Physodera sciakyi, Ma, Yunlong, Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2017

Ma, Yunlong, Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2017, Revision of the Oriental Genus Physodera Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini, Physoderina), with the descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4243 (2), pp. 297-328 : 305-306

Physodera sciakyi sp. n. Figs. 19 , 40 , 62.

Type series. Holotype (CRS), a male, " Sulawesi S/ Puncak Palopo / I.2010 ". " Holotype / Physodera sciakyi / sp. n. / Des. Ma & Shi, 2016"[red label]. ( Figs. 7 , 19 ) Paratype, 1 male (CRS), " Indonesia / S . Sulawesi / Palopo env./ Puncak V.1999 / loc. Collector lgt.". " Paratype / Physodera sciakyi / sp. n. / Des. Ma & Shi, 2016"[red label]..

Diagnosis. Dorsal side black with metallic purple hue; pronotum unicolor ; elytra with a pair of ivory callosities on disc, callosity about 0.2 times as elytron in length, placed in the middle of elytron, round in shape, without notch or only weakly serrated posteriorly. Tergum and sternum VII without distinct pattern. Antennameres 5–11 distinctly widened and flattened. Elytral third interval with five or six setigerous pores, the fifth with three or four pores near base; apical margin truncated.

P. sciakyi sp. n. is most similar with P. eburata in general appearance. Besides distribution ranges, they are also different in the following characters: Elytral callosities different in shape; round without distinct notch in P. sciakyi sp. n. (versus round with a distinct notch posteriorly in P. eburata ); the elytral third interval with five or six setigerous pores and the fifth with three or four pores near base ( Fig. 62) (versus the third interval with two pores and the fifth with only one near base); Pronotum almost glabrous in P. sciakyi sp. n., except for sporadic punctures along the basal half of median line, lateral expansion completely impunctate (versus pronotum distinctly punctate, heavy and dense punctures distributed on lateral expansion, median line, sub-anterior area, and basal fovea and in P. eburata ); Accessory setae more abundant on the pronotal front and hind angles in P. sciakyi sp. n. (versus less in P. eburata ). Based on these, we believe the specimens from Sulawesi represent a new species different from P. eburata , although we didn't compare their male genitalia.

For another related species, P. bifenestrata from Borneo, we have male materials to compare with the new species. The aedeagus of them are different in: the median lobe stronger bent to the right side apically, right margin about curved before apex in P. sciakyi sp. n. (versus the median lobe barely bent to the right side apically, right margin weakly angulated before apex in P. eburata ); a small transverse sclerotized piece present on the left margin of apical orifice in P. sciakyi sp. n. (versus such piece hardly defined in P. eburata ); the main flagellum gradually curved in the middle in P. sciakyi sp. n. (versus the main flagellum almost straight along its full length in P. eburata ).

Description. Body length 10.9–11.5 mm. Dorsal surface dark blue with strong metallic reflections; mouthparts dark purplish, terminal palpomeres yellowish apically; antennae black, apex of terminal segment brown; pronotum evenly metallic; elytra dark with strong blue-purplish metallic hue, lateral margins brownish; elytral disc with a pair of ivory callosities, round, slightly transversal, not notched or weakly serrated posteriorly, occupying the middle fifth of elytra in length, and interval 4–8 in width; legs metallic purple; ventral side dark brown; tergum and sternum VII without pattern, lateral sides a little light. Head. Tempora short, about half as long as eyes, abruptly narrowed behind eyes; frons smooth, without puncture. Males with terminal labial palpomeres wider than maxillary ones, apex truncated, but not typically securiform. Antennamere 4 about triangular, slightly widened since middle, antennameres 5–11 strongly widened and flattened, gradually widened and shortened to apex, the fifth with width/length 1.0, the tenth with width/length 1.5. Pronotum widest at about anterior third, ratio PW/PL 1.61–1.68, base shortly lobed. Front angles wide and round; lateral margins fully rounded in the middle, strongly sinuate before hind angles; hind angles distinct, not projected, about rectangular. Accessory setae rich on front angles, less on hind angles, absent on the middle of lateral margins. Disc slightly convex; median line short, not reaching apex or base; pronotum almost glabrous, except for sporadic punctures in the basal half of median line; lateral expansions wide, rugose but impunctate. Elytra wide, gradually widened apically; lateral margins concaved near anterior third; apex truncated; basal border incomplete, reaching the third interval. Striae not furrowed, composed of fine puncture rows; strial rows absent before apex and in the callosities. Intervals flat, finely and sparsely punctate; the third interval with five or six setigerous pores, about equally arranged, the last one adjacent to the second stria, others placed on the middle of interval; the fifth interval with three or four pores restricted in the basal fifth; the seventh and eighth intervals weakly tumid apically. ( Fig. 62) Ventral side. Prosternum setose on anterior region and intercoxal process; mesosternum and metaepisternum about smooth; metasternum densely setose except the middle, abdomen densely setose; males with sternum VII emarginate, with two pairs of setae.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 40 ). Median lobe of aedeagus fairly stout and straight, apex distinctly bent to right side in ventral view, right margin fully curved before apex; apical lamella very small, its length about 0.8 times as basal width, about triangular, rounded apically. Internal sac with main flagellum thick and curved, apex almost reaching apical orifice; secondary flagellum short and thick, weakly sclerotized, length about 0.4 times as the main flagellum; trumpet-form expansion large, length about 0.45 times as the main flagellum; apical bursa present; an additional transverse sclerotized piece present on the left margin of apical orifice. Female genitalia unknown.

Distribution. Only known from Sulawesi (Palopo). ( Fig. 65 )

Etymology: The name of this new species is dedicated to our friend, Dr. Riccardo Sciaky from Milano, a specialist on Carabidae , who kindly lent this rare species for our study.

Figures

FIGURE 40. Median lobe of male genitalia, right-lateral, ventral, left-lateral, and dorsal view of P. sciakyi sp. n., holotype, scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 65. Known distribution of Physodera eburata group: * P. eburata Heller; ● P. bifenestrata Heller; Ɨ P. sciakyi sp. n., type localities for valid names in red.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Habitus of type materials, scale bars = 2 mm: Fig. 19, holotype of P. sciakyi sp. n.; Fig. 20, holotype of Lachnoderma andrewesi Jedlička; Fig. 21, holotype of P. bacchusi Darlington; Fig. 22, holotype of P. unicolor, sp. n.; Fig. 23, syntype of P. eschscholtzii Dejean; Fig. 24, lectotype of P. davidis Fairmaire.

FIGURES 1 – 12. Labels for type materials: Fig. 1, holotype of P. diglena Andrewes; Fig. 2, syntype of P. dejeani Eschscholtz; Fig. 3, syntype of P. noctiluca Mohnike; Fig. 4, holotype of P. chalceres Andrewes; Fig. 5, lectotype of P. eburata Heller; Fig. 6, lectotype of P. bifnestrata Heller; Fig. 7, holotype of P. sciakyi sp. n. Fig. 8, holotype of Lachnoderma andrewesi Jedlička; Fig. 9, holotype of P. bacchusi Darlington; Fig. 10, holotype of P. unicolor, sp. n.; Fig. 11, lectotype of P. eschscholtzii Dejean; Fig. 12, lectotype of P. davidis Fairmaire.