Pseudaspidapion botanicum Alonso-Zarazaga & Wang

Alonso-Zarazaga, M. A., Wang, Zhiliang & Zhang, Runzhi, 2011, A new species of genus Pseudaspidapion Wanat, 1990 (Coleoptera, Apionidae) from China, ZooKeys 120, pp. 41-54 : 43-48

Pseudaspidapion botanicum Alonso-Zarazaga & Wang sp. n. Figs 128

Diagnosis.

This new species resembles Pseudaspidapion yunnanicum , but it can be distinguished from the latter by the characters in the table 2.

Description

(male holotype, except where indicated). Measurements (in mm): Standard length: 1.82. Rostrum: length: 0.71, maximum width: 0.17. Pronotum: median length: 0.49, maximum width: 0.59. Elytra: median length: 1.38, maximum width: 1.08.

With the general characters of genus Pseudaspidapion as described in Wanat (1990).

Integument. Generally piceous black (Figs 1-2).

Vestiture composed of thick, longer white piliform scales with truncate apex and thin, shorter brownish to greyish acute hairs; scales present on coxae, femora and tibiae, sides of pronotum, meso- and metaventrite, mesoventral process, base of 3rd elytral interstria, metarostrum, and weak subocular patch, sometimes intermediate types present. Antennal scape apex and pedicel with sparse short greyish hairs, club and desmomeres 2-7 covered with dark hairs only. Pronotal vestiture centrifugal, scales both on apex and base perpendicular to the margins, hairs on disc distinctly longer than those on elytra, reaching middle of preceding hair. Elytral vestiture white at base and sides, brownish on disc, interstrial scales large, longer than 2/3 of the interstrial width, in two rather regular rows per interstria, one specialized seta on apical region of 9th interstria.

Rostrum cylindrical and moderately robust, in dorsal view 4.18 × as long as maximum width, 1.45 × as long as pronotum in midline, widest at mesorostrum, pro- and metarostrum with sides almost parallel, metarostrum with two very fine, punctulate dorsal submedial sulci shortened at mesorostral level, and two weak dorsal sublateral sulci, dorsal submedial sulci prolonged on frons, separated, dorsal sublateral sulci prolonged close to ocular margins, metarostrum microreticulate, matt, pro- and mesorostrum smooth, shining, sparsely punctulate; in lateral view weakly and evenly curved, ventral margin forming a weak angle at mesorostrum, each side with a very thin low dorsal sublateral keel running from front margin of eye to upper margin of scrobe and beyond, limiting ventrally the dorsal sublateral sulcus, prorostrum with a marked ventral sublateral sulcus under this keel.

Head transverse, frons weakly convex with four rows of relatively deep punctures running from metarostrum and hardly surpassing hind margin of eyes, occiput almost reaching hind eye level, subocular keel reaching middle of eyes, the area between subocular keels microreticulate and impunctate, with a low, fine median keel. Eyes round, moderately convex.

Antennae inserted at basal 0.26 of rostral length, scape 5.00 × as long as wide, as long as club, 1.18 × as long as mesorostral width. Pedicel 2.14 × as long as wide, as long as desmomeres 2+3, desmomere 2 1.67 ×as long as wide, desmomeres 3-5 1.33 × as long as wide, desmomere 6 1.14 × as long as wide, desmomere 7 1.25 × as long as wide, shortly obconical. Club oblong, compact, 2.5 × as long as wide, as long as the last 5.5 desmomeres, sutures well marked (Fig 7).

Pronotum campaniform, transverse, 0.83 × as long as wide, widest just behind middle, constrictions weak, sides weakly dilated at middle, base 1.31 × as wide as apex, bisinuate with moderate medial rounded projection towards scutellum, basal flange moderately developed. Prescutellar fovea shallow, as broad as one puncture’s diameter, as long as 2-3 diameters, prolonged in a very fine sulcus reaching middle of pronotum. Discal punctures relatively deep, ca. 0.5 –1× diameter apart, interspaces slightly convex, microreticulate.

