Therates vitalisi W. Horn, 1913

Figs 15–18, 45, 46, 65–70, 99–102, 152–166.

Therates vitalisi W. Horn, 1913: 363 (Type locality— Lao Kay, Tonkin).

Therates vitalisi W. Horn, 1913 — Horn 1915: 439; Matalin 2014: 300; Wiesner & Geiser 2016: 88; Putchkov & Matalin 2017: 245; Wiesner et al. 2017: 40; Wiesner 2020: 95.

Therates fruhstorferi vitalisi W. Horn, 1913 — Horn 1926: 114, 1929: 19; Wiesner 1988: 40, 1992: 92; Cassola 1985: 510; Lorenz 1998: 38, 2005: 117; Sawada & Wiesner 1999a: 36, 1999b: 69, 2002: 84, 2004: 263; Hua 2002: 5; Puchkov & Matalin 2003: 115; Shook & Wiesner 2006: 20; Shook & Wu 2007: 68; Wu & Shook 2007: 39, 2010: 90; Wu 2011: 31.

Therates biserratus Tan, et al. 1991— Tan & Ma 2004: 272.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, ♀ (by monotypy)—“ Lao Kay, Tonkin, 3-5.13, Vitalis“ [hand-written white label], “Type, coll. W Horn ” [printed red label], “Coll. DEI, Eberswalde” [printed white label]; “ vitalisi, Horn ” [handwritten white label]; “ Syntypus ” [printed red label]; “ fruhstorferi, vitalisi W. Horn, det. Wiesner 86” [printed white label]; “ Coll. W. Horn, DEI Eberswalde” [printed white label]; “ F. Vitalisi ssp. mihi ” [hand-written white label]; “ DEI Müncheberg, Col – 04819” [printed light green label] (SDEI).

Addition material. CHINA, Sichuan Prov.: 4♂♂ 3♀♀ — Liangshan, Meigu, Bapu Town, 1995 m, 29.7.2022, coll. Li Yingbing (XX) ; Hunan Prov.: 1♀ — Chengbu County, [Shaoyang], Mt Nan-Shan-Ding, 1– 10.08.2006, Li Jingke (JW); Yunnan Prov.: 1♀ —[Pu'er = Simao], Jinggu county, Mt Longtanshan, 1– 20.06.2009 (JW) ; VIETNAM, Lao Cai Prov.: 1♂ 2♀♀ —Hoang Lien Son Mnt. Range, Hoang Lien Son Nat. Res., Sa Pa vill. env., h = 1250–1300 m, 22 o 20’N 103 o 50’E, 4.VI.1998, leg. A. Napolov (AN, MSPU); 2♀♀ —mountains near Sa-Pa, 1600–2000 m, 7– 11.8.1962, leg. Kabakov (ZIN); 1♂ 1♀ — ibid, 1600–1800 m, 4.6.1963, leg. Kabakov (ZIN); 1♂ — Tonkin, Chapa, Jeanvoine, coll. Klynstra (SDEI); 1♂ 1♀ — Fan Si Pan Mnt., h = 2380 m, 20.V.1994, leg. V. Sinyaev (PU); Yen Bai Prov.: 1♀ —Yen Bai, 8.2020 (AA); Phu Tho Prov.: 5♂♂ 2♀♀ — 90 km W of Hanoi, Xuan Son Nat. Park, h = 400–700 m, 21 o 07’01’’N 104 o 56’39’’E, 6– 15.VI.2014, leg. D. Fedorenko (SIEE, MSPU); 4♂♂ 1♀ — ibid, h = 400–470m, 21 o 07’52’’N 104 o 57’07’’E, 6– 15.VI.2014, leg. D. Fedorenko (SIEE, MSPU); Hoa Binh Prov.: 1♀ — Mai Chau distr., Pa Co, Xa Linh, h =1120 m, 20 o 44’N 104 o 55’E, 22–24.IV.2002, leg. S. Belokobylsky (ZIN) ; Thanh Hoa Prov.: 1♂ 2♀♀ —Ban Vin env., Xuan Lien Natn. Park, h ~ 900 m, 19 o 58’45’’N 104 o 58’13’’E, 2– 11.VI.2022, leg. D. Fedorenko (SIEE, MSPU) ; Nghe An Prov.: 3♂♂ 3♀♀ — Que Phong distr., Pu Hoat National Park, h = 840 m, 19 o 45’19’’N 104 o 47’47’’E, 15– 27.V.2019, leg. D. Fedorenko (SIEE, MSPU) ; Quang Binh Prov.: 1♀ —Phong Nha-Ke Bang N.P., Bo Trach, h ~ 555 m, 17 o 26’24’’N 106 o 19’59’’E, 12– 21.V.2022, leg. D. Fedorenko (SIEE) ; LAOS, Luang Namtha Prov.: 1♀ — Nam Long, 23.IV.1918, R. Vitalis de Salvaza (SDEI); 1♂ 1♀ — 20 km NW Louang Namtha, 900–1100 m, 21 o 09.2’N 101 o 18.7’E, 5– 30.V.1997, leg. C. Holzschuh, E. Jendek, O. Šauša (JW); 2♂♂ 1♀ — ibid, alt. 900±100 m, leg. E. Jendek & O. Šauša (JW); 7♂♂ 3♀♀ — 15 km NW Louang Namtha, 21 o 07.5’N 101 o 21.0’E, alt. 750±100 m, 13– 24.V.1997, leg. E. Jendek & O. Šauša (JW); Luang Prabang Prov.: 2♂♂ 2♀♀ — Thong Khan, ~ 750m, 19 o 35’N 101 o 58’E, 11– 21.V.2002, leg. Vit Kubaň (JW) ; Bolikhamsai Prov.: 6♂♂ 5♀♀ — Ban Nape—Kaev Nua Pass, 18 o 23.3’N 105 o 09.1’E (GPS), alt. 600±100 m, 18.4– 1.5.1998, leg. E. Jendek & O. Šauša (JW); 4♂♂ 9♀♀ — Ban Nape (8 km NE), 18 o 21’N 105 o 08’E, ~ 600 m, 1– 18.5.2001, leg. Vit Kubaň & P. Pacholátko (JW) .

