Ctenoplus nitidipennis Schwarz, 1907

Fuller, E. & Platia, G., 2006, A revision of the click beetle genus Ctenoplus Candèze, 1863 (Coleoptera: Elateridae, Synaptina), Zootaxa 1217 (1), pp. 1-76 : 32-39

Ctenoplus nitidipennis Schwarz

Figures 19 , 47, 69, 92, 107

Ctenoplus nitidipennis Schwarz 1900: 355 ; sex and number of specimens not stated; type locality: “Borneo, Kina Balu ”.

Ctenoplus nigripennis Schwarz 1900: 356 ; sex and number of specimens not stated; type locality: “ N. Borneo ”. NEW SYNONYMY.

Ctenoplus nitidipennis, Schwarz 1907: 295 ; Schenking 1927: 490.

Ctenoplus nigripennis, Schwarz 1907: 295 ; Schenkling 1927: 490.

Diagnosis

Medium­ to large­sized, red and black Ctenoplus ; head, prothorax and ventral surface of meso­ and metathorax red, elytra black; prosternum with curved groove anterad prosternal spine (Fig. 47). C. nitidipennis is similar in size and colour to C. indicus n.sp., but can be distinguished by the red head and curved grooves on the prosternum. In C. indicus , the head is black and the prosternum is ungrooved. In addition, C. nitidipennis is known only from Borneo while C. indicus is known from Nepal, India and Laos.

Description

Head, prothorax, venter of meso­ and metathorax, and legs red; scutellum and antennomeres red, bordered with black; elytra and abdomen black, epipleura and mouthparts blackish red in most specimens, epipleura varying from black to red; setae mainly brownish yellow with some black setae interspersed. Length: 8.0– 11.5 mm; width: 2.0– 2.5 mm.

Head. Punctures separated by up to own diameters anteriorly, almost contiguous posteriorly; anterior tentorial pit small, round. Antennae ( Fig. 19 ) reaching apex of pronotal hind angle in female, 1.5–2 segments posterad apex of hind angle in male; antennomere 1 with cuticle microreticulate posterodorsally and ventrally, shiny anteriorly, punctures small, shallow, almost contiguous; cuticle of other antennomeres microreticulate, punctures very small, separated by up to 3X own diameters, setae relatively long, black; secondary male setae not apparent. Labrum with impunctate basomedian band, punctures simple, cuticle microstriate, dull; right mandible with mandibular groove setate, punctures simple; left mandible with anterior margin of basal expansion almost vertical, not excavated by mandibular groove, mandibular groove short, shallow, situated at anterior margin of basal expansion.

Prothorax. Pronotum: lateral carina at about midline of prothorax in lateral aspect; lateral margin weakly sinuate in dorsal aspect, concave at base of hind angles; hind angles slightly divergent, more so in male; punctures small, simple, separated by up to 3X own diameters in male, about own diameters in female, gradually decreasing in size and density posteriorly. Hypomeron: surface sculpture and setae as on pronotum, though setae finer; cuticle becoming glabrous near level of posterior margin of procoxae; apex of posterolateral angles slightly produced laterally, truncate posteriorly in ventral aspect; apex of posterolateral angles produced posterad adjacent posterior margin. Prosternum, Fig. 47; anterior lobe punctures larger and closer than other punctures, punctures almost contiguous; submarginal groove of prosternal spine extending anteriorly for about 1/2 length of prosternum, curved ectally anteriorly, whole configuration appears gobletshaped, lateral margin of groove carinate; punctures slightly smaller and denser than adjacent punctures of hypomeron, grading to minute posteromesally; setae as on hypomeron, directed posteriorly; prosternal spine: elongate: about 2X as long to posterior concavity as width immediately posterad procoxae; subhorizontal, dorsal and ventral margins subparallel, ventrolateral margins thickened, rounded laterally, subcarinate medially, carina becoming sharper anteriorly and continuous with lateral carina of prosternal groove, submarginal groove creating raised center line on spine.

Mesothorax. Scutellum: median line subcarinate, punctures small, separated by 2–3X own diameter. Elytra: lateral margins subparallel in anterior two­thirds, narrowed posteriorly, apex with short subsutural tooth; punctures separated by about own diameters; intervals with punctures in roughly diagonal rows, minute; posterior margin of epipleura oblique. Mesosternum horizontal and thickened between mesocoxae; posteromesal margin between mesocoxae sinuate. Mesepisternum: posterior 1/4 glabrous.

