Scirtes brancuccii Yoshitomi & Ruta, 2010

Yoshitomi, Hiroyuki & Ruta, Rafał, 2010, Revision of the Scirtes flavoguttatus species-group (Coleoptera: Scirtidae: Scirtinae) 2467, Zootaxa 2467 (1), pp. 1-74 : 62-63

Scirtes brancuccii Yoshitomi & Ruta , sp. n.

Figs. 31I , 39

Type material. Holotype ( NMB): 1 male, “Lao-NE, Hua Phan pr., 20°12’N, 104°01’E, Phu Phan Mt., 1500- 1900m, 17.v.-3.vi.2007, Vit Kubáň leg.” . Paratype ( NMB): 1 male, same data as holotype ; 7 males ( EUM, NMW), “ Phou Pan , 1750m Xamneua, Laos 16-21. VI. 2003 M. Sato leg.”, genit. s. no. HY 936 ; 1 male ( EUM), “ Water Fall , 5km W. of Ban Saleui 1350m Xam Neua, Laos 5-V-2002, M. Sato ” .

Description. Male. Body oblong, slightly convex, shiny, covered with brownish suberect setae. Whole body uniformly testaceous, with the exception of maxillary palpi which are dark brown and antennomeres 4– 5 (probably 4–11), which are black.

Head moderate in size, dorsal side slightly convex, finely punctate; clypeus long, with sides diverging apically, with rounded anterolateral angles, and shallowly emarginated margin. Eyes moderately big, prominent; the distance between the eyes ca. 2.3 times as wide as the maximum diameter of the eye. Antennae filiform, antennomeres 4–5 black (antennomeres 6–11 missing in studied specimens). Pronotum slightly convex, covered with fine punctation similar to that on head; antero-lateral angles rounded, projecting anteriorly; anterior and lateral margins gently arcuate; postero-lateral angles straight; posterior margin slightly bisinuate; PW/PL 2.4. Scutellum relatively small, finely punctate, equilaterally triangular. Elytra oblong-oval, widest at the middle, elongated, strongly punctate; humeri well marked; EL/EW 1.36; EL/PL 4.3; EW/PW 1.44; TL/EW 1.6. Legs of moderate length. Hind tibial spurs well developed, longer one almost straight, shorter one curved; dorsal spurs ca. 2.4 times as long as ventral ones, ca. 0.8 times as long as tarsomere 1. Tergite VIII well sclerotized, trapezoidal, bearing long setae on apical margin, with a pair of long and stout apodemes; tergite IX lightly sclerotized, apical portion transverse, small, with minute setae at apex, with a pair of long apodemes; sternite IX consisting of paired plates with relatively long apical setae. Aedeagus asymmetrical. Tegmen well sclerotized, connected with penis; basal part semicircular; parameres basally divided into two arms: a large transverse one, and a small apical corkscrew-curved, both pointed at apices. Penis well sclerotized, apical portion long, narrow, slightly curved apically, with pointed apex, well exceeding the length of parameres.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements. Male (n = 2): TL 4.05–4.50 (4.28) mm; PW 1.70–1.90 (1.80) mm; PL 0.70–0.80 (0.75) mm; EL 3.35–3.70 (3.53) mm; EW 2.45–2.75 (2.60) mm.

Distribution. N Laos.

Etymology. Dedicated to Michel Brancucci, the Curator of Coleoptera at Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, for his kind hospitality during a visit of the second author in the Museum.

Notes. Dorsum light brown, aedeagus somewhat similar to the one of Scirtes flavoguttatus Champion , but parameres very short, with large incurved projections.

Figures

FIGURE 31. Habitus of Scirtes spp. A) S. balehensis sp. n., holotype, male, B) S. maramagensis Klausnitzer, C) S. sulcigerus Champion, syntype, male, D) S. crassicornis Champion, holotype, male, E) S. patkainus Champion, holotype, male, F) S. malayanus Champion, holotype, male, G) S. cameroni sp. n., holotype, H) S. sabahensis sp. n., holotype, male, I) S. brancuccii sp. n., holotype, male.

FIGURE 39. Scirtes brancuccii sp. n., holotype, male. A) sternites V–VII, B) tergite VIII, C) tergite IX, D) sternite IX, E) tegmen and penis in ventral aspect.