Hypoganus stepanovi Denisova, 1948

Prosvirov, Alexander S., 2017, A new species of Hypoganus Kiesenwetter, 1858 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from China, with notes on the Palaearctic species of the genus, Zootaxa 4324 (2), pp. 348-362 : 355-361

Hypoganus stepanovi Denisova, 1948

( Fig. 6A–C ; 7E; 8D; 9A–B; 11B–C)

Hypoganus stepanovi Denisova, 1948: 46 ; Dolin 1978: 52; Gurjeva 1989: 110; Platia & Gudenzi 1999: 26; Cate et al. 2007: 117.

Material examined. 3 males, 6 females: 1 female, “ Абхазия, С макросклон Бзыбского хр., ССВ перевала Гудаута , правый борт ущелья р. Решевие, ок. 1000–1100 м, 43°18'55'' N, 40°48'35'' E, 6.VII.2009, А.С. Просвиров leg. / на рододендроне” [Abkhazia, N macroslope of Bzyb Range, NNE Gudauta Pass, right edge of Reshevie River gorge, ca. 1000–1100 m a.s.l., 43°18'55'' N, 40°48'35'' E, 6 July 2009, A.S. Prosvirov leg. / on rhododendron] ( CPM); 1 female, “ Абхазия , ССЗ г. Сухуми, правый борт ущелья р. Бзыбь, 3.15 км ЮВВ устья р. Бавю, ЮВ пос. Псху, ок. 600 м, 43°21'55'' N, 40°49'50'' E, 4.VII.2009, А.С. Просвиров leg. / на стволе бука, у поросшего мхом комля” [Abkhazia, NNW Sukhumi City, right edge of Bzyb River gorge, 3.15 km SEE mouth of Bavyu River , SE Pskhu Vill. , ca. 600 m a.s.l., 43°21'55'' N, 40°49'50'' E, 4 July 2009, A.S. Prosvirov leg. / on beech trunk, near stem base covered by moss] ( CPM); 1 male, “ Абхазия, Бзыбский хр., подъем по ущ. р. Хипста, h~1400 м, 22. VI.2011, А.С. Просвиров leg.” [Abkhazia, Bzyb Range, climbing on Khipsta River gorge, ca. 1400 m a.s.l., 22 June 2011, A.S. Prosvirov leg.] ( CPM); 1 female, “Ново-Прохладное, Краснодарск. кр., под корой дуб. колоды, 12.V.59 / 237” [ Russia, Republic of Adygea, Novoprokhladnoye Vill., under bark of oak log, 12 May 1959] ( CPM); 1 male, “Грузия, Аджаметский заповедник, прелый граб, 26.I.1983 ” [ Georgia, Adjameti State Natural Reserve, rotten hornbeam, 26 January 1983] ( CPM); 1 female, “ Аджария, с. Чаквистави, 7.V.87, С. Казанцев” [ Georgia, Autonomous Republic of Ajara, Chakvistavi Vill., 7 May 1987, S.V. Kazantsev leg.] ( CPM); 1 female, “Горяч. ключ, Кубань, Золотая горка, 14.4.52, К. Арнольди” [ Russia, Krasnodar Krai, Goryachy Klyuch Town, Zolotaya Mt., 14 April 1952, K.V. Arnoldi leg.] ( CPM); 1 male, “С. Кавказ : С. Осетия-Алания, 2,5 км к Ю от с. Тамиск, ущелье Кройгом, букняки, оконные ловушки, h=850 м, 42°56'22'' N 44°12'32'' E, 15.5.– 18.6.2015, С.К. Алексеев, А. Девятов leg.” [ Russia, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, 2.5 km S Tamisk Vill., Kroygom gorge, beech forest, window traps, 850 m a.s.l., 42°56'22'' N 44°12'32'' E, 15 May–18 June 2015, S.K. Alekseev, A. Devyatov leg.] ( CPM); 1 female, “ Абхазия , 21 км С г. Гудаута , Бзыбский хр. (юж. макросклон), лев. борт ущелья р. Хипста, 43°17'25'' N, 040°39'40'' E, h=1020 м, на травян. и древ. растит., 20. VI.2011, А.С. Просвиров leg.” [Abkhazia, 21 km N Gudauta Town, S macroslope of Bzyb Range, left edge of Khipsta River gorge, 43°17'25'' N 040°39'40''E, 1020 m a.s.l., on herbaceous vegetation and trees, 20 June 2011, A.S. Prosvirov leg.] ( CPM).