Metathorax. Metasternum: carina posterad mesocoxal cavity long, directed towards posterolateral angle of metasternum, extending between 1/4 and 1/3 distance from mesocoxae to posterolateral angle of mesosternum; setae as in hypomeron, though slightly shorter; punctation appears double: major punctures as on hypomeron, very small punctures interspersed, especially towards midline and posteriorly, slightly denser in female.

Legs. Femur with poorly developed groove for tibia, without obvious marginal spinelike setae; tarsomere 4 with small distoventral lobe, claw with 7 stout subapical tines.

Abdomen. Terga relatively heavily sclerotized; spiracles enclosed on terga 3–6. Ventral punctures separated by up to own diameter, setae as in metasternum. Male genitalia, Fig. 69 ; parameres not enclosing median lobe ventrally: separated by slightly more than width of median lobe for most of length then abruptly converging at ca. anterior 1/8; anterior margin of parameres at same level dorsally and ventrally; mesal margin of parameres with subrectangular angle near point of divergence of median struts, margin more heavily pigmented across angle; angle slightly raised above median lobe, but not above rest of paramere; paramere with 2 subapical dorsal setae and 2 apical ventral setae. Female genitalia, Fig. 92 ; spermatophore present in bursa copulatrix and tubular extension of specimen illustrated; bursa with 1 pair of elongate ventral spiny plates, plates tapered anteriorly and posteriorly; plates somewhat sinuate in outline but one plate more so than other; plates extending almost full length of bursa; bursa with band of free spines extending from level of posterior end of plates almost to recurved end of plates, band of spines almost enclosing base of tubular extension, spines slightly longer and more dense posteriorly; bursa with patch of unspined membrane about size and shape of spermatheca anterad point of insertion of spermatheca; tubular extension: arising dorsally, very long, 4–5X length of bursa with 5 proximal coils in dorsal aspect and convoluted coiling distally; gradually narrowing in proximal coils to about 1/2 width at bursa; spined throughout in single band not enclosing extension, grading in proximal coils from long stout spines subequal in size and density to bursal spines to shorter and thinner spines with conspicuous bases in distal part; small sac­like spermatheca at point of insertion with bursa.

Type material

We have examined the type material of C. nitidipennis and C. nigripennis . C. nitidipennis was described based on an unspecified number of specimens from “Borneo, Kina Balu ”. Two specimens of C. nitidipennis were received from DEIC when types were requested. The first specimen, a male, bears the following labels: “ Kina Balu ” [handwritten]/ “Coll. Schwarz”/ “ Syntypus ” [red paper]/ “ nitidipennis Schw. ” [handwritten]. This specimens is here designated the lectotype. The second specimen, a female, lacks the handwritten labels of the lectotype as well as the “Coll. Schwarz” label, and is probably not part of the type series.

C. nigripennis was described based on an unspecified number of specimens from “N. Borneo”; two specimens labelled syntypes, both females, were received from DEIC. The first specimen bears the following labels: “Borneo” [handwritten]/ “Coll. Schwarz”/ “ nigripennis Schwarz ” [handwritten]/ “ Syntypus ” [red paper]. This specimen is here designated the lectotype. The second specimen bears a printed “Borneo” label and lacks the handwritten determination label. It is here designated a paralectotype. The characters cited by Schwarz (1900) to distinguish C. nigripennis from C. nitidipennis are variable and the character states intergrade. No other characters have been found to distinguish them.

Material examined and range

14♂, 16♀, 1 undetermined. BRUNEI: 1♂, 1 undetermined, Temburon, Kuala Belalong, V–VII.1995, Borcherding [CCW]; 1♀, Bukit Sulang, nr. Lamunin, 28 viii – 5 ix 82, N.E. Stork [BMNH]. MALAYSIA. SABAH: lectotype of C. nitidipennis ; 1♀, Kina Balu [DEIC]; 9♂, 3♀, Bettotan, nr. Sandakan, July 26 – Aug. 7, 1927 [BMNH]; 1♀, Crocker Range, V.1988, leg. Koo [CPG]; 4♂, 9♀, SARAWAK: foot of Mt. Dulit, junction of rivers Tinjar & Lejok, 3 ix 1932, Oxford Univ. Exp., B.M. Hobby & A.W. Moore [BMNH]; 2♀, Kuching distr., Mt. Penrissen, m 1000, 24–26.III.1994, lg. J. Horak. [CPG, CHP]. “BORNEO”, lectotype, paralectotype of C. nigripennis [DEIC]. C. nitidipennis is known only from northwestern Borneo ( Fig. 107 ).

