Prothyma (Symplecthyma) inopinata, Anichtchenko & Wiesner, 2023

Anichtchenko, Alexander & Wiesner, Jürgen, 2023, Philippine species of the genus Prothyma Hope, 1838 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Part 2. Subgenus Symplecthyma Rivalier, 1964, Zootaxa 5357 (1), pp. 71-99 : 91-93

Prothyma (Symplecthyma) inopinata sp. nov. ( Figs 1a , 11 , 15b )

Type material. Holotype, female: “ Philippines, Mindanao id, / Davao Oriental, Boston / Mt Agtuuganon, Camp 55 / May 29.-June 7.1997, 1020m / Müller/Buenafe/Gorost leg. / Coll. R. A. Müller light trap [7.799220, 126.202667]”, “RMNH. INS. / 1486048”, “ Prothyma / ( Symplecthyma ) / incerata / Rivalier, 1964 / Det. F. Cassola, 1999”, “HOLOTYPE / Prothyma / ( Symplecthyma ) / inopinata / des. Anichtchenko & Wiesner 2023 [printed, red]” ( NNMN) . Paratype, female: idem., “ PARATYPE / Prothyma / ( Symplecthyma ) / inopinata / des. Anichtchenko & Wiesner 2023 [printed, red]” ( MCZR).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin inopinatus (unexpected) in reference to our surprise when concluding it was a new species.

Diagnosis. Belongs to the group of species with yellow venter. Easily distinguished from other species by its large body size. It differs from the similar species P. incerata , by rough sculpture of elytra and by noticeably wrinkled pronotum and frons. Head as wide as elytra (mean EW/HW = 1.0), while in P. incerata head is wider than elytra (mean EW/HW = 0.89).

Description. Size: TL (without labrum) 11.4 mm (mean = 11.4 mm; n = 2).

Head: ( Fig. 15b ) as wide as elytra (mean EW/HW = 1.0). Dorsally color uniformly copper, shiny; with gold and red reflections; surface glabrous, with two setigerous punctures next to eye, one along frontal margin and one dorsally at center; all striae strong, on the frons undulate; behind the eyes and on neck becoming zigzag. Labrum golden-green or golden-red, margins brown. Labrum of female ( Fig. 11c ) almost as long as wide (mean LW/LL = 1), with two setae located near the lateral margins and two setae centrally, between midline and lateral margins in anterior fourth; with two forward directed anterolateral teeth and two inward directed, curved teeth on the anterior margin at the anteromedian lobe, intermediate space with a long and slightly downturned triangular tooth. Mandibles light brownish, with four brown teeth. Labial and maxillary palpi testaceous, the last segment of both brown. Antennae slender, almost reaching posteriorly to the middle of the elytra in in the females; scape and antennomeres 2–4 ochre-testaceous; scape with one apical seta, the following three antennomeres almost glabrous; antennomeres 5–11 black, matte, finely, and evenly pubescent.

Thorax: pronotum nearly square (mean PW/PL = 0.9–1.0); sides straight between the transversal constrictions, slightly widen towards the front; glabrous; transversely wrinkled in basal half, wrinkles becoming weak in anterior half; bright copper with golden-red or dark copper reflections dorsally; transversely constrictions and margins the same color.

Elytra: ( Figs 11a–b ) twice as long as wide (mean EL/EW = 2.0), parallel-sided, with a dorsally flattened basal hump, dorsal surface without microreticulation, very shining copper in one specimen, and almost black in second. Testaceous elytral maculation in females are quite different between the two known specimens, and consist of humeral, lateromedial and preapical spots. In the paratype specimen, the humeral spot is large and wide, occupying basal fourth of elytra; the lateromedial spot is wide, oblique and with diffused margins; the preapical spot is relatively large and rounded; in the holotype specimen, the humeral spot is relatively small and restricted to humeral angle, lateromedial spot relatively narrow and oblique, and preapical as in first case. Elytra in the basal fourth are covered by narrow transverse punctures, becoming confluent and forming a scale-like surface towards the apices; near the suture slightly denser and more confluent. Apical margin minutely serrate, distinctly rounded and restricted towards middle suture, with a minute sutural spine. Epipleurae brown.

Ventral aspect: venter glabrous; sternae and episternae glabrous; proepisterna, prosternum and anterior part of mesosternum metallic golden-blue; other ventral segments light brown; trochanter glabrous; coxa with two setae; femur, tibia, and tarsi setose; trochanter, coxa, and legs light brown.

Aedeagus: male unknown.

Distribution. Known only from type locality in Mindanao ( Map 1 ).

Remarks. Type specimens were determined by Cassola in 1999 and cited as P. incerata ( Cassola 2000: 494, 495).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ventral habitus of Prothyma (Symplecthyma). a) P. inopinata sp. nov.; b) P. kapuka sp. nov.; c) P. aeneoparva Horn, 1934. Scale = 5 mm.

MAP 1. Distribution of species of Prothyma (Symplecthyma).

FIGURE 11. Prothyma (Symplecthyma) inopinata sp. nov. a) Dorsal habitus holotype female. b) Dorsal habitus paratype female. Scale = 5 mm. c) Labrum. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 15. Head and pronotum of Symplecthyma species. a) P. (S.) incerata Rivalier, 1964; b) P. (S.) inopinata sp. nov.; c) P. (S.) kapuka sp. nov. Scale = 1 mm.