Liroetis reitteri ( Pic, 1934 )

Bezděk, Jan, 2021, Redefinition of Liroetis, with descriptions of two new species and an annotated list of species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 61 (2), pp. 529-614 : 607-610

Liroetis reitteri ( Pic, 1934)

( Figs 350 , 357 , 359–366 )

Merista reitteri Pic 1934: 87 (original description).

Merista reitteri: OǤ අඈൻඅංඇ (1936): 336 (synonymized with Meristoides touzalini Laboissière, 1922 ); Lൺൻඈංඌඌංජඋൾ (1940):23 (synonymy with M. touzalini rejected).

Liroetis reitteri : Gඋൾඌඌංඍඍ & Kංආඈඍඈ (1963): 532 (key), 534 (noted); Wංඅർඈඑ (1973): 476 (catalogue); JංൺඇǤ (1988): 192 (noted); Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 478 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 247 (key), 249 (noted).

Pseudoliroetis trifasciata Jiang, 1992: 659 , 672 (original description). New junior subjective synonym.

Siemssenius trifasciatus: ZIJ ൺඇǤ et al. (2008b): 127 (key, transferred to Siemssenius ); Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 488 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 251 (key), 252 (noted).

Leptarthra nigropicta [misidentification]: Gඋൾඌඌංඍඍ & Kංආඈඍඈ (1963): 655 (key, faunistics, fig.).

Type localities. Meristareitteri: ‘Tatsienlu-Kiulung’ [= China: Sichuan

Province: Kangding]; Pseudoliroetis trifasciata : ‘[ China:] Yunnan: Lijiang, Yulong shan’.

Type material examined. Merista reitteri : Sඒඇඍඒඉൾඌ: 1 J ( Figs 359– 363 ), ‘Tatsienlu-Kiulung / China Reitter [w, p] // type [w, h] // TYPE [r, p] // Merista / Reitteri n sp / (desirè) [w, h]’ ( MNHN); 1 ♀, ‘Tatsienlu- -Kiulung / China Reitter [w, p] // type [w, h] // Merista / Reitteri n sp [w, h]’ ( MNHN); 1 ♀, ‘Tatsienlu-Kiulung / China Reitter [w, p]’ ( MNHN); 1 ♀ ( Figs 364–365 ), ‘Tatsienlu-Kiulung / China Reitter [w, p] // Cotypus [r, p] // Coll. E. Reitter. / B. M. 1934–449. [w, p] // Merista / Reitteri / n sp. Pic / Cotypus [y, h]’ ( BMNH).

Pseudoliroetis trifasciata : not examined.

Diagnosis. Colouration. Body completely black except for brownish base of antennomere I, brownish posterior part of frontal tubercles and anterior part of vertex, and yellow pattern on elytra as follows: epipleura, round stripe from lateral margin to scutellum, transverse postmedian stripe and shortened oblique stripe from elytral apex.

Body length. J: 11.0 mm, ♀♀: 12.0– 12.5 mm (J ♀: 12.0–14.0 mm based on the original description).

Male ( Figs 359–362 ). Antennae 0.77 times as long as body. Pronotum 1.60 times as wide as long, lustrous, covered with fine punctures, anterior margin unbordered, lateral margins subparallel, in anterior third rounded and convergent. Scutellum distinctly punctate. Middle part of posterior margin of abdominal ventrite IV vertically impressed. Longitudinal impression on last abdominal ventrite parallel, at base wider and shallower. Protarsomere I wide, subtriangular. Metatibial spur absent.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 350 ). Median lobe of aedeagus 3.72 times as long as wide; apical 2/5 convergent, slightly concave, with distinct very narrow median furrow, apex rounded, folded down; basal 3/5 thirds subparallel. Lateral view: median lobe bisinuate, widely rounded in basal half; lateral elevation subtriangular with rounded apex, placed in anterior 2/5 of aedeagus length. Dorsal process small, narrow, 5.37 times as long as wide, 0.57 times as long as median lobe; parallel with apex rounded. Lateral view: dorsal process moderately regularly rounded, with hook-like apex. Apex in frontal view with two divergent processes.

