Pediacus elongatus Sen Gupta

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 : 41

Pediacus elongatus Sen Gupta

Figs. 4 A–D.

Pediacus elongatus Sen Gupta, 1978: 219 .

Diagnosis. Recognisable by the combination of the following characters: body form elongate, pronotum with sides anteriorly convergent with anterior denticle acute and prominent. This species is very similar to P. thomasi sp. nov., from which it may be separated by its more slender antennae with antennomere III faintly broader than IV.

Description. Body length 3.7 mm (n=1), strongly elongate, 3.23× longer than wide; colour red-brown, elytra slightly darker; pubescence short, pale, appressed and inconspicuous; surface moderately glossy. Head transverse, 1.82× wider than long; puncturation moderately impressed and moderately dense medially, increasing in size and density laterally with punctures separated by about their diameter; setae short, fine and appressed, inconspicuous; microsculpture weakly reticulate, surface weakly glossy; eyes large, strongly projecting, ocular index 0.7, finely faceted, postocular denticle absent; antennae as in Fig. 4 B, antennomere VII faintly larger than VI and VIII. Pronotum transverse, 1.25× wider than long, widest at about posterior 3/4, sides convergent anteriorly; lateral margins moderately explanate and reflexed, with four prominent denticles, anterior denticle strongly projecting and acute, antero-medial denticle small and obtuse, postero-medial denticle prominent and acute, posterior denticle acute; disc moderately impressed, deeper basally; puncturation as for head, with a faint, narrow, impunctate median strip; setation and microsculpture as for head. Elytra strongly elongate, 2.24× longer than wide, sides subparallel, epipleura moderately explanate; puncturation moderately dense but weakly impressed basally, becoming more dense and deeply impressed laterally, puncturation faint on disc; setation short, appressed and inconspicuous; microsculpture granulate. Genitalia for male as in Fig. 4 D, parameres elongate, narrowed basally and rounded apically; internal sac with fine spinulate projections basally and a very weakly sclerotized apical section.

Type material. Holotype (male): “[ Bhutan] km 87 von 22.5 [22.5 handwritten] Phuntsholing // Nat. - Hist. Museum Basel Bhutan Expedition 1972 // HOLOTYPE [red lettering] // Pediacus elongatus T. Sen Gupta ♂ [handwritten]”. Specimen on card point with genitalia mounted in DHMF on card below ( NHMB).

Distribution. Bhutan.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Pediacus species: (A – D) Pediacus elongatus Sen Gupta, holotype; (E – H) P. fujianensis sp. nov. (A, F) Head and pronotum; (B, E) antenna; (C, H) dorsal habitus; (D, G) aedeagus.