Diagnosis. Male body length 8.0– 9.5 mm, width 2.5–2.8 mm; female body length up to 12.0 mm, width up to 3.2 mm ( Gurjeva 1989). Body black, antennae and legs lighter ( Figs. 6A–C ). Pronotum with distinct but sparse punctures, hind angle slightly divergent and narrowed, apex sub-acute, with a distinct carina. Scutellum elongate, widest at anterior margin, narrowest at middle, round posteriorly. Elytra with deep striae. Male genitalia as Figs. 7E , 8D , penis thin, apex robust and long, paramere with lateral margin curved, strong concave distally, apex round, the hook blunt; female genitalia as Figs. 9A–B , ovipositor with small styli, spines in central part of bursa copulatrix large.

Remarks. This species is very close to H. inunctus (Lacordaire) , but can be distinguished from the latter by possession of the following characteristics: 1) body black, legs and antennae brown to dark brown, with body usually bicolored (elytra usually lighter than the rest of the body, or distinctly reddish brown) in H. inunctus ; 2) antennomere 3 cylindrical, barely broadened at apex, clearly narrower than antennomere 4, with antennomere 3 conical, clearly broadened at apex, slightly narrower than antennomere 4 in H. inunctus ; 3) prosternum and hypomeron with sparser punctation, while denser in H. inunctus ; 4) the apex of the paramere is rather narrow and with blunt hook while the apex of the paramere more expanded and with sharp hook in H. inunctus .; 5) female with larger styli in the ovipositor, and with the spines in the central part of the bursa copulatrix large, in H. inunctus the styli are very small, and the spines in the central part of bursa copulatrix are small.

Distribution. North and South Caucasus ( Cate et al. 2007).

Natural history. Individuals have been collected from leaves in the montane forest ( Figs. 11B–C ).

Figures

FIGURE 6. A – C. Habitus of Hypoganus stepanovi, male (9.0 mm, Abkhazia): A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C. ventral view.

FIGURE 7. A – F. Aedeagus of Hypoganus species, dorsal (A) and ventral (B – F) view: A – B. H. wennae sp. nov. (holotype); C. H. tibetis, original figure in Čechovský & Kubáň (1997); D. H. miyatakei, original figure in Ôhira (1966); E. H. stepanovi (Abkhazia); F. H. inunctus (Germany).

FIGURE 8. A – E. Apex of paramere of Hypoganus species, ventral view: A. H. wennae sp. nov. (holotype); B. H. tibetis, redraw from Čechovský & Kubáň (1997); C. H. miyatakei, redraw from Ôhira (1966); D. H. stepanovi (Abkhazia); E. H. inunctus (Germany). Not to scale.

FIGURE 9. A – D. Genitalia of Hypoganus species: ovipositor, ventral view (A, C); part of female genital tract, general view (B, D). A – B. H. stepanovi (Abkhazia); C – D. H. inunctus (Poland). Not to scale.

FIGURE 11. A – C. Habitats of Hypoganus species: A. Mt. Daweishan, Yunnan, China, the type locality of H. wennae sp. nov.; B – C. Habitats of H. stepanovi: B. Abkhazia, Bzyb Range, ca. 1000 m, mountain forest; C. in the same place, H. stepanovi sitting on the herbal leaf. (A. photographed by Clyde Qiu; B – C. photographed by Alexander Prosvirov)