Pseudolathra transversiceps, Assing, 2013

Assing, V., 2013, A revision of Pseudolathra of the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions. II. Six new species and additional records, with notes on some New World species, Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (1), pp. 205-227 : 205-227

Pseudolathra transversiceps nov.sp. (Figs 12-16, Map 4)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 3: Vietnam-N, Quang Binh prov., 1 km N of Cha Lo, 400 m, Vietnam-Laos border area, 17°41'22''N 105°45'45''E, L. Dembický leg., 11.-24.iv.2010 / Holotypus 3 Pseudolathra transversiceps sp.n., det. V. Assing 2013" (NHMB).

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is a noun composed of the Latin adjective transversus (transverse) and the suffix ceps (head). It refers to the strongly transverse head.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 8.3 mm; length of forebody 4.0 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 12. Coloration: body black; mid- and hindlegs yellowish, forelegs brown with paler tarsi; antennae with basal half brown and apical half paler.

Head (Fig. 13) strongly transverse, 1.3 times as broad as long, broadest across eyes; posterior angles rather marked; dorsal surface impunctate, except for a few coarse punctures near dorsal margin of eye, on frons, and at posterior margin; microsculpture absent. Eyes large and bulging, more than twice as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Antennae 2.7 mm long and slender.

Pronotum (Fig. 13) as broad as long and 1.02 times as broad as head; lateral margins somewhat tapering posteriad in dorsal view; posterior angles weakly marked; dorsal series composed of 1+4 coarse punctures; laterad of dorsal series with oblique series of 3 coarse punctures on either side, plus additional punctures at lateral margin.

Figs 12-19: Pseudolathra transversiceps nov.sp. (12-16) and P. bipectinata nov.sp. (17-19): (12) habitus; (13) forebody; (14, 19) male sternite VIII; (15-16) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (17) male sternite VII; (18) posterior portion of male sternite VII. Scale bars: 12-13: 1.0 mm; 14- 17, 19: 0.5 mm; 18: 0.2 mm.

Elytra (Fig. 13) 0.96 times as long as pronotum; humeral angles marked; dorsal surface with three series of punctures (one at suture, one along middle, and one laterally), each composed of 6-8 rather coarse punctures. Hind wings fully developed. Metatarsomere I slightly shorter than II.

Abdomen narrower than elytra; punctation dense and coarse on tergite III, gradually becoming finer and sparser towards abdominal apex, very sparse and fine on tergite VII; microsculpture very shallow on tergites III-VI, slightly more distinct on tergite VII; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

3: posterior margin of tergite VIII convexly produced in the middle; sternite VII not distinctly modified; sternite VIII (Fig. 14) weakly oblong, posterior excision narrow and deep, its depth slightly less than half the length of sternite; aedeagus (Figs 15-16) 1.0 mm long; ventral process blade-shaped, in ventral view broadly dilated in the middle and with acute apex.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Pseudolathra transversiceps is readily distinguished from all its congeners particularly by the distinctive morphology of the aedeagus. In general appearance (coloration, punctation, etc.), it is similar to P. nigerrima (Himalaya) and P. sagittata ASSING 2012 ( Thailand), together with which it would key out at couplet 4 in the key in ASSING (2012a). It differs from the former by slightly smaller size, the paler coloration of the mid- and hindlegs, the coarser punctation of the forebody, the relatively smaller and more transverse head, the fewer punctures of the dorsal series of the pronotum ( P. nigerrima : 1+5), and the fewer punctures composing the series on the elytra ( P. nigerrima : each series usually composed of at least 10 punctures). From P. sagittata , P. transversiceps is distinguished by the somewhat broader body (more transverse head; pronotum not distinctly oblong; elytra broader), the darker forelegs and antennae, the longer and more slender antennae, the coarser punctation of the head, the pronotal punctation pattern ( P. sagittata : dorsal series composed of 1+5 punctures), and the more distinct microsculpture of the abdomen. For illustrations of P. nigerrima and P. sagittata see ASSING (2012a).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Thetypelocality is situated in North Vietnam, near the border with Laos (Map 4). The holotype was collected at an altitude of 400 m.