Liroetis pallidulus ( Jiang, 1990 ) Bezděk, 2021

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 : 605-606

Liroetis pallidulus ( Jiang, 1990) comb. nov.

( Figs 24 , 339–346 , 349 , 353, 356 )

Zangia pallidula Jiang, 1990: 141 , 144 (original description).

Zangia pallidula : Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 490 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 274 (key), 275 (noted).

Type locality. ‘[ China:] Xizang: Bemi’.

Type material examined. Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ:J ( Fig. 24 , only photograph seen), ‘[Xizang, Bemi, Yigong / 2300 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1983.VIII.22 / Collector: Yin-Heng Han] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // HOLOTYPE [r, p] // Zangia / pallidula / [identifier:] Jiang [partly in Chinese, w, combined p and h]’ ( IZAS). Pൺඋൺඍඒඉൾඌ:1 J ( Figs 339–343 ), ‘[Xizang, Bemi, Yigong / 2300 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1983.VIII.20 / Collector:Yin-Heng Han] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // PARATYPE [y, p] // IOZ(E)1966997 [w, p] // Zangia pallidula / Jiang [p] J [w, h]’ ( IZAS); 2 ♀♀ ( Figs 344–346 ), ‘[Xizang, Bemi,Yigong / 2300 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1983.VIII.18 / Collector:Zai Lin] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // PARATYPE [y, p] // Zangia pallidula / Det. Jiang 1990 [w, p]’ ( IZAS). Additional material examined. CHINA: XංඓൺඇǤ: N of Brahmaputra great bend, 30°00–07′N 94°52′– 95°09′E, 2050–2400 m, 16.–20.vii.1992, 1 J, L. & R. Businský leg. ( NHMW).

Diagnosis. Colouration. Body pale brown, apices of mandibles darkened, metaventrite black with brown lateral parts, abdomen black with lateral parts narrowly brown, last abdominal ventrite with brown apical half.

Body length. J: 6.9 mm, ♀♀: 7.5–7.7 mm (J ♀ 6.8–8.5 mm based on the original description).

Male ( Figs 339–342 ). Antennae 0.74 times as long as body. Pronotum 1.40 times as wide as long, lustrous, covered with very fine punctures, widest in anterior third, anterior margin slightly concave, lateral margins subparallel, sinuate, posterior margin widely rounded, shallowly emarginated in middle, all margins thinly bordered. Middle part of posterior margin of abdominal ventrite IV almost vertically impressed, with narrow parallel incision in middle. Last abdominal ventrite with shallow impression on median process, followed by deep longitudinal impression, narrowed in middle. Metatibial spur short, flat, with rounded apex.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 349 ). Median lobe of aedeagus 6.55 times as long as wide, subparallel, shallowly constricted in basal third, apex rounded. Lateral view: apical half slightly convex, basal half regularly rounded; lateral elevation widely triangular, placed just before aedeagus midlength. Dorsal process narrow, slightly constricted in apical third, 9.30 times as long as wide, 0.64 times as long as median lobe, apex triangular. Lateral view: apical two thirds wide, basal third narrow.

Female. Metatibial spur present, slightly narrower than in male. Last abdominal ventrite subtriangular. Pygidium with transversely cut apex and shallow emargination laterally. Sternite VIII subheart-shaped, middle of posterior margin with two small denticles separated with V-shaped incision, surface with distinct keel along posterior margin interrupted in middle part, long setae accumulated on keels, middle part of surface with large U-shaped impression; tignum 0.30 times as long as sternite VIII, wide, with subtriangular apex ( Fig. 356 ). Spermatheca with well developed globular nodulus, cornu C-shaped, gradually narrowed towards sharp apex, apical part twice longer than basal part, spermathecal duct straight ( Fig. 353 ).

Differential diagnosis. Liroetis pallidulus is similar to L. elongatus and L. latispinus . Ventral side of body is predominatly black with pale margins of thorax and abdomen in L. pallidulus , while ventral side of body is completely pale in L. elongatus and L. latispinus . All three species differ also in the structure of aedeagus (cf. Figs 186 , 348, 349 ). Distribution. China: Xizang (JංൺඇǤ 1990, present paper). Comments. Liroetis pallidulus is left unassigned to any species-group. The combination of the following characters is unique within Liroetis : metatibial spur present in both males and females, pronotum convex, 1.42 times as wide as long, anterior margin bordered, median lobe almost parallel, lateral elevation placed just before aedeagus midlength ( Fig. 349 ). The representatives of L. aeneipennis species-group have metatibial spur present in males and absent in females. Liroetis aurantiacus species-group is characterised by tranverse pronotum (twice as wide as long), abdominal ventrite IV in male with small vertical hook-like process directed posteriorly, and median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view with cavity in middle part. The species in L. flavipennis species-group are elongate, relatively slender, antennae are long, filiform and metatibial spur is absent in both males and females. The representatives of L. fulvipennis species-group are relatively robust, anterior pronotal margin is unbordered, median lobe of aedeagus is large, with lateral elevation placed in anterior fifth to sixth of aedeagus length, middle part of ventral side straight or bisinuate in lateral view. The species in L. grandis speciesgroup have elytra with black pattern and metatibial spur is absent in both males and females.

Figures

Figs 21–25. Type specimens of Liroetis, dorsal view. 21 – L. coeruleus (Jiang, 1990), male, holotype; 22 – L. latispinus (Chen, 1976), male, holotype; 23 – L. nigricollis (Jiang, 1990), male, holotype; 24 – L. pallidulus (Jiang, 1990), male, holotype; 25 – L. ephippiatus (Laboissière, 1930) (holotype of Zangia signata Jiang, 1990, male).

Figs 339–346. Liroetis pallidulus (Jiang, 1990). 339–343 – Male, paratype (6.9 mm). 339 – dorsal view; 340 – lateral view; 341 – abdomen; 342 – head and pronotum; 343 – labels. 344–346 – Female, paratype (7.7 mm): 344 – dorsal view; 345 – ventral view; 346 – labels.

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 185–188.Aedeagus of Liroetis, dorsal and lateral views.185 – L. cheni (Lee, 2016); 186 – L. elongatus (Kimoto, 1977); 187 – L. fulvipennis Jacoby, 1890; 188 – L. jeanvoinei (Laboissière, 1929). Scale 0.5 mm.