Liroetis tibetanus Jiang, 1988

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 : 563

Liroetis tibetanus Jiang, 1988

( Figs 115 , 123, 130 , 148–154 )

Liroetis tibetana Jiang, 1988: 191 , 197 (original description).

Liroetis tibetana : Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 478 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 247 (key), 250 (noted).

Type locality. ‘[ China:] Xizang: Nyalam Co.’.

Type material examined. Pൺඋൺඍඒඉൾඌ: 1 ♀, ‘[Xizang, Nielamu / Zhangmu 2250 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1974.V.12 / Collector Xue-Zhong Zhang] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // PARATYPE [y, p] // IOZ(E)1967854 [w, p] // Liroetis / tibetana Jiang 1988 / Det. Jiang Shengqiao [w, p]’ ( IZAS); 1 J ( Figs 148–151 ), ‘[Xizang, Nielamu / Zhangmu 2250 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1974.IV.23 / Collector Xue-Zhong Zhang] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // PARATYPE [y, p] // IOZ(E)1967853 [w, p] // Liroetis tibetana [w, h]’ ( IZAS).

Additional material examined. NEPAL: Chitre, Ghar Khola, 2400 m, 26.–31.v.1984, 1 J, C. J. Rai leg. ( NHMB); Kathmandu distr., Kakani, 6800 ft, at light, 1.–2.vi.1983, 1 J 1 ♀, M. J. D. Brendell leg. ( BMNH); Kathmandu distr., Phulcoki, 8800 ft, at light, 27.–31.v.1983, 5 JJ 2 ♀♀, M. J. D. Brendell leg. ( BMNH); Kathmandu distr., Phulchoki Mt., 2300–2730, 14.v.2000, 3 JJ 1♀, Konstantinov,Lingafelter &Volkovitsh leg. ( USNM); Chautara distr., Nauling Lekh, 9500 ft, at light, 11.–20. vi.1983, 2 JJ 1 ♀, M. J. D. Brendell leg. ( BMNH). INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang Monastery env., 27°35′N 91°51′E, 2700–3000 m, 19.–27.v.2004, 1 J, R. Businský leg. ( JBCB).

Diagnosis. Colouration. Head and pronotum brownish orange, scutellum, elytra and underside pale brown; antennae dark brown to black; legs pale brown with tibiae and tarsi black (sometimes tibiae gradually paler apically).

Body length. JJ: 9.1–10.6 mm, ♀♀: 9.2–11.6 mm (J ♀: 8.5–12.0 mm based on the original description).

Male ( Figs 148–153 ). Antennae 0.9 times as long as body. Pronotum 1.35 times as wide as long, lustrous, impunctate, anterior margin bordered, lateral margins slightly sinuate, anterior angles not projecting. Posterior margin of abdominal ventrite IV obliquely impressed in middle, with two small triangular processes separated by shallow semicircular incision. Last abdominal ventrite with deep longitudinal impression. Pygidium without prolonged sharp apex. Metatibial spur absent.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 115 ). Median lobe of aedeagus 3.48 times as long as wide; apical sixth parallel, rest wider, regularly widely rounded, widest in middle part. Lateral view: median lobe almost straight in middle part, apical and basal quarters slightly bent; lateral elevation irregularly triangular with rounded apex, placed in anterior third of aedeagus length. Dorsal process subparallel, 5.88 times as long as wide, 0.66 times as long as aedeagus, widest subapically, with hook-like ventral branch, in dorsal view ventral branch slightly wider than dorsal part. Lateral view: dorsal process moderately bent, apex extended; ventral branch starting in apical third, slightly bent up.

Female ( Fig. 154 ). Metatibial spur absent. Posterior margin of last abdominal ventrite entire. Sternite VIII transverse, without setation, middle part of posterior margin shallowly concave, lateral margins convergent and slightly concave; tignum short, 0.25 times as long as sternite VIII with apex slightly wider ( Fig. 130 ). Spermatheca with poorly developed subglobular nodulus, cornu long, C-shaped, spermathecal duct sinuated ( Fig. 123 ).

Differential diagnosis. Liroetis tibetanus is very similar to L. nepalensis . Both species share triangular but not prolonged pygidium in males and can be distinguished only based on the structure of aedeagus. Dorsal process of aedeagus of L. tibetanus bears long ventral branch ( Fig. 115 ), while L. nepalensis has the apex of dorsal process surrounded by collar-like folded plate ( Fig. 112 ). The females of both species are externally indistinguishable.

Distribution. China: Xizang (JංൺඇǤ 1988), Nepal (present paper), India: Arunachal Pradesh (present paper).

Figures

Figs 108–117.Aedeagus of Liroetis, dorsal and lateral views. 108 – L. flavipennis Bryant, 1954; 109 – L. humeralis Jiang, 1988; 110 – L. lonicernis Jiang, 1988; 111 – L. medvedevi nom. nov.; 112 – L. nepalensis Chûjô, 1966; 113 – L. prominensis Jiang, 1988; 114 – L. sichuanensis Jiang, 1988; 115 – L. tibetanus Jiang, 1988; 116 – L. tibialis Jiang, 1988; 117 – L. zhongdianicus Jiang, 1988. Figs 116–117 reproduced from JංൺඇǤ (1988). Scale 0.5 mm.

Figs 118–131. Spermatheca (Figs 118–124) and sternite VII (Figs 125–131) of Liroetis. 118, 125 – L. flavipennis Bryant, 1954; 119, 126 – L. humeralis Jiang, 1988; 120, 127 – L. medvedevi nom. nov.; 121, 128 – L. nepalensis Chûjô, 1966; 122, 129 – L. sichuanensis Jiang, 1988; 123, 130 – L. tibetanus Jiang, 1988; 124, 131 – L. zhongdianicus Jiang, 1988. Scales 0.25 mm for Figs 118–124, 0.5 mm for Figs 125–131.

Figs 148–154. Liroetis tibetanus Jiang, 1988. 148–151 – Male, paratype (9.6 mm). 148 – dorsal view; 149 – lateral view; 150 – ventral view; 151 – labels. 152–153 – Male (10.5 mm). 152 – dorsal view; 153 – head and pronotum. 154 – Female (11.6 mm), dorsal view.