Natural history

Adults have been collected between 24 March and 5 September, though most specimens examined were collected between 26 July and 5 September. The only recorded elevation was 1000m.

Ctenoplus indicus n. sp.

Figures 20 , 34 , 70 , 93 , 108

Diagnosis

Large, red and black Ctenoplus with a small tooth at apex of elytron. C. indicus is similar in size and shape to C. nitidipennis Schwarz , but can be distinguished by the colour of the head and by distribution. In C. indicus , the head is black, the same colour as the elytra, while in C. nitidipennis , the head is red like the pronotum. C. indicus is known from Nepal, northern India and Laos, whereas C. nitidipennis is known from Borneo.

Description

Head and elytra black, pronotum and legs yellowish­red; antennae reddish­brown; most of ventral surface either red as on pronotum, or with mesosternum, mesepisternum, mesepimeron and metasternum variably red and black and abdominal ventrites black (see variation), prosternal spine and margins of mesosternal cavity black; setae yellowish­white on most of body, dark brown to black on disk of pronotum and elytra. Length: 10–14 mm, width 2.0– 4.5 mm.

Head. Punctures moderately deep, almost contiguous. Antennae ( Fig. 20 ) extending about 1/2 segment posterad apex of pronotal hind angles; antennomere 1 with cuticle microrugose dorsally and ventrally, smooth and subshiny anteriorly, dorsal and ventral punctures minute, anterior punctures slightly smaller than frontal punctures, almost contiguous, setae slightly shorter than frontal setae, semierect, directed distally; other articles with microrugose cuticle, punctures minute, setae as on antennomere 1 though longer; male antennomeres 4–11 with fine, moderately long, erect setae along anterior margin.

Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 34 ): broadly flattened on disc, posterior margin gradually elevated to transverse tubercle opposite scutellum, elevated portion notched to receive scutellum, midline with very shallowly impressed longitudinal impunctate groove in posterior 1/2; punctures shallow, simple, separated from nearest neighbour by up to 2X own diameter on disk, slightly closer towards lateral margin. Hypomeron: posterior margin between apex of posterolateral angles and level of lateral margin of mesepisternum almost straight; punctures shallow, simple, subequal in size to lateral pronotal punctures, separated from nearest neighbour by up to 1.5X own diameters, setae as on pronotum. Prosternum broadly flattened in center; surface sculpture and setae as on hypomeron except punctures separated by about own diameters in center, contiguous on anterior lobe, almost contiguous around procoxal cavities, setae directed anteriorly on lobe, mesally elsewhere; prosternal spine: ventral margin horizontal, apical 1/2 smooth, shiny, impunctate, lateral margin slightly concave, shape as in C. dorsalis n. sp., c.f. Fig. 57 ; posterior concavity between dorsal and ventral apices varying in shape from semicircular to subquadrate; anterior 1/2 with setae and surface sculpture as on adjacent prosternum, setae directed more or less posteriorly; punctures of lateral margin relatively deep, simple, almost contiguous.

Mesothorax. Scutellum: variably convex, midline raised anteriorly but not acute, posterior margin varying from broadly rounded to subtruncate; punctures shallow, simple, in most specimens slightly smaller than those of pronotal disc and separated by about 1/2 own diameters, one specimen with minute punctures separated by own diameters, setae as in pronotum, directed posteromesally. Elytron about 5X as long as maximum width, lateral margins subparallel, converging in apical 1/4 to 1/5, apex produced into small tooth at suture; punctures moderately deep, separated by up to own diameters; interval punctures very small, irregularly spaced but separated by up to 3X own diameter; striae obliterated at apex of basal declivity. Mesosternal cavity with margins thickened, raised above mesocoxae posterad anterior margin of mesocoxal cavities. Mesepisternum: anterior groove not divided by lateral carina; posterior and posteromesal margin glabrous.