Scutellum large, elongated, triangular, 1.63 × as long as wide, with two basal tubercles separated by a weak median depression, in lateral view subacutely prominent, in front view tubercles fused basally; apex constricted and moderately raised, distinctly visible in lateral view.

Elytra 1.23 × as long as wide, 2.82 × as long as pronotum, widest almost at the middle, humeri distinct; striae deep, about as wide as interstriae at base and apex, about half as wide at elytral disc, distinctly catenulate-punctate, punctures round to oblong, space between punctures about 2.00 × as long as puncture length, striae apically connected 1+2+9, 3+4, 5+6, 7+8. Interstriae evidently convex with small punctures, surface distinctly wrinkled, not microreticulate, shining. Macropterous (wing of paratype, Fig 8).

Ventral areas. Mesocoxae and metacoxae narrowly separated by a distance of 0.26 × and 0.38 × of their transverse diameter, respectively. Metaventrite ca. as long as mesocoxae. Mesoventral process more prominent than metaventral process. Anterior metaventral rim present, weak. Abdominal ventrites microreticulate, with length ratios along midline: 31-17-6-7-16. Ventrites 1-2 coarsely and densely punctate, 3-4 and base of 5 very sparsely and minutely punctate, apical half of 5 densely punctate with a median convexity. Suture I distinct, distance from hind margin of metacoxae, as long as ventrite 2. Ventrite 5 subsemicircular, transverse, 0.41 × as long as wide.

Pygidium (from paratype) semicircular, 0.69 × as long as wide, apical edge of arc with a flat and glabrous side, punctate medially with interspace microreticulate (Figs 9-10).

Legs. Metafemora a little more robust than pro- and mesofemora, profemur 2.15 × as long as wide, widest at middle, minutely punctate. Protibia almost straight, 6.50 × as long as wide (Fig. 5). Protarsomere 1 2.29 × as long as wide, tarsomere 2 1.22 × as long as wide, tarsomere 3 bilobed, 0.8 × as long as wide, lobes narrow, not much dilated outwards, onychium 3.25 × as long as wide, projecting from lobes of tarsomere 3 for 0.54 × its length. Meso- and metatibiae similarly mucronate, mucro subconical (Fig. 6), about 0.50 × as long as tibial apical width. Tarsal claws with conspicuous obtuse basal tooth.

Genitalia and terminalia (from topotypic paratypes). Ninth sternite (spiculum gastrale) Y-shaped and slightly winged near arm base, manubrium ca. 2.00 × as long as arms (Fig. 15). Penis depressed, moderately curved, pedon with apical plate straight in side view, truncate and slightly constricted apicad in side view; temones about 0.50 × as long as pedon; endophallus without large structures (Figs 13-14). Tegminal plate articulated with free ring, laterally developed, enveloping, with parameroid lobes not notched apically, membranous area rhombic in general outline, microsetose apically, reaching middle of parameroid lobes, basal sclerotized area large, each side with 5 short macrochaetae, 2 latero-apical and 3 latero-medial, several sensilla distributed on middle part and posterior margin; fenestrae short, tranverse, narrowly separated; linea arquata visible; prostegium bidentate, apex of projection rounded; median unsclerotized strip moderately elongate, reaching hind margin of fenestrae; manubrium with apex not broadened (Figs 11-12).

Variation.

Male paratypes. Measurements (in mm) (n=10): Standard length: 1.38-2.05 (mean= 1.735). Rostrum: length: 0.52-0.82 (mean= 0.722), maximum width: 0.13-0.19 (mean= 0.164). Pronotum: median length: 0.36-0.53 (mean= 0.479), maximum width: 0.44-0.68 (mean= 0.594). Elytra: median length: 1.06-1.54 (mean= 1.406), maximum width: 0.78-1.18 (mean= 1.038).

