Emasia, Bocakova, Milada & Janisova, Kristyna, 2010

Bocakova, Milada & Janisova, Kristyna, 2010, A new genus and species of ototretine firefly from Borneo (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), Zootaxa 2347, pp. 59-63 : 60-61

Emasia gen. nov.

( Figs. 1–7 )

Type species: Emasia dentata sp. n. (by present designation).

Diagnosis. Emasia can be distinguished from other genera in the subfamily Ototretinae by the following combination of characters: head partly retracted into and beneath pronotum, antennae strongly serrate ( Fig. 2 ), posterior pronotal angles provided with circular pit apically ( Fig. 3 b), male without visible luminous organs. The genus differs from Picodrilus and Drilaster in having: a) markedly serrate and robust antennae; b) apical 2/3 of phallus with two longitudinal rod-like projections laterally; c) phallobase with transverse projections attached to rounded proximal portion ( Figs. 5 a, 7a). Further, Emasia differs from Flabellototreta in the absence of long rod-like projections emerging from ventral part of each paramere, parameres apically rounded, phallobase with proximal transverse projections ( Figs. 5 a, 7a), and antennae extremely robust and flattened. Emasia differs from Hyperstoma , Lamellipalpus , and Lamellipalpodes in its small terminal maxillary and labial palpomeres, while those of the latter three genera are 4– 5 x longer than penultimate palpomere. Flabellototreta , Harmatelia , and Stenocladius differ from Emasia in possessing flabellate antennae.

Description. Body small, oval. Head when viewed from above partly covered by pronotum, eyes widely separated, hemispherical and prominent. Labrum transverse, mandibles strongly arcuate, apically pointed. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, apical palpomere securiform. Labial palpi 3-segmented, very minute, apical palpomere pointed. Antennae strongly serrate ( Fig. 2 ), robust and flattened. Pronotum trapezoidal, transverse, irregularly punctured and setose, with median longitudinal groove. Posterior pronotal angles with a strong, circular pit near apex. Elytra elongate, narrowing in median area, densely punctured. Each elytron apically rounded ( Fig. 1 ), with punctures forming indistinct longitudinal rows and two weakly perceptible costae. Terminal abdominal sternum oval, provided with large oval opening, terminal tergum rhomboidal, penultimate tergum strongly transverse ( Fig. 4 ). Genitalia stout, lateral margins of phallus forming narrow rod-like projections in apical 1/3 ( Figs. 5 b, 6b), tips crossed. Phallobase broadly U-shaped, proximal portion with two subtransverse projections separated medially.

Etymology. The generic name refers to the type locality of the type specimen. The gender is feminine.

Distribution. Borneo.

Remarks. The holotype was used for DNA extraction, amplification and phylogenetic analysis by Bocakova et al. (2007) as specimen M32 ( Ototretinae ) in Figure 3 . These results showed sister group relationships of Emasia to Flabellototreta . Dissection of thoracic muscles of the holotype caused the loss of the scutellum.

A supposed apomorphic feature of Emasia is the shape of phallus with two rod-like lateral projections in distal 1/3.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Emasia dentata sp. n.: (1) holotype male; (2) antenna; (3) head and pronotum, a—circular pit, b, cemarginations; (4) terminal abdominal segments. Scales 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Male genitalia of Emasia dentata sp. n.: (5) ventral view; (6) lateral view; (7) dorsal view; a - proximal transverse projection, b - rod-like projections. Scale 0.5 mm.