Parena (Parena) valeriae Facchini, 2011

Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the genus Parena Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini, Metallicina), Zootaxa 5286 (1), pp. 1-144 : 130-131

[41] Parena (Parena) valeriae Facchini, 2011

Habitus: Fig. 76D . Male genitalia: Fig. 79 .

Facchini, 2011: 276 (type locality: Zambia, Chisasa ; holotype in CSF) .

Type material examined. Parena valeriae Facchini : Holotype (CSF, Fig. 76D ): male, body length = 10.0 mm, board mounted, " Zambia NW / E of Chisasa / 18.XI.2005 leg. Snížek", " HOLOTYPUS / Parena / valeriae / n.sp. / Det. Facchini 20 11 " [red label] < Figs 5C , 79 >.

Comparisons. This species differs from other African species of Parena by the combination of: dorsum reddish brown, elytra with a pair of dark stripes gradually fading toward apices; postgenae without suborbital setae; antennae and legs uniformly reddish brown. As indicated in the original description ( Facchini, 2011), this species is similar to P. ferruginea , but differs in its unique color: elytra with dark stripes, antennae unicolor, and tarsomeres not darkened. Furthermore, we found one more difference between these two species: the elytra sutural angles are slightly pointed, forming short denticles in P. valeriae , but indistinct in P. ferruginea .

We considered this species to be closest to P. madagascariensis based on having the elytral apex truncate, sutural angles pointed; antennae completely brown, and apical lamella of aedeagus elongate. Compared to the latter species, P. valeriae differs in having the elytra with black lateral stripes, elytral outer apical angles rounded ( Fig. 5C ), elytral striae shallower, elytra without microsculpture, apical lamella of the aedeagus shorter, and the endophallus of male genitalia with the primary sclerite present only in the basal half.

Description. Body length 10.0 mm. Dorsum reddish brown, moderately polished, elytra with a pair of dark stripes, occupying intervals 6 to 8, dark stripes gradually fading toward apices; antennae uniformly reddish brown; venter reddish brown; legs uniformly reddish brown. Vertex with fine punctures; postgenae without suborbital setae; mentum with a pair of median setae, which are slightly longer than terminal labial palpomeres; antennae extended only to elytral base. Pronotum sub-cordate, PW/PL = 1.45, slightly wider than head, PW/HW = 1.06; widest at anterior third, lateral margins evenly rounded before middle, shallowly sinuate before posterior angles; posterior angles rounded-obtuse, not prominent; lateral explanations slightly wide; disc with fine punctures aside median line. Elytra slightly dilated to apex; without microsculpture; striae shallowly incised, with fine puncture rows; intervals shallowly convex, with sparse fine punctures; discal depressions shallow, sub-triangular, near basal third of intervals 3 to 6; apical truncation distinct, completely rounded at outer apical angles, and gradually turn to straight to sutural angle; sutural angles pointed, forming short denticles. Males with biseriate adhesive setae on apical half of mesotarsomere 1 and almost full length of mesotarsomeres 2–3. Apex of abdominal sternite VII straight, with two or three setae on each side in males (the holotype with three setae on left side, two on right side). Median lobe of aedeagus slender (AL/AW = 4.6), ventral margin slightly expanded near middle; apical lamella thin and narrow, oblong in dorsal view, LL much greater than LW, apex rounded; in lateral view, apical lamella slightly bent upward. Endophallus with wide flared basal expansion of primary sclerite; flagellum very short, ending before middle of median lobe; apical sclerite widely V-shaped, moderately defined, basal core indistinct; basal sheath sparsely and coarsely scaled, apical sheath densely and finely scaled, larger than basal sheath; squamate sac not divided, large and triangular (in lateral view), not chitinized, near middle of median lobe, ventral to squamate sheath. Female unknown.

Distribution ( Map 13 , green). Only known from the type locality in the northwestern Zambia.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Elytral apex (left) of Parena spp. A P. (Parena) africana (Alluaud), Cameroon. B P. (Parena) ruficornis sp. n., Central Africa, paratype. C P. (Parena) valeriae Facchini, holotype. D P. (Parena) madagascariensis (Alluaud), Madagascar. E P. (Bothynoptera) tesari (Jedlička), Taiwan. F P. (Bothynoptera) heteronycha sp. n., Laos, paratype. G P. (Bothynoptera) kurosai Habu, Japan. H P. (Bothynoptera) dorsigera (Schaum), Yunnan. I P. (Bothynoptera) dorsigera (Schaum), Beijing. J P. (Bothynoptera) dorsigera (Schaum), Japan. Scale bars = 0.5mm

MAP 13. Distributions for species in the Parena (Parena) scutata group

FIGURE 76. Habitus of Parena (Parena) scutata species group. A Lectotype of Parena madagascariensis (Alluaud). B Holotype of Parena alluaudi Jeannel [= Parena madagascariensis (Alluaud)]. C P. madagascariensis (Alluaud), female from Madagascar. D Holotype of Parena valeriae Facchini. E Lectotype of Parena scutata (Alluaud). F Holotype of Parena ruficornis. Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURE 79. Median lobe of male genitalia for Parena (Parena) valeriae Facchini, right-lateral (r), ventral (v), left-lateral (l), and dorsal (d) views, holotype. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.