strongly serrate; ridge in 5th elytral interval starting at or just before metacoxae and extending to mid point of ventrite 3; nodule at apex of elytron slightly smaller to subequal in size to lateral subapical nodule; median subapical nodule larger than lateral and apical ones; paired subapical nodules overlapping for a modest width in the same lateral plane, slightly offset. Tubercles on ventrites large and flattened ( Fig. 4 E). Tarsus with ventral setae modified as small spurs, distinctly heavier than dorsal setae.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 8 D); ventral surface of parameres broadly arcuate in lateral view, lacking basal stop.

FEMALE: Similar to male but lacking setose pit on submentum.

LARVA: Unknown

Variation: Two specimens from Gansu (1 ɗ, 1 Ψ) have the dorsal elytral sculpture reduced in intensity, and the lateral aspect of the elytra slightly flattened.

Distribution ( Fig. 1 B): Mountains of Central China from the following provinces GANSU, SICHUAN, and SHAANXI.

Recorded distribution: CHINA: GANSU: Min Shan Mts.,h-2700; 70km W. from Wudu; 15.06.2005.; Leg. A. Gorodinski (3 MAIC. 1 BMNH). Min Shan Range; 70km N.W. Wudu; 1 vi 1997; 2100m; Leg: A. Gorodinski (2 AAPC). Hin Shan Range; 2100m 70km N.W.; Hodo I-VI-97; Leg.A.Gorodinski (1 AAPC). Min Shan Mts.; 76km N.W. Wudu; 25 vii 2000; Leg: A. Gorodinski (1 AAPC). SICHUAN: Near Pingwu; 1.07.2005.; Leg. A. Gorodinski (3 MAIC). SHAANXI: 100km.S.W. of Xian; Taibai Shan Mt.; Near Houzhezi village; 30.07.2005.; Leg. A. Gorodinski (1 MAIC).

Type: Pseudonosoderma chinense Semenow HOLOTYPE ɗ in ZIN, missing left protarsus. Hand written on card [in Russian] “pass near village Morpin to south”; 4.VII85 / folded piece of paper “2-4.811.85”; [in Russian] top of a pass from village of Morpin to the south/ handwritten on graph paper “ Pseudonosoderma chinense ”; m; typum, unknown character– II-92 / gold hexagon dot/ red rectangle label “ Holotypus ”/ yellow rectangle “Zoological Institute”; Russian Academy; of Sciences,; St. Petersburg, RUSSIA.

Notes: The specimen identified as P. chinensis ( HNHM), and assumed to have been examined by Masumoto (1990), does not accurately represent the holotype of P. chinensis Semenow ( ZIN). That specimen is here designated a paratype of P. yulongensis NEW SPECIES. The misidentification of P. chinensis , addition of P. yulongensis new species, and inclusion of P. imurai (here synonymized with P. a m u re n s i s) renders the current key to Asian species ( Masumoto 1990) outdated.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Dorsal habitus photos of the Asian Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis amurensis; B. P. s u b e re a; C. P. chinensis; D. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 4. Elytral sculpture of Asian Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis amurensis; B. P. s u b e re a; C. P. chinensis; D. P. yulongensis; Ventrites 2 – 5 of Phellopsis spp. found in China. E. Phellopsis chinensis; F. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 5. Pronotal surface seatation of Phellopsis sp. found in China. A. Phellopsis chinensis; B. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 6. Dorsal head surface of the Asian Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis amurensis; B. P. s u b e re a; C. P. chinensis; D. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 8. Lateral view of male parameres of Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis obcordata; B. P. porcata; C. P. s u b e re a; D. P. chinensis; E. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 1. A. Map of specimen records for North American Phellopsis spp. P. p o rc a t a, green circles; P. obcordata red diamonds. B. Map of specimen records for Asian Phellopsis spp. P. yulongensis red diamonds; P. chinensis green circles; P. a m u re n s i s red cross; P. suberea green triangles.