Rostrum 1.44 –1.58× as long as pronotum, 4.00 –4.63× as long as wide. Ventrite 5 sometimes slightly subtriangular. Otherwise as in holotype.

Female paratypes (Figs 3-4). Measurements (in mm) (n=10): Standard length: 1.56-2.05 (mean= 1.831). Rostrum: length: 0.52-0.76 (mean= 0.669), maximum width: 0.130-0.155 (mean= 0.143). Pronotum: median length: 0.37-0.53 (mean= 0.460), maximum width: 0.48-0.65 (mean= 0.571). Elytra: median length: 1.24-1.62 (mean= 1.444), maximum width: 0.88-1.14 (mean= 1.032).

Sexual dimorphism rather weak in this species, females differ from males by a weakly thinner and more evenly curved rostrum with a brighter and less sculptured metarostrum, and all the tibiae without mucros. Rostrum 1.35 –1.53× as long as pronotum, 4.00 –5.07× as long as wide. Antennae inserted at ca. basal 0.27 of rostrum. Ventrite 5 almost flat, hardly punctured. Otherwise practically as in male.

Material examined.

Holotype: ♂: (white, printed): 北京植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 2008.VI.1 / Leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638667, deposited in IZCAS. This is the Beijing Botanical Garden at Yingtaogou (40°0'51.41"N, 116°12'14.34"E), Haidian district, Beijing (P. R. of China). Paratypes (132♂137♀): 4♂7♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京三堡 [ Běijīng Sānpù]; (white, printed and handwritten): 1964.VII.20 / leg. 马文珍 [Mă Wénzhēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638668-1638678; 3♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京三堡 [ Běijīng Sānpù] / 600m; (white, printed and handwritten): 1964.VIII.21 / leg. 李铁生 [ Lí Tiéshēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638679-1638681; 1♂1♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京三堡 [ Běijīng, Sānpù] / 1979.VIII.8; (white, handwritten): leg. 廖素柏 [ Liào Sùbăi]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638682-1638683; 5♂5♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京上方山 [ Běijīng Shàngfāngshān]; (white, printed and handwritten): 1980.VIII.2 / leg. 廖素柏 [ Liào Sùbăi]; (white, printed) IOZ(E)1638684-1638693; 2♂: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京上方山 [ Běijīng Shàngfāngshān]; (white, printed and handwritten): 1979.VII.25 / leg. 陈元清 [ Chén Yuánqīng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638694-1638695; 2♂2♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京居庸关 [ Běijīng Jūyōngguān] / 500m; (white, printed and handwritten): 1964.VIII.20 / leg. 李铁生 [ Lí Tiéshēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638696-1638699; 1♂: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京八达岭 [ Běijīng Bādálīng] / 700m; (white, printed and handwritten): 1963.VII.25 / leg. 李铁生 [ Lí Tiéshēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638700; 8♂8♀: (white, printed): 北京香山 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān]; (white, printed and handwritten): 1963.V.30 / leg. 李铁生 [ Lí Tiéshēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638701-1638716; 1♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京香山 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān]; (white, printed and handwritten): 1964.V.5 / leg. 马文珍 [Mă Wénzhēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638717; 1♀: (white, handwritten): 北京香山 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān] / 1957.VIII.16; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638718; 1♂: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京卧佛寺 [ Běijīng Wòfósì] / 50m; (white, printed and handwritten): 1962.VI.25 / leg. 王春光 [ Wáng Chūnguāng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638719; 1♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京卧佛寺 [ Běijīng Wòfósì]; (white, printed and handwritten): 1963.IX.3 / leg. 姜胜巧 [ Jiāng Shèngqiáo]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638720; 1♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京卧佛寺 [ Běijīng Wòfósì] / 50m; (white, printed and handwritten): 1962.VIII.31 / leg. 谢汝忠 [Xieruzhong]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638721; 1♂: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京潭柘寺 [ Běijīng Tánzhèsì] / 1975.VII.24; (white, printed and handwritten): leg. 王书永 [Wang Shuyong]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638722; 1♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 1964.VII.20 / leg. 马文珍 [Mă Wénzhēn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638723; 2♂3♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 北京圆明园 [ Běijīng Yuánmíngyuán] / 1980. VII.7 / leg. 姜胜巧 [ Jiāng Shèngqiáo]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638724-1638728; 2♂10♀: (white, printed): 北京门头沟军庄西杨坨村 [ Běijīng Méntóugōu Jūnzhuāng Xīyángtún] / 2008.VII.27 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): 寄主: 小花扁担木 [ Jìzhū: Xiăohuābiăndànmù] / Grewia biloba G. Don var. parviflora (Bunge) Hand.-Mazz; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638729-1638740; 5♂8♀: (white, printed): 北京怀柔九渡河镇怀九河 [ Běijīng Huáiróu Jiūdùhézhèn Huáijiūhé] / 2008.VI.15 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638741-1638753; 1♀: (white, printed): 北京怀柔三渡河 [ Běijīng Huáiróu Sāndùhé] / 2008.V.24 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed) IOZ(E)1638754; 46♂24♀: (white, printed): 北京香山植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān Zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 2008.VIII.19 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638755-1638770, IOZ(E)1638784-1638790, IOZ(E)1638804-1638850; 28♂41♀: (white, printed): 北京植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 寄主 ：小花扁担木 [ Jìzhū: Xiăohuābiăndànmù] / 2008.VI.1 / Leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638851-1638900, IOZ(E)1638911, IOZ(E)1638928-1638945; 7♂7♀: (white, printed): 北京海淀百望山 [ Běijīng Hăidiàn Băiwàngshān] / 2009.VI.21 / leg. 杨干燕 [ Yáng Gànyàn]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1639912-1638918, IOZ(E)16398920-1638926; 2♂1♀: (white, printed and handwritten): 陕西华阴县孟塬 [Shaănxi Huáyīn Mèngyuán] / 450m / 1972.VIII.9; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1639562-1639563, IOZ(E)1639540, deposited in IZCAS.

