Liroetis nigricollis ( 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 : 543-545

Liroetis nigricollis ( Jiang, 1990) comb. nov.

( Figs 23 , 31 , 36, 41 , 50–56 )

Zangia nigricollis Jiang, 1990: 143 , 144 (original description).

Zangia nigricollis : JංൺඇǤ (1992): 659; Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 490 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 274 (key), 275 (noted).

Liroetis unicolor Zhang, Li & Yang, 2008a: 23 (original description). New junior subjective synonym.

Liroetis unicolor : Bൾൾඇൾඇ (2010): 478 (catalogue); YൺඇǤ et al. (2015): 246 (key), 250 (noted).

Type localities. Zangia nigricollis : ‘[ China:] Sichuan: Luding’; Liroetis unicolor : ‘P. R. China: Sichuan: Luding: Xinxing’.

Type material examined. Zangia nigricollis : Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ: J ( Fig. 23 , only photograph seen), ‘[Sichuan, Luding, Xinxing / 2100 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1983.VI.15 / Collector: Yuan-Qing Chen] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // HO- LOTYPE [r, p] // Zangia / nigricollis / sp. n. / [identifier: Sheng-Qiao Jiang] [partly in Chinese, w, combined p and h]’ ( IZAS). Pൺඋൺඍඒඉൾ: 1 J ( Figs 50–54 ), ‘[Sichuan, Luding, Xinxing / 2100 m / Chinese Academy of Sciences] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // [1983.VI.15 / Collector: Yuan-Qing Chen] [in Chinese, w, combined p and h] // PARATYPE [y, p] // Zangia nigricollis / Det. Jiang 1990 [w, p]’ ( IZAS).

Liroetis unicolor : type material not examined.

Additional material examined. CHINA: SංർΗඎൺඇ: Moxi env., Hiluogou valley, Gonghe vill., 29°37′27″N 102°06′28″E, 1715 m, 17.–21. vi.2014, 1 J 1 ♀, J. Hájek, J. Růžička & M. Tkoč leg. ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. Colouration. Body, antennae and legs completely black, dorsal side with indistinct metallic tint.

Body length. J: 7.4 mm, ♀: 8.8 mm (J ♀: 6.2–8.0 mm based on the original descriptions).

Male ( Fig. 55 ). Antennae 0.66 times as long as body. Pronotum 1.48 times as wide as long, lustrous, covered with mixture of extremely fine and sparse larger punctures, anterior margin with complete border. Middle part of posterior margin of abdominal ventrite IV not impressed, forming two small wide subtriangular plates separated by small U-shaped incision. Last abdominal ventrite with longitudinal impression narrowed in middle, deeper basally and apically. Metatibial spur short