Pediacus montivagus Champion

Marris, John W. M. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2014, A revision of the Pediacus Shuckard 1839 (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) of Asia and Australasia, Zootaxa 3754 (1), pp. 32-58 : 49

Pediacus montivagus Champion

Figs. 7 E–H.

Pediacus montivagus Champion, 1923: 78 .

Diagnosis. Recognisable by the combination of the following characters: body colour orange-brown, eyes small and weakly projecting, postocular denticle present, pronotum with anterior denticle more or less obsolete and posterior denticle small and acute.

Description. Body length 3.5–3.9 mm (n=4), elongate, 3.07× longer than wide; colour orange-brown, head slightly darker; pubescence moderately long, pale, appressed and moderately conspicuous; surface glossy. Head transverse, 1.79× wider than long; puncturation weakly impressed and sparse medially, increasing in size and density laterally with punctures separated by about their diameter; setae long and appressed, conspicuous; microsculpture absent, surface glossy; eyes small, weakly projecting, ocular index 0.77, finely faceted, distinct postocular denticle present; antennae as in Fig. 7 E, antennomere VII larger than VI and VIII. Pronotum transverse, 1.27× wider than long, widest at about midpoint, sides subparallel; lateral margins explanate especially in basal half, moderately reflexed, anterior denticle more or less obsolete, antero-medial denticle small, broadly obtuse, postero-medial more strongly projecting and broadly obtuse, posterior denticle small and acute; disc moderately impressed; puncturation as for head with an indistinct, narrow, impunctate median strip; setation and microsculpture as for head. Elytra elongate, 2.07× longer than wide, sides subparallel, epipleura moderately explanate; puncturation moderately dense but weakly impressed basally, becoming more dense and deeply impressed laterally, puncturation sparse and faintly impressed on disc; setation moderately long, appressed and conspicuous; microsculpture coriaceous. Genitalia for male as in Fig. 7 G, parameres elongate, weakly narrowed basally and rounded apically; internal sac with indistinct tooth-like projections basally and a strongly sclerotized apical section.

Type material. Holotype (female): “[ India] ♀ // Type H.T. [Round label with red margin] // [India] Sunderdhunga V. W. Almora Divn. 8000–12000 feet June [19]'19. H.G.C. // Brit. Mus. 1923–24. // Pediacus montivagus, Champ. // Pediacus montivagus Type [Two following letters indecipherable] [Handwritten] // Ent. Mo. Mag. 1923. Det. G.C.C.”. Specimen mounted on card ( BMNH) .

Other Specimens Examined. INDIA: INDIA. U.P. [Uttar Pradesh] Chakrata Div. Bodyar. 7,000 ft. H.G. Champion, on Spruce (1, BMNH); PAKISTAN: 19–20.IV.1984, leg. S. Vit [Following handwritten text unclear] (m. 1400) Kaghan Valley , Malkandi Hazara PAKISTAN sept. (1, MHNG); PAKISTAN: Dir Lawarai Pass 2700 m; 21.V.1983 Besuchet - Löbl (1, MHNG).

Distribution. India, Pakistan.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Pediacus species: (A – D) P. leei sp. nov.; (E – H) P. montivagus Champion. (A, F) Head and pronotum; (C, E) antenna; (B, H) dorsal habitus; (D, G) aedeagus.