Female ( Fig. 364 ). Metatibial spur absent. Sternite VIII transversely oval, posterior margin with distinct emargination in middle, surface glabrous except for two pairs of setae laterally on posterior margin; tignum 0.9 times as long as sternite VIII, with subtriangularly widened apical part, apex slightly rounded ( Fig. 357 ). Spermatheca not examined.

Differential diagnosis. Based on very characteristic colouration (body completely black with yellow narrow stripes on elytra), Liroetis reitteri cannot be confused with any other Liroetis species.

Distribution. China: Sichuan (Pංർ 1934, Gඋൾඌඌංඍඍ & Kංආඈඍඈ 1963), Yunnan (JංൺඇǤ 1992).

Comments. The type specimens of Pseudoliroetis trifasciata were not examined. The proposed synonymy with Liroetis reitteri is based on the drawing of elytral pattern published in the original description ( Fig. 366 ). Spermatheca of Liroetis reitteri was not examined because the dissected female syntype has abdomen partly damaged by Dermestidae .

For now, I leave Liroetis reitteri unassigned to any species-group. Robust body with transverse pronotum and unbordered anterior pronotal margin would suggest the affiliation with L. fulvipennis species-group, while colouration, absence of metatibial spur in both males and females, and structure of aedeagus ( Fig. 350 ) with very low lateral elevations and apex of dorsal process terminated with two small divergent processes are shared with L. grandis species-group.

Liroetis violaceipennis Zhang, Li & Yang, 2008 ( Figs 351 , 354, 358 , 367–373 )

Liroetis violaceipennis Zhang, Li & Yang, 2008a: 24 (original description).

Liroetis violaceipennis : Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 479 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 246 (key), 250 (noted).

Type locality. ‘P. R. China: Sichuan: Wenchuan: Wolong’.

Type material examined. Pඈඌඌංൻඅൾ IJඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ: J ( Figs 367–371 ),

‘[Sichuan, Wenchuan,Wolong / 1920 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences]

[in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1983.VII.23. / Collector: Huang-

Cheng Chai] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // J [w, h] // Liroetis

/ violaceipennis [h] / Det ZHANG 2008 [w, p] // IOZ(E)1967857 [w,

p]’ ( IZAS).

Additional material examined. VIETNAM: Lൺඈ Cൺං Pඋඈඏ.: Hoang

Lien NP, Ban Khoang, 22°22.780′N 103°47.640′E, 2064 m, 15.v.2015,

1 ♀, A. Skale leg. ( ASCH); Hoang Lien NP, 20°21.009′N 105°35.870′E,

1888 m, 5.v.2016, 1 J, S. Saluk leg. ( USNM).

Diagnosis. Colouration. Head and pronotum orange-red, scutellum dark with reddish base, elytra metallic dark violet, underside yellowish orange, antennae black with orange antennomeres I–III, femora yellowish orange, tibiae black with orange inner basal part, tarsi black.

Body length. JJ: 8.9–10.0 mm, ♀: 14.5 mm (J: 10.5 mm based on the original description).

Male ( Figs 367–370, 372 ). Antennae 0.80 times as long as body. Pronotum 2.05 times as wide as long, lustrous, covered with very fine punctures, anterior margin moderately concave, bordered, lateral margins moderately rounded, anterior angles projected. Middle posterior part of abdominal ventrite IV with semicircular impression, middle part of posterior margin elevated. Last abdominal ventrite with longitudinal impression narrower posteriorly, wider basally. Metatibial spur present, robust.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 351 ). Median lobe of aedeagus 2.66 times as long as wide; apical half subtriangular, basal half subparallel. Lateral view: median lobe with ventral side widely subtriangular; lateral elevation triangular, placed in middle of aedeagus length. Dorsal process 1.95 times as long as wide, 0.96 times as long as median lobe; transversely extended subapically and with pair of narrow branches starting in apical third and directed anteroventrally. Lateral view: apical half club-shaped, basal half narrower, parallel. Female ( Fig. 373 ). Metatibial spur present, short and thin. Last abdominal ventrite with posterior margin entire. Posterior margin of last abdominal ventrite with U-shaped incision. Pygidium covered with large punctures, posterior margin with U-shaped incision. Sternite VIII subrhomboidal, apex with very deep and narrow incision, posterolateral sides with deep, almost rectangular emargination, anterolateral sides uneven, surface with two large elongate impressions in posterior half, setae accumulated along posterolateral margins; tignum very short, 0.15 times as long as sternite VIII, wide, constricted in basal half, anterior margin concave ( Fig. 358 ). Spermatheca with well developed elongate nodulus, cornu C-shaped with short basal part and longer apical part, spermathecal duct strongly bent ( Fig. 354 ).