References. CHINA, Guangxi Prov.: Shangsi Hongai Forest Farm, 350 m, 29.V.1999 (Tan & Ma 2004 —as T. biserratus); Yunnan Prov.: Wenshan, Funing County, Hongmu Dashan, 1885 m, 24.VII.2006 (Shook & Wu 2007); VIETNAM, Phu Tho Prov.: 1♂—Xuan Son National Park, 500 m (at light), 18–20.VI.2012, L. Bartolozzi, S. Bambi, F. Fabiano, E. Orbach; Vinh Phuc Prov.: 1♂ 1♀ —Tam Dao Dist., Tam Dao National Park, 21 o 47’52”N 105 o 63’00”E, 950 m, 1–3.VI.2013, E. Orbach; Hoa Binh Prov., 1♂—Mai Chau Dist., Pa Co Hang Kia Nature Reserve, 22 o 74’12”N 104 o 93’95” E, 970 m, 8–12.VI.2013, E. Orbach (all Wiesner et al. 2017); LAOS, Luangnamtha Prov.: 1 ♂—Namtha → Muang Sing, 21 o 09’N 101 o 19’E, 900–1200 m, 5–31.V.1997, leg. V. Kubán (Sawada & Wiesner 1999b; Wiesner & Geiser 2016); Savannakhet Prov., Ban Samang (Wiesner 1988).

Diagnosis. Therates vitalisi is easily distinguished from T. fruhstorferi, T. pseudovitalisi sp. n. and T. ziyardamensis sp. n. by the apex of aedeagus with lateral carinae (Figs 152–166 vs. Figs 115–151). From T. sauteri, T. biserratus, T. hunanensis sp. n. and T. motoensis it is recognised by the shape of antennomeres 8–11 of male (Figs 45, 46 vs. Figs 40–44, 48, 49), and by the shape of aedeagus (Figs 152–167 vs. Figs 168–174). Moreover, from T. biserratus and T. hunanensis sp. n. this species is distinguished by the absence of an apical dot (Figs 15, 17–19, 21, 99–102 vs. Figs 22, 24, 25, 105–108), from T. sauteri and T. hunanensis sp. n. —by labral yellow spot distinctly separated from central apical teeth (Figs 65–70 vs. Figs 75–80), from T. hunanensis sp. n. —by black hind tibiae and tarsi (Figs 15, 17–19, 21 vs. Fig. 25).

Redescription. TL = 11.0– 12.6 mm in males (mean = 11.78 mm, n = 30), 11.0– 13.3 mm (mean 12.44 mm, n = 29) in females.

Head shining black-blue with violet reflection; orbital plates smooth or indistinctly striated in posterior third; frons semi-circular (see above), slightly downward anteriorly (see at side), smooth or shallowly transverse striated, frontal sulci deep, semi-circular and slightly convergent in anterior 2/3, very shallow and distinctly divergent in posterior third; occiput slightly concave in anterior margin. Mandibles in males brown underside, pale-yellow topside with light-brown teeth and apical molar; in females dark-brown except pale basal half of topside. Apical and basal labial palpomeres brown, palpomeres 2 and 3 pale-yellow; maxillary palpi brown with dark brown apical palpomere and yellow-brown palpomere 2. Antennae do not extend posteriorly to the shoulders, scape pale on anterior side and brown-black on posterior side; antennomeres 2–5 black with indistinctly violet tinge and light brown apices, antennomeres 8–10 in males with protruding downward lower anterior margins, antennomeres 9 and 10 sharply serrated, antennomere 11 sharply dilated with abrupt straight anterior margin (Fig. 46); in females less dilated with slightly protruding margins (Fig. 45). Labrum indistinctly transverse, LW/LL = 1.0–1.08 (mean = 1.04, n = 59), black-brown with medium-sized yellow apical spot clearly separated from central apical teeth (Figs 65, 69, 70), in some specimens, mostly in females, weakly visible (Figs 66, 68) or entirely absent (Fig. 67).

Pronotum shining blue with violet reflection; indistinctly transverse, PW/PL = 1.0–1.1 (mean = 1.03, n = 59), glabrous and smooth, in some specimens finely short-striated, apical lobe equally wide throughout; thorax shining blue with violet reflection.

Fore and middle femora yellow-brown with violet-tinged top side; hind femora red-brown in basal third and black with violet tinge in apical 2/3, in some specimens middle and hind femora coloured identically; fore and middle tibiae especially in males light yellow-brown with dark-brown apices and lateral inner margin with blueviolet lustre, or dark-brown with black apices, or entirely black especially in females; hind tibiae entirely black with violet tinge; tarsi black with violet tinge; HTbL/HTaL = 1.13–1.3 (mean = 1.21, n = 59).

Elytra black-blue with purple-violet reflection; sub-parallel or indistinctly divergent toward apex, EL/EW = 1.86–2.14 (mean = 2.01, n = 59); punctuation deep and regular between basal humps and central dot, in apical quarter shallow and sparse; scutellum black with blue tinge; apical margin shortly cut. Elytral pattern presented by yellow basal portion of humeral lunule, small or very small basal dot (Figs 17, 18, 100) entirely reduced in some specimens (Figs 15, 99, 101, 102) as well as elongate slightly oblique wide-uniformed or slightly dilated in lateral portion central dot (Figs 15, 17, 18, 99–101), very thin in some specimens (Fig. 102).

Aedeagus in most specimens with short clearly curved blunt apex (Figs 153–164) and distinct lateral carinae (Figs 152–166), rarely apex indistinctly curved (Fig. 166) or virtually straight (Fig. 165); AL = 2.6–3.1 mm (mean = 2.87, n = 30), EL/AL = 2.42–2.73 mm (mean = 2.58, n = 30).

Distribution. CHINA: Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi, Yunnan Provinces; VIETNAM: Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Binh Provinces; LAOS: Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Bolikhamsai, Savannakhet Provinces (Fig. 184).