Microhoria longiceps (LaFerte-Senectere, 1849) Kejval & Chandler, 2020

Kejval, Zbyněk & Chandler, Donald S., 2020, Generic revision of the Microhoriini with new species and synonymies from the Palaearctic Region (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 60 (1), pp. 95-154 : 119-120

Microhoria longiceps species-group

Diagnosis. Mostly elongate species, with oval head, constricted pronotum and somewhat modified setation of elytra (at most swirled, no distinct setose bands, Figs 134–137 ); latero-basal pronotal setation variable, forming small patches of dense setae around fovea, fringe longer and sparser, or quite inconspicuous (e.g. M. dichrous and M. proterva). Mesoventrite with rather sharply bordered margins, lacking paired submedian carinae ( Figs 25–28 ); setose fringe of mesepimera more or less well-developed ( Figs 34, 36 ); submarginal setose impressions of metaventrite and abdominal sternum III weakly indicated to conspicuous; all tibiae with paired terminal spurs; elytral apices in males usually modified (except M. globipennis ), channel forming small sclerotized cavity, varying in prominence (very slight and situated near produced apex of elytra in some species, e.g. M. antalya sp. nov., M. gigas, and M. truncata ). Aedeagus ( Figs 64–73 ): tegmen mostly lengthily tubular and straight, apically simply narrowed and pointed (exceptionally bifurcate as in M. globipennis ); gonopore free.

Distribution. Western Palaearctic (Mediterranean Region), and 1–2 isolated species in northern India and Pakistan (see Remarks).

Species included (21 spp.). Microhoria angulifer ( Pic, 1893) comb. nov., M. antalya sp. nov., M. austriaca ( Pic, 1901) comb. nov., M. bicarinifrons (Pic, 1892) comb. nov., M. callima ( Baudi di Selve, 1877) comb. nov., M. decolorata (Pic, 1897) stat. restit., comb. nov., M. dichrous (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) comb. nov., M. doderoi (Pic, 1902) comb. nov., M. erythrodera (Marseul, 1878) comb. nov., M. gigas (Pic, 1899) comb. nov., M. globipennis (Pic, 1897) , M. kabyliana ( Pic, 1896) comb. nov., M. longiceps (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) comb. nov., M. olivierii ( Desbrochers des Loges, 1868) comb. nov., M. paganettii (Pic, 1909) comb. nov., M. plagiostola (Bonadona, 1958) comb. nov., M. proterva ( Krekich-Strassoldo, 1931) comb. nov., M. ragusae ( Pic, 1898) comb. nov., M. tibialis (Waltl, 1835) comb. nov., M. truncata ( Pic, 1895) comb. nov., and M. versicolor (Kiesenwetter, 1866) comb. nov.

Remarks. This group holds mostly Mediterranean species treated previously as Clavicomus ( CHANDLER et al. 2008, as Clavicollis).

Microhoria globipennis is rather aberrant in having a bifurcate apex of the tegmen and simple elytral apices in males, however it shares characters of mesothorax and externally resembles some eastern Mediterranean species of this group, see Figs 136, 137 .

Microhoria proterva ( Fig. 135 ) is another remarkable species, also with respect to its very isolated distribution. It was described from an unstated number of specimens originating from the Indian state of Uttarakhand and never newly recorded. There are only two male syntypes, one each deposited in BMNH and NHMW, and Z. Kejval has also examined two recently collected males from northern Pakistan (ADBC, ZKDC), which may possibly belong to another unknown, but very close species. They resemble some members of the M. fugax species-group (very speciose in the Himalaya) in their external appearance and some detailed characters, e.g. short setose fringe on mesepimera, absent submarginal setose impressions of metaventrite and abdominal sternum III, and comparatively short tegmen. However, important characters suggesting placement within the M. longiceps species-group are as follows: paired terminal spurs of metatibiae (quite distinct), channel of elytral gland forming minute cavity at elytral margin, and the free primary gonopore of the aedeagus, which is situated at the middle part of the aedeagus.

Figures

Figs 123–137. Habitus: 123 – Neocrohoria melanura (Fairmare & Germain, 1863), O’Higgin prov., Cuesta Chada (ZKDC); 124 – Aulacoderus mutatus (Gemminger, 1870); 125 – A. tuberculifer (van Hille, 1985), Western Cape, Soutpan (ZKDC); 126 – Falsophilus minutus (Pic, 1894), Western Cape, Cape Point (ZKDC); 127 – Liparoderus insignis (Lucas, 1843), Spain, Farlete (ZKDC); 128 – Microhoria caeruleicolor (Pic, 1906) comb.nov.; 129 – M. fugiens (Marseul, 1896) comb. nov.; 130 – M. posthuma (Krekich-Strassoldo, 1931) comb. nov., India, Loharket (ZKDC); 131 – M. fasciata (Chevrolat, 1834); 132 – M. vosseleri (Pic, 1894); 133 – M. heydeni (Marseul, 1879) comb. nov.; 134 – M. longiceps (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) comb. nov.; 135 – M. proterva (Krekich-Strassoldo, 1931), syntype (BMNH); 136 – M. antalya sp. nov.; 137 – M. globipennis (Pic, 1897), Turkey, Şenköy (ZKDC).

Figs 23–30. Mesothorax in ventral (left) and lateral (right) view: 23, 24 – Microhoria terminata (W. L. E. Schmidt, 1842); 25, 26 – M. longiceps (La- Ferté-Sénectère, 1849) comb. nov.; 27, 28 – M. gigas (Pic, 1899) comb. nov.; 29, 30 – M. caeruleicolor (Pic, 1906) comb. nov. Scale bars: 100 μm (Figs 23, 24); 200 μm (Figs 25–30).

Figs 31–38. 31 – Neocrohoria melanura (Fairmaire & Germain, 1863), Chile, Malleco prov., 4 km W Victoria (DCDC), setae of metepisterna.32 – Liparoderus insignis (Lucas, 1843), antero-median margin of mesothorax. 33–36 – Mesothorax in lateral view (detail): 33 – Microhoria oedipus (Chevrolat, 1860); 34 – M. longiceps (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) comb. nov.; 35 – M. caeruleicolor (Pic, 1906) comb. nov.; 36 – M. gigas (Pic, 1899). comb. nov. 37, 38 – Falsophilus minutus (Pic, 1894), after KEJVAL (2015): 37 – prothorax in ventro-lateral view; 38 – intercoxal process of abdomen. Scale bars: 100 μm.

Figs 64–67. Aedeagus: 64 – Microhoria longiceps (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) comb. nov., ventral view; 65 – M. callima (Baudi di Selve, 1877) comb. nov., ventral (left) and lateral (right) view; 66 – M. globipennis (Pic, 1897), Turkey, Cevlik (ZKDC), lateral view; 67 – same, apical portion in ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm – A (Fig. 65), B (Figs 64, 66, 67).

Figs 68–73. Aedeagus: 68 – Microhoria antalya sp. nov., ventral view; 69 – M. decolorata (Pic, 1897) stat. restit. & comb. nov., ventral view; 70 – M. antalya sp. nov., apex in lateral view; 71 – M. decolorata, apex in lateral view; 72 – M. truncata (Pic, 1895) comb. nov., lateral view; 73 – same, apical half in ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm – A (Figs 72, 73), B (Figs 68–71).