10♂10♀: (white, printed): 北京香山植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān Zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 2008.VIII.19 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638781, IOZ(E)1638801, IOZ(E)1638771-1638779, IOZ(E)1638791-1638799, to be deposited in MNCN.

1♂1♀: (white, printed): 北京香山植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān Zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 2008.VIII.19 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638780, IOZ(E)1638800, to be deposited in BBG.

1♂1♀: (white, printed): 北京香山植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān Zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 2008.VIII.19 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638783, IOZ(E)1638803, to be deposited in ZINM.

1♂1♀: (white, printed): 北京香山植物园樱桃沟 [ Běijīng Xiāngshān Zhíwùyuán Yīngtáogōu] / 2008.VIII.19 / leg. 王志良 [ Wáng Zhìliáng]; (white, printed): IOZ(E)1638782, IOZ(E)1638802, to be deposited in MNHW.

The male holotype has not been dissected to avoid any damage, since there are many specimens collected with it.

Etymology.

The new species is named after the first locality where it was found during a collecting visit: the Beijing Botanical Garden. It is a Latin adjective.

Distribution.

The species is known for the moment only from the municipality of Beijing and the province of Shaanxi.

Biology.

Pseudaspidapion botanicum sp. n. was collected from Grewia biloba G. Don var. parviflora (Bunge) Hand.-Mazz ( Malvaceae : Grewioideae ) ( Stevens 2011), which is a common shrub in Beijing and adjacent provinces, blooming from June to July ( Tang et al. 1989), this being the season in which the parasite was found on the plant. The adults feed on leaves and flower buds of their host, while they mate and oviposit in the bud. The egg is located in the androecium, and then the larva feeds on the pistil and pupates there.