Itagonia tuberculata, Shi, Ai-Min, Yuan, Shi-Bin & Wu, Chun-Lian, 2010

Shi, Ai-Min, Yuan, Shi-Bin & Wu, Chun-Lian, 2010, Three new species of Itagonia Reitter, 1887 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae: Blaptini) from Sichuan, China, Zootaxa 2573, pp. 57-68 : 58-61

Itagonia tuberculata , sp. nov.

( Figs. 11–23 , 57–58 )

Type material. Holotype: ɗ, CHINA: Sichuan, Xiangcheng, 28º56' N, 99º48' E, 3000 m, 16 Aug. 2009, collected by Ai-min Shi and Shi-bin Yuan ( MCWNU). Paratypes: 6 ɗɗ and 4 ΨΨ, same data as the holotype ( MCWNU); 1 ɗ, same data as the holotype but Litang, 29º59' N, 100º16' E, 4000 m, 18 Aug. 2009 ( MCWNU).

Diagnosis. The new species belongs to the group including also Itagonia Bisetosa Medvedev , I. trisetosa Medvedev and I. mera Medvedev. Representatives of this group differ from other Itagonia species in their parameres which are flat, smoothly tapering from base to apex, forming no sharp narrowing in the apical part ( Figs. 62 , 77, 83 in Medvedev, 1998 and Fig. 16 ) and ending in acute apex in lateral view ( Figs. 61 , 78, 82 in Medvedev, 1998 and Fig. 18 ). Occurring together with I. bisetosa , I. trisetosa and I. mera , I. tuberculata , sp.

nov. can be distinguished by pronotum widest immediately before the base; elytral surface coarse, with irregular prominences and sparse punctures; less than anterior 1/2 and apical part of outer margin of epipleura visible from above. Also, the described species sharply differs from I. trisetosa and I. mera in the presence of hair brushes on ventral surface of protarsomeres only 1and 2 (not 1 to 3), and from I. bisetosa (9.2–10.2 mm long) in significantly larger size.

Etymology. Named after the elytral surface with irregular prominences.

Description. Body black, indistinctly shining.

Male ( Figs 11, 13–20 ). Anterior margin of clypeus slightly sinuate. Lateral margin of head with obtuseangled shallow incision above antennal base. Outer genal margin arcuately converging to clypeal base. Vertex with uniform punctures. Frontoclypeal suture weak. Antennae ( Fig. 11 ) long, when posteriorly extended, reaching nearly as far as pronotal base. Length (width) ratio of antennomeres 2 to 11 as follows: 13 (10): 34(11): 16(11): 15(11): 15(11): 17(11): 15(15): 14(16): 14(16): 20(16).

Pronotum ( Fig. 13 ) bell-shaped, 1.25–1.38 (1.32, on average, n=8) times as wide as long, widest immediately before the base, 1.76–1.91 (1.86, on average, n=8) times as wide as head. Ratio of pronotal width at anterior margin to its maximum width (n=8) 0.52: 1.00, on average. Lateral margins of pronotum arcuately converging to anterior margin in anterior half, slightly dilated to base, finely bordered along entire length. Anterior margin of pronotum weakly sinuate and base straight, both bordered laterally. Anterior angles of pronotum obtuse; posterior ones nearly rectangular, both rounded apically. Pronotal surface between lateral margins convex, with clear punctures fine at disc center and larger laterally, median depression obscure or clear. Propleura with short wrinkles and very sparse granules. Prosternum in front of procoxae steeply sloping; intercoxal process of prosternum with shallow median depression, steeply sloping behind procoxae.

Elytra ovate, 1.21–1.32 (1.28, on average, n=8) times as long as wide, widest before the middle, 1.31–1.40 (1.37, on average, n=8) times as wide as pronotum. Less than anterior 1/2 and apical part of outer margin of epipleura visible from above. Elytral surface between outer margin of epipleura and sutural margin slightly convex and coarse, with irregular prominences and very sparse punctures. Epipleura surface smooth, with fine wrinkles and very sparse granules. Visible abdominal sternites with punctures and brown setae, 1 to 3 visible abdominal sternites with longitudinal wrinkles.

Legs robust, length (width) ratio of pro-, meso- and metafemora 72(25): 83(22): 100(23); that of corresponding tibiae: 70(11): 70(12): 87(16). Upper edge of inner surface of profemur ( Fig. 14 ) with massive arcuate prominence near apex. Protibiae with massive upper spur at apical margin longer than protarsomere 1, lower spur fine and pointed. Ventral surface of protarsomeres 1 and 2 and mesotarsomere 1 with hair brushes. Mesofemur and mesotibiae as in Fig. 15 . Metatibiae weakly incurved. Length (width) ratio of metatarsomeres 1 to 4 as follows: 24(6.7): 13(6.2): 12(6.2): 20(6.0).

Aedeagus ( Figs 16–18 ): length 2.17 mm, width 0.58 mm. Parameres 0.67 mm long and 0.46 mm wide, with outer margins smoothly converging from base to apex. Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 19 . Apical margin of abdominal inner sternite 8 sinuate ( Fig. 20 ).

Female ( Figs 12, 21–23 ). Body wider. Antennae ( Fig. 12 ) shorter than in male. Upper spur of fore tibiae massive and rounded apically; lower spur missing. Ventral surface of pro- and mesotarsomeres without hair brushes. Ovipositor as in Figs 21–22 . Spiculum ventrale as in Fig. 23 .

Measurements. Male body length 10.6–11.5 mm, width 5.7–6.2 mm; female body length 11.1–11.7 mm, width 6.3–6.7 mm.

Distribution. China: Sichuan (Xiangcheng, Litang).

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 23. Itagonia tuberculata, sp. nov. 11. antenna of male; 12. antenna of female; 13. pronotum of male; 14. profemur and protibiae of male; 15. mesofemur and mesotibiae of male; 16 – 17. apical part of aedeagus in dorsal and ventral views; 18. aedeagus in lateral view; 19. spiculum gastrale; 20. abdominal inner sternite 8 of male; 21 – 22. ovipositor in dorsal and ventral views; 23. spiculum ventrale.

FIGURES 57 – 60. 57 – 58. Itagonia tuberculata, sp. nov.: 57. male, length 10.6 mm; 58. female, length 11.5 mm; 59 – 60. I. xinlongensis, sp. nov.: 59. male, length 11.4 mm; 60. female, length 11.5 mm.

FIGURES 61 – 64. 61 – 62. Itagonia medvedevi, sp. nov.: 61. male, length 12.9 mm; 62. female, length 12.6 mm; 63 – 64. I. elegans Medvedev, 1998: 63. male, length 12.0 mm; 64. female, length 12.2 mm.