Laius baliensis, Yoshitomi, 2014

Yoshitomi, Hiroyuki, 2014, Comparative morphology of the endophallic structures of the genus Laius (Coleoptera, Melyridae), with the descriptions of three new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 97, pp. 1-29 : 3-5

Laius baliensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9D51A886-E14B-4DE6-96C3-410AF3CBC669

Figs 1 , 3A , 5A–B , 7A , 8A , 9A , 13A–B

Laius sp. – Yoshitomi 2008: 289.

Diagnosis

Body small, TL = 4.10–4.46 mm in male, 4.35–4.75 mm in female; male antennomere III oval, deeply concave in dorso-mesal portion, L/W = 0.95; aedeagal apex rounded; gonoporal piece straight and slender; ligula slightly curved; additional sclerite absent.

Etymology

After the type locality, Bali Island, Indonesia.

Type material

Holotype

♂ ( EUMJ), “ Nusa Dua , South Island 8°48’6.81’’S 115°14’16.07’’E, Bali, INDONESIA 8. VIII. 2010 H. Yoshitomi leg.”.

Paratypes

1 ♂, 6 ♀♀ ( EUMJ), same data as for the holotype; 6 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀ ( EUMJ, NMW, BPBM, NHMB), “ Nusa Dua , North Island 8°47’52.72’’S 105°14’9.31’’E, Bali, INDONESIA 7-8. VIII. 2010 H. Yoshitomi leg.”; 3 ♀♀ ( EUMJ), “ Nusa Dua , Bali Indonesia 5-I-2000 H. Yoshitomi leg.”; 2 ♀♀ ( EUMJ), ditto but collector “ M. Satô ”; 1 ♀ ( EUMJ), ditto but collector “ N. Ohbayashi ”.

Description

Male

Body oblong, shining, densely covered with short black setae. Coloration of body black with strong bluish luster on head, pronotum and elytra; labrum, maxillary palpomere III and tarsi brown; antennomeres I–III and maxillary palpomeres I–II yellowish-orange.

Head slightly narrower than pronotum, densely punctate; vertex flat dorsally; eyes large, strongly prominent; HL/HW 0.73–0.82 (0.78). Antennae ( Fig. 7A ) stout; antennomere III ( Fig. 8A ) oval, deeply concave in dorso-mesal portion, L/W = 0.95; approximate ratio of each antennomeres (n = 1) as 8.0: 1.0: 6.0: 2.2: 2.0: 1.8: 1.8: 1.8: 2.0: 1.8: 2.8. Pronotum quadrate, widest near anterior margin, rounded and obscure in antero- and postero-lateral angles, punctate as in head; PW/PL 1.15–1.44 (1.26). Scutellum semicircular, covered with very fine punctures. Elytra oblong, subparallel-sided near base to apical 1/4; EL/EW 1.33–1.71 (1.50); EL/PL 2.50–2.89 (2.65); EW/PW 1.30–1.52 (1.41); TL/EW 2.33–2.93 (2.58). Legs relatively long and slender. Caudal margin of tergite VIII shallowly concave.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 9A ) about 1.12 mm, round at aedeagal apex. Gonoporal piece ( Fig. 3A ) straight, rather wide, 0.61 mm in GL; GL/AL 2.39. Ligula ( Fig. 3A ) short, curved in basal 1/3; LL 0.23 mm; LW 0.06 mm; LL/LW 3.73; GL/LL 2.68.

Female

Similar to male in general appearance; HL/HW 0.71–0.79 (0.76); PW/PL 1.20–1.36 (1.27); EL/ EW 1.53–1.68 (1.59); EL/PL 2.65–2.93 (2.82); EW/PW 1.31–1.44 (1.39); TL/EW 2.60–2.82 (2.68). Antennae ( Fig. 7A ) stout; antennomere III short, L/W = 1.88; approximate ratio of each antennomeres (n = 1) as 8.8: 1.0: 4.2: 2.4: 2.2: 2.2: 2.0: 1.8: 2.0: 2.0: 3.0.

Measurements

Male (n = 7): TL 4.10–4.46 (4.27) mm; HL 0.80–0.90 (0.85) mm; HW 1.00–1.20 (1.10) mm; PW 1.08– 1.30 (1.18) mm; PL 0.90–1.00 (0.94) mm; EL 2.40–2.60 (2.48) mm; EW 1.40–1.82 (1.67) mm. Female (n = 7): TL 4.35–4.75 (4.61) mm; HL 0.85–0.95 (0.90) mm; HW 1.15–1.25 (1.20) mm; PW 1.20–1.30 (1.24) mm; PL 0.90–1.00 (0.97) mm; EL 2.60–2.80 (2.73) mm; EW 1.60–1.80 (1.72) mm.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality, Indonesia (Bali Isl.).

Remarks

This species is similar to Laius flavicornis (Fabricius, 1801) and L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 in the shape of male antennomere III, and differs from them in the shape of endophallic sclerites and smaller body length.

Biological notes

This species was collected together with Laius pankowi Wittmer, 1999 and L. satoi Yoshitomi, 2008 at the same locality. Based on the data of Yoshitomi (2008) and the present study, Laius baliensis sp. nov. was collected in January and August, L. pankowi in January and December, and L. satoi in January, April, and August.

Figures

Fig. 1. Copulation of Laius baliensis sp. nov. A. Endophallus fully engaged with female structures in dorsal view. B. Endophallus fully engaged with female structures in dorsal view, close up. Abbreviations: M = male, F = female.

Fig. 3. Endophallic sclerites of Laius spp. A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). J. L. asahinai Nakane, 1955.

Fig. 5. Dorsal habitus of Laius spp. of ♂ (holotypes A, C, E) and ♀♀ (paratypes B, D, F). A–B. Laius baliensis sp. nov. C–D. L. andamanensis sp. nov. E–F. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 7. Left antennae of Laius spp. (above: male; below: female). A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype).

Fig. 8. Male antennomere III of Laius spp. A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype).

Fig. 9. Aegeagi of Laius spp. A. Laius baliensis sp. nov. (paratype). B. L. andamanensis sp. nov. (paratype). C. L. rodriguesensis sp. nov. (paratype). D. L. maai Wittmer, 1973 (paratype). E. L. marchei Pic, 1922. F. L. politus Fairmaire, 1880. G. L. sabangensis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype). H. L. sericatus Champion, 1924. I. L. submariniformis Wittmer, 1985 (paratype).

Fig. 13. Habitat and habits of Laius spp. A. Type locality (Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia) of Laius baliensis sp. nov. and L. satoi Yoshitomi, 2008, three Laius species living sympatrically. B. L. baliensis sp. nov., female. C. L. satoi, male. D. L. asahinai Nakane, 1955 (at Miyake-jima). Photographs by HY.