Differential diagnosis. Having completely brown or red head and pronotum in combination with metallic elytra, Liroetis violaceipennis is similar to L. aeneipennis and L. coeruleus (both belonging to the L. aeneipennis speciesgroup). Liroetis violaceipennis has strongly transverse pronotum, twice as wide as long, while pronotum of other two species is about 1.5 times as wide as long. All three species differ also in the structure of aedeagus (cf. Figs 26, 27 and 351 ).

Distribution. China: Sichuan (ZIJൺඇǤ et al. 2008a), Vietnam (present paper).

Comments. Locality data of the specimen borrowed from IZAS agree with those indicated for the holotype in the original description (ZIJൺඇǤ et al. 2008a); however, the specimen is provided only with a plain identification label. Possibly it is the holotype without the holotype label.

Liroetis violaceipennis is characterised by the combination of the following characters: pronotum transverse, twice as wide as long, with anterior margin bordered, metatibial spur present in both sexes (wide in male, narrow in female), female with deep V-shaped incision in middle of posterior margin of last visible abdominal ventrite, aedeagus of very peculiar structure ( Fig. 351 ). Such combination of characters is unique within the genus Liroetis and for now L. violaceipennis is not assigned to any of the proposed species-groups.

Figures

Figs 347–351. Aedeagus of Liroetis, dorsal and lateral views, apex of dorsal process in frontal view. 347 – L. apicicornis Jacoby, 1896; 348 – L. latispinus (Chen, 1976); 349 – L. pallidulus (Jiang, 1990); 350 – L. reitteri (Pic, 1934); 351 – L. violaceipennis Zhang, Li & Yang, 2008. Fig. 348 reproduced from JංൺඇǤ (1990). Scale 0.5 mm.

Figs 352–358. Spermatheca (Figs 352–354) and sternite VII (Figs 355–358) of Liroetis. 352, 355 – L. apicicornis Jacoby, 1896; 353, 356 – L. pallidulus (Jiang, 1990); 354, 358 – L. violaceipennis Zhang, Li & Yang, 2008; 357 – L. reitteri (Pic, 1934). Scales 0.25 mm for Figs 352–354, 0.5 mm for Figs 355–358.

Figs 359–366. Liroetis reitteri (Pic, 1934). 359–363 – Male, syntype (11.2 mm). 359 – dorsal view; 360 – lateral view; 361 – abdomen; 362 – head and pronotum; 363 – labels. 364–365 – Female, syntype (11.3 mm): 364 – dorsal view; 365 – labels. 366 – Pseudoliroetis trifasciata Jiang, 1992, drawing of elytra (reproduced from JංൺඇǤ 1992).

Figs 367–373. Liroetis violaceipennis Zhang, Li & Yang, 2008. 367–371 – Male, possible holotype (8.9 mm). 367 – dorsal view; 368 – ventral view; 369 – lateral view; 370 – head and pronotum; 371 – labels. 372 – Male (10.5 mm), dorsal view. 373 – Female (14.5 mm), dorsal view.

Figs 26–31. Aedeagus of Liroetis, dorsal and lateral views. 26 – L. aeneipennis Weise, 1889; 27 – L. coeruleus (Jiang, 1990); 28 – L. coeruleipennis Weise, 1889; 29 – L. ephippiatus (Laboissière, 1930); 30 – L. leechi Jacoby, 1890; 31 – L. nigricollis (Jiang, 1990). Fig. 27 reproduced from JංൺඇǤ (1990). Scale 0.5 mm.