Miridiba schoolmeesteri Keith, 2010

Gao, Chuan-bu & Coca-Abia, María Milagro, 2021, Revision of the genus Miridiba Reitter, 1902 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae): genital morphotypes and new taxonomic data, European Journal of Taxonomy 749, pp. 1-94 : 77-78

Miridiba schoolmeesteri Keith, 2010

Figs 95–97

Miridiba schoolmeesteri Keith, 2010: 239 , figs 12–14 (type loc.: Mt Phu Tha Ca, Ha Giang, Vietnam).

Diagnosis

External morphology of adult ( Fig. 95 ). Body size 17.7 mm. Dorsal surface glabrous. Clypeus with conspicuous punctures, wrinkled appearance, flat, shorter than frons, arcuate laterally, anterior edge emarginate at middle. Frons flat, with punctures similar to those of clypeus; frontal carina moderately developed, blunt. Pronotal surface bulky with strong punctures irregularly distributed; anterior pronotal margin flanged, glabrous; posterior margin glabrous; lateral margins serrated with a few short setae, moderately elevated at anterior quarter, posterior half hidden beneath pronotal surface; anterior angles almost right, not projected forward, posterior angles obtuse and marked. Prosternal process with two-pointed ends. Scutellum sparsely punctate. Elytral surface with punctures regularly distributed, epipleuron glabrous. Foretibia with a dorsal carina moderately developed; insertion of inner spur closer to third outer tooth than second one. Meso- and metatibiae with transverse carina moderately developed, interrupted and complete respectively; inner margin of dorsal surface without spines. Prepygidium with punctures regularly distributed; each puncture with a tiny seta. Pygidium regularly punctate, umbilicate punctures; surface glabrous, at most with a tiny seta placed at anterior margin of each puncture, apex with long pubescence. Ventrites 2, 3 and 4 with pubescence hardly visible, decumbent and regularly distributed. Ventrite 5 with punctures uniformly distributed and sparse long pubescence. Ventrite 6 with punctures irregularly distributed and conspicuous pubescence on posterior margin. Male genitalia: it seems that parameres have one dorsal branch and two ventral branches short; a membranous area at distal part connects ventral branches with phallobase ( Fig. 96 ). Endophallus ( Fig. 97 ) with proximal end covered with conspicuous punctiform sensillae; distal part covered with delicate filiform sensillae; between proximal and distal parts an accumulation of spines. Apophysis of temones ( Fig. 97 ) long and separated from each other. Female genitalia unknown.

Material examined

Holotype VIETNAM • ♂; “ Ha Giang, Mt Phu Tha Ca ; 1400 m a.s.l.; May 2004; Lassalle leg. Viet Nam sept”; “ Miridiba schoolmeesteri sp nov. Keith det. 2009”; “ Holotype ”; DKC.

Remarks

Keith (2010) described Miridiba schoolmeesteri based on a male holotype from Vietnam.After studying the holotype (DKC), we consider that features of external morphology and genitalia confirm that this species belongs to Miridiba . Although the aedeagus is damaged, the parameres seem to have one dorsal and two ventral branches, the ventral ones partially fused, and endophallus with raspulae at distal end and spines

isolated at middle, similar to that of M. scutata . These characteristics could suggest that M. schoolmeesteri belongs to morphotype VIII “ Scutata ”. Hence, we include M. schoolmeesteri in the morphotype VIII.

Distribution

Vietnam.

Species included in Morphotype IX “Ciliatipennis”

The group is composed of three species, which are characterized by antenna 9-segmented, pronotal surface densely punctate (distance between punctures shorter than diameter of puncture), and male and female genitalia as specified above.

Figures

Figs 94–97. 94. Miridiba scutata (Reitter, 1902), lectotype, ♂ (MFNB). Habitus in drosal view. 95– 97. M. schoolmeesteri Keith, 2010, holotype, ♂ (DKC). 95. Habitus in dorsal view. 96. Parameres in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views. 97. Endophallus and temones in lateral view. Scale bars: 94–95 = 5.0 mm; 96–97 = 1.0 mm.