Platyintybia zhongshanensis Liu & Wang, 2024

Liu, Zhenhua, Wang, Yuqi, Song, Haitian, Ding, Bi & Li, Zhiqiang, 2024, Platyintybia, a new genus of Apalochrini (Coleoptera, Melyridae, Malachiinae) from China, ZooKeys 1201, pp. 345-356 : 345-356

Platyintybia zhongshanensis Liu & Wang sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 3 , 4

Etymology.

The species name is derived from Zhongshan, a city of Guangdong Province in South China, where Kongxia, the type locality of the new species, is located.

Material examined.

Holotype: China – Guangdong Prov. • ♂: Zhongshan, Kongxia Village ; 22.39510 ° N, 113.46785 ° E; 30 May 2023; net sweeping on grasses near stream; Zhenhua Liu leg.; IZGAS COL 0001 .

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles Platyintybia sarawakensis in the shape of the basal antennomeres and aedeagus, but it can be easily recognized from the latter by the transverse basal spot and a much smaller subapical spot on the elytra (Fig. 1 A ). It also differs from P. sarawakensis in the following characters in males: apical antennomere more rounded (Fig. 3 C ); front tibiae distinctly slender (Fig. 3 D ); tergite VIII with posterior margin less emarginate (Fig. 4 C ); penis less curved laterally (Fig. 4 A, F ), apex of penis more depressed ventrally (Fig. 4 B, G ), the shape of long sclerite in inner sac (Fig. 4 B, G ).

Description.

Length 2.7 mm.

Male. Antenna mostly yellow, with base and inner edge of scape and apical antennomere black. Legs with middle and hind legs black; front leg with basal half of femora and base of tibiae black, apex of tibiae and apical tarsomere dark brown, remaining parts yellow. Elytra with basal spots whitish and transverse, not extending to lateral or inner suture; subapical spots much smaller, more or less yellowish. Abdominal ventrites mostly orange-red, with lateral areas black.

Head about 1.1 times as wide as pronotum; concavities on head almost extending to anterior margin of eyes; width of vertex between concavities about 1.1 times as wide as concavity across middle of eyes. Dorsal surface of head with pair of circinately arranged setae behind antennal insertions and one on vertex between concavities. Antenna with scape elongate, subtriangular, and constricted at base; antennomere 3 elongate, with a large lamellate process at base, dorsal surface with 1 large, rounded anterior concavity and 2 much smaller basal concavities.

Pronotum about as long as wide. Elytra about 1.6 times as long as wide; epipleura extending to apical margin of elytra but not to apex. Front tibiae about 7.7 times as long as wide, front tarsi 4 - segmented.

Abdomen with tergite VIII subtrapezoidal, posterior margin with wide, transverse emargination (Fig. 4 C ); sternite VIII divided. Male genitalia with penis slender, dorsoventrally curved, apex constricted and upwardly curved; inner sac with a slender and curved sclerite and a few small sclerites around it, apex with dense small denticles (Fig. 4 A, B ).

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

China (Guangdong).

Biology.

This species is collected with Intybia swatowensis (Wittmer, 1956) on grass beside a stream in a village, which is consistent with the habitat of most Apalochrini . Feeding habits and behaviour of this species are unknown.

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus of Platyintybia zhongshanensis Liu & Wang, sp. nov. A dorsal view, male B ventral view, male C lateral view, male D habitus photograph. Scale bars: 1 mm for A – C.

Figure 3. A – E Platyintybia zhongshanensis Liu et Wang, sp. nov. F – J Platyintybia sarawakensis (Champion, 1921) A, G antenna, male B, H lateral view of basal antennomeres, male C, I dorsal view of antennomere 11, male D, F fore tibia, male E, J dorsal view of head, male.

Figure 4. A – C Platyintybia zhongshanensis Liu & Wang, sp. nov. E – G Platyintybia sarawakensis (Champion, 1921) A, F male genitalia, dorsal view B, G male genitalia, lateral view C, E tergite VIII, dorsal view D sternite VIII, ventral view.