Paraphloeostiba subuliformis sp.n.

(Figs. 28–35)

Paratypes: 1 ♂ (dissected), 2 ♀♀ (one specimen dissected): same data as the holotype, with additional red printed label: ‘ PARATYPE | Paraphloeostiba | subuliformis sp.n. | Shavrin A.V. des. 2022’ (1 ♂: cSh; 1 ♂ #, 1 ♀: NMPC) .

Description. Measurements (n=4): HW: 0.39–0.47; HL: 0.25–0.27; AL (holotype): 0.60; OL: 0.12–0.15; PL: 0.32–0.36; PW: 0.57–0.63; ESL: 0.58–0.62; EW: 0.83–0.86; AW: 0.80–0.85; MTbL (holotype): 0.35; MTrL (holotype): 0.12 (MTrL 1–4: 0.05; MTrL 5: 0.07); AedL: 0.45; TL: 2.07–2.24 (holotype: 2.15).

Body and antennomeres 6–11 reddish-brown, with slightly darker head, latero-apical portions of elytra and abdomen (one paratype with dark brown mediobasal and latero-apical portions of elytra); mouthparts, antennomeres 1–5 and legs yellow to yellow-brown. Head without or with very sparse and indistinct punctation in middle portion; neck without punctation in middle; pronotum with moderately sparse and large punctation, slightly denser and deeper in laterobasal portions, with impunctate middle and latero-apical portions; elytra with moderately dense punctation slightly larger and deeper than that in pronotum, distinctly finer in middle portion; abdominal tergites with indistinct, fine and very sparse punctation, somewhat denser and larger on abdominal tergite VII. Head with regular and strong microsculpture; neck with distinct isodiametric meshes; pronotum with dense isodiametric microreticulation, but finer than that in middle portion of head, coarser on laterobasal portions; scutellum with fine and dense isodiametric sculpture; microsculpture of elytra about as that of middle portion of pronotum, but slightly larger; abdomen with dense isodiametric sculpture.

Head slightly elevated in middle portion, 1.5–1.7 times as broad as long, with very short and deep anteocellar foveae about as long as diameter of ocellus; postocular carina distinct, acute. Apical antennomere about twice as long as preceding segment; antennomere 3 slightly longer than 2, 6 about twice as broad as long, 7–9 slightly longer than 6 and about twice as broad as long, 10 slightly longer than 9.

Pronotum 1.7 times as broad as long, 1.3–1.4 times as broad as head, widest in middle, distinctly more narrowed posteriad than anteriad; middle portion with very indistinct and wide paramedian impressions; laterobasal impressions wide and deep.

Elytra 1.3–1.4 times as broad as long, 1.7–1.8 times as long as pronotum.

Metatarsi very short, about three times as long as metatibia.

Male. Posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII truncate (Fig. 30). Posterior margin of abdominal sternite VIII widely and deeply concave (Fig. 31). Aedeagus with very wide basal portion, strongly narrowed toward narrow median lobe with subacute apex; parameres narrow, slightly exceeding apex of median lobe, with wide setiferous lobes each with moderately long two apical and five preapical setae, and additional two setae on inner margin; internal sac very long and moderately narrow, with elongate sclerotized structure in basal portion (Fig. 28). Lateral aspect of aedeagus as in Fig. 29.

Female. Posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII truncate (Fig. 32). Posterior margin of abdominal sternite VIII widely rounded (Fig. 33). Female accessory sclerite as in Fig. 34. Spermatheca as in Fig. 35.

Comparative notes. Based on the coloration and the length of the body with similar features of the microcuslpture, shapes of the antennomeres and the pronotum with indistinct paramedian impressions, it is similar to P. gracillima sp.n. The new species can be distinguished from this species by the somewhat sparser punctation of the narrower pronotum, markedly longer parameres with significantly broader apical portions, narrower median lobe and the different morphology of the internal sac and the female accessory sclerite.

Distribution. The new species is at present known only from the type locality in northern Laos.

Bionomics. The specimens were collected at an elevation about 1000 m a.s.l. The detailed ecological data are unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a combination of two Latin words: subulis (awl) and forma (shape). It alludes to the shape of the median lobe.