Metathorax. Metasternum: carina at mesocoxae as long as basal width.

Legs. Tarsomere 4 with small lobe; claws with 6–7 tines.

Abdomen. Terga 2–7 relatively heavily sclerotized, spiracles enclosed on terga 2–6; lateral carina absent; posterior 1/2 of terga 2–6 with moderately deep, circular, simple punctures, density of punctures decreasing posteriorly: almost contiguous on 2, separated by 2–3X own diameter on 6; anterior 3/4 of tergum 7 with punctures as terga 2–6, density decreasing posteriorly as on terga 2–6; cuticle microreticulate. Dorsal surface of ventrite 5 with submarginal carina parallel to margin of tergum 7; ventral punctures with setae arising on anterior margin; punctures grading from large, simple, contiguous at anterolateral angle of ventrite 1 to about 1/2 that size and separated by about own diameter at midline, lateral punctures of ventrites 2–4 slightly smaller than those of ventrite 1; ventrite 5 with all punctures about same size as lateral punctures of ventrites 2–4, separated by about 1/2 own diameters. Male genitalia, Fig. 70 ; parameres not enclosing median lobe ventrally; apex of parameres with 2 long and 4 short subapical setae dorsally and 2 long subapical setae ventrally. Female genitalia, Fig. 93 ; bursa copulatrix somewhat elongate (spermatophore in bursa), bursal plates somewhat club­shaped, posterior end greatly attenuated, plates subsymmetrical; bursa with band of free spines anterad and laterad plates, enclosing base of tubular extension; tubular extension: very long, loosely coiled like watch spring proximally, sinuate distally, with regularly spaced, moderately dense spines throughout, spines longer, denser and thinner in proximal coils, and shorter, stouter and more widely spaced distally; conspicuous sac­like spermatheca at base.

Variation. Some ventral sclerites vary in colour, possibly in a clinal pattern. Specimens from Nepal and Sikkim have the abdominal ventrites completely black whereas those from Assam and Laos have these ventrites red as in the prosternum. Specimens from Assam and Laos also have the ventral surface of the meso­ and metathorax red, while specimens from Nepal and Sikkim have the metasternum varying from completely black to almost completely red. Male and female genitalia of the two morphs do not differ.

Punctures on the pronotum vary in size such that they are separated by about their own diameters in some specimens, but separated by up to twice their own diameters in others. Variation is independent of gender.

Material examined and range

9♂, 8♀, 1 undetermined sex. INDIA: Holotype female, “ India , Darjeeling”/ “Janson Coll. 1903–130"/ “ Silesis sp. ” [ BMNH]; Allotype male , 3♂, 2♀ paratypes, “Khasia Hills, Assam ”/ “Brit. Mus. 1964–130"/ Ctenoplus C.M.F. von Hayek , det 1965 [ BMNH]. Paratypes: 1♂, “ Gangtok, Sikkim, 1– 4.5.1984, dr. A. Hamet , lgt [ CPG] ; 1♀, “ Rangeli River , 900m 15.4.77"/ “ Sikkim, Bhakta B” [ NHMB] ; 1♂, “N. INDIA, West Bengal, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Khangebung, 1400 m. leg. N Dangal, 30.4.1987 " [ CCW]; 1♀, “NE INDIA: Meghalaya 1999, 3 km E Tura 1150 m; 25°30’N 90°14’E, 18.iv, Dembicky & Pacholäko leg” [ CCW]; NEPAL : 1♀, “Kathmandu, 24.5–21.6"/ “Gokarnabarz”/ “Nepal, W. Wittmer, C. Baroni U. 1976 [ NHMB]; 1 gender undetermined, “ C. Nepal, Janakpur, Tamba­Koshi­Khola, SE Charikot”/ 900–1200m, 5.– 10.6.1997, leg. C. Holzschuh ” [ CCW]; 1♂, “C NEPAL Kathmandu Valley, Balaju , 1500–1596 m, Leg. J. Probst, 3.6.1993 " [ CCW]; LAOS: 1♂, “ LAOS north 5–11.v.1997, 20 km NW Louang Namtha, N21°09.2 E101°18.7, alt 900± 100m, M. Štrba & R . Hergovits leg” [ CPG]; 1♂, ibid, but “ E. Jendek, & O. Šauša leg.” [ CPG]; 1♀, “ LAOS north 13–24.v.1996, 15 km NW Louang Namtha, N21°07.5 E101°21.0, alt 750± 100m, M. Štrba & R . Hergovits leg” [ CPG]; 1♀, “ LAOS centr. 27.iv–1.v.1997, 70 km NE Vientiane, BAN PHABAT env. 150 m, N18°18.1 E103°10.9, E. Jendek, & O. Šauša leg” [ CPG]. C. indicus has been found in central and eastern Nepal, northeastern India and northwestern Laos ( Fig. 108 ) .

Etymology The species epithet is derived from ‘indicus’, meaning of India.

Natural history This species has been collected between 150 and 1200 m from 3 April to 21 June.

Figures

FIGURE 107. Distribution of Ctenoplus species.

FIGURE 108. Distribution of Ctenoplus species.

FIGURES 15–30. Antenna of Ctenoplus species. 15, C. javanensis Cand.; 16, C. sumatrensis n. sp.; 17, C. sanguinolentus (Cand.); 18, C. sanguinolentoides n. sp.; 19, C. nitidipennis Schwarz; 20, C. indicus n. sp.; 21, C. neosiamensis n. sp.; 22, C. siamensis n. sp.; 23, C. rufoantennatus n. sp.; 24, C. castaneus (Fleut.); 25, C. coomani Fleut.; 26, C. divergens n. sp.; 27, C. alutaceus n. sp.; 28, C. semialutaceus n. sp.; 29, C. cateianus n. sp.; 30, C. dorsalis n. sp. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 66–85. Male genitalia of Ctenoplus species, dorsal aspect unless otherwise specified. 66, C. javanensis Cand.; 67, C. sumatrensis n. sp.; 68, C. sanguinolentoides n. sp.; 69, C. nitidipennis Schwarz; 70, C. indicus n. sp.; 71, C. collaris Cand., a, dorsal, b, ventral; 72, C. pseudocollaris n. sp.; 73, C. neosiamensis n. sp.; 74, C. siamensis n. sp.; 75, C. rufoantennatus n. sp.; 76, C. castaneus (Fleut.), a, dorsal, b, lateral; 77, C. coomani Fleut.; 78, C. divergens n. sp.; 79, C. alutaceus n. sp., a, dorsal, b, lateral; 80, C. semialutaceus n. sp.; 81, C. balli n. sp.; 82, C. girardianus n. sp.; 83, C. gigas n. sp.; 84, C. cateianus n. sp.; 85, C. deceptus n. sp. Abbreviations: st, median struts; pa, parameres; ph, phallobase. Scale bar = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 89–97. Female genitalia of Ctenoplus species. 89, C. sumatrensis n. sp.; 90, C. sanguinolentus Cand.; 91, C. sanguinolentoides n. sp.; 92, C. nitidipennis Schwarz; 93, C. indicus n. sp.; 94, C. collaris (Cand.); 95, C. neosiamensis n. sp.; 96, C. rufoantennatus n. sp.; 97, C. castaneus (Fleut.). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 31–43. Pronotal outline of Ctenoplus species, dorsal. 31, C. javanensis Cand.; 32, C. sumatrensis n. sp.; 33, C. sanguinolentoides n. sp.; 34, C. indicus n. sp.; 35, C. rufoantennatus n. sp.; 36, C. castaneus (Fleut.); 37, C. coomani Fleut.; 38, C. divergens n. sp., a: male, b: female; 39, C. alutaceus n. sp.; 40, C. semialutaceus n. sp.; 41, C. gigas n. sp.; 42, C. cateianus n. sp.; 43, C. dorsalis n. sp. Abbreviation: bf, sublateral longitudinal incision. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 50–57. Prosternal spine of Ctenoplus and Silesis species. 50–57, lateral; 58, 59, ventral. 50, C. sanguinolentus (Cand.); 51, C. sanguinolentoides n. sp.; 52a, b, C. coomani Fleut.; 53, C. balli n. sp.; 54, C. gigas n. sp.; 55, C. divergens n. sp.; 56, C. alutaceus n. sp.; 57, C. dorsalis n. sp.; 58, C. brunneus Fleut.; 59, S. fulvus Fleut.; Abbreviations: da, dorsal apex; va, ventral apex. Scale bar = 0.25 mm.