Physopelta (Neophysopelta) lutaspidata sp. nov.

(Figs. 1H, 3C, 4C, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 10B, 11B, 12B)

Type series. HOLOTYPE (macropterous ♂), TAIWAN: Yilan County: “Taiheizan (Taihoku-shû), Tamonkei” [= Datong Township, Mt. Taiping-shan, Towenchi ?], 23.vii.1932, leg. T. Esaki (ELKU) . PARATYPE (macropterous 7 ♂♂ 5 ♀ ♀), TAIWAN: Yilan County: “Taiheizan (Taihoku-shû), Kamiyodani” [= Datong Township, Mt. Taiping-shan, “Ṗ代ĕ”?], 25.vii.1932, leg. T. Esaki (1 ♂, ELKU) ; “Taiheizan (Taihoku-shû)” [= Datong Township, Mt. Taipingshan ?], 26.vii.1932, leg. K. Satô (1 ♂, ELKU) . Nantou County: Shanlinxi, 12.ix.2009, leg. J.F. Tsai (3 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀, NMNS; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, NCHU) .

Diagnosis. Recognized among other species of Physopelta by a combination of the following characters: only macropterous morph known; body 2.8 times as long as maximum width across fore wings (Fig. 1H); calli and disc of pronotum orange (Fig. 5B); scutellum orange, with numerous pale callosities; membrane of fore wing dark brown (Fig. 6B); abdominal sternites paler brown with dark brown lunulae on sutures (Figs. 3C, 4C); compound eye less than 0.3 times as wide as vertex in dorsal view; antennomere I shorter than antennomere II; antennomere II nearly clavate; calli in male not convex; punctures of scutellum denser in central part than in marginal part, as large as punctures of pronotum; anterior margins of fore wings not parallel to each other in rest; procoxal projection absent (Fig. 7B); protrochanteral wrinkles present; male profemur less than 2 times as wide as mesofemur at widest part of each; male protibia lacking tooth at apex, with a single row of denticles throughout its length ventrally; peritreme of scent gland ostiole teardrop-shaped, protruding laterad (Figs. 8B, 10B); infolding of ventral rim of genital capsule most convex in middle part (Fig. 9B); outer margin of endophallic reservoir outgrowth emarginate in apical part (Fig. 11B); stem of paramere emarginate in basal part (Fig. 12B); and crown of paramere at apex not convex in posterior view.

Description. Macropterous male. Head, compound eye, antenna except basal part of antennomere IV, punctures on dorsum, membrane of fore wing, two spots on corium of fore wing, legs, venter of thorax, and sutures of abdominal sternites dark brown; basal part of antennomere IV white; pronotum and corium of fore wing orange; scutellum orange, with numerous pale callosities; abdominal sternites except sutures paler brown; pubescence on body yellowish (Figs. 1H, 3C, 4C, 5B, 6B).

Body oblong, covered with minute pubescence, 2.8 times as long as maximum width across fore wings (Fig. 1H). Head (Fig. 5B) 0.6 times as long as maximum width across compound eyes. Compound eye less than 0.3 times as wide as vertex in dorsal view. Antenna smooth on surface; antennomere I shorter than antennomere II, with three spine-like setae in basal part; antennomere II nearly clavate; antennomere III narrower than compound eye in dorsal view; antennomere IV longest among antennomeres; ratios of lengths from antennomeres I to IV as 1.4: 1.5: 1.0: 1.6.

Pronotum (Fig. 5B) 0.5 times as long as its maximum width; lateral margins slightly emarginate between calli and disc; calli not convex, smooth on surface; disc flat, with a number of punctures. Scutellum triangular, with a number of punctures; punctures denser in central part than in marginal part, as large as punctures of pronotum. Fore wings (Figs. 1H, 6B) with a number of punctures; anterior margins not parallel to each other in rest. Foreleg longest among all legs; procoxa (Fig. 7B) without projection; protrochanter with wrinkles; all femora with two longitudinal furrows throughout its length in ventral surface; longitudinal furrow with a single row of denticles; profemur less than 2 times as wide as mesofemur at widest part of each, with three teeth at apex ventrally; protibia without tooth at apex, with a single row of denticles throughout its length ventrally; meso- and metatibia with a number of spine-like setae throughout its length. Peritreme of scent gland ostiole (Figs. 8B, 10B) teardrop-shaped, protruding laterad.

Abdomen (Figs. 3C, 4C) longer than length combined length of head and pronotum. Genital capsule (Fig. 9B) spherical, semicircular in ventral view, smooth on surface; infolding of ventral rim most convex in middle part. Phallus (Fig. 11B) oblong; capitate process membranous; basal plate and phallotheca coriaceous; conjunctiva membranous with two pairs of partly sclerotized conjunctival appendages; endophallic reservoir with a pair of outgrowths; outer margin of outgrowth emarginate in apical part. Paramere (Fig. 12B) longer than its maximum width across crown; stem emarginate in basal part; crown at apex not convex in posterior view.

Measurements (holotype). Body length with fore wings 10.6 mm, maximum width across fore wings width 3.8 mm; head length 1.1 mm, maximum width across compound eyes 1.8 mm; length of antennomeres I to IV 2.1 mm, 2.3 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2.4 mm, respectively; pronotum length 1.9 mm, maximum width 3.5 mm; scutellum length 1.5 mm, maximum width 1.8 mm; corium length 5.7 mm, maximum width 1.9 mm.

Brachypterous morph unknown in both sexes.

Remarks. Stehlík (2013) recognized four subgenera in the genus Physopelta: Afrophysopelta, Neophysopelta, Physopeltoides, and the nominotypical Physopelta . Five of the important distinctions between the subgenera are as follows: length of antennomere I; presence or absence of procoxal projection and protrochanteral wrinkles; swelling of calli; curvature of male protibia; and shape of peritreme of scent gland ostiole. On that basis, Ph. (N.) lutaspidata sp. nov. shares the following characteristics with four known subgenera: antennomere I shorter than antennomere II ( Afrophysopelta, Neophysopelta, and Physopeltoides) (Fig. 1H); procoxal projection absent ( Afrophysopelta and Physopeltoides) (Fig. 7B); protrochanteral wrinkles present ( Neophysopelta and Physopelta s. str.); profemur in male less than 2 times as wide as mesofemur at widest part of each ( Afrophysopelta); male protibia lacking tooth at apex, with a single row of denticles throughout its length ventrally ( Neophysopelta); and peritreme of scent gland ostiole teardrop-shaped, protruding laterad ( Physopelta s. str.) (Figs. 8B, 10B). However, the new species can be provisionally placed into Neophysopelta based on the general similarity, but Neophysopelta may need to be redefined.

This remarkable new species is easily distinguished from other species of Physopelta by the following characteristics: antennomere I shorter than antennomere II (Fig. 1H); calli in male not convex (Fig. 5B); procoxal projection absent (Fig. 7B); profemur in male less than 2 times as wide as mesofemur at the widest part of each; peritreme of scent gland ostiole teardrop-shaped, protruding laterad (Figs. 8B, 10B); protibia in male without tooth at apex, with a single row of denticles throughout its length ventrally; and stem of paramere emarginate in the basal part (Fig. 12B).

Distribution. Taiwan (northern and central parts of main island).

Etymology. The species epithet is the Latin adjective “ luteus ” (meaning yellow) and “ aspidatus ” (meaning “having a shield”), referring to the feature of the orange scutellum.

Host plant. Unknown.

Biology. Adults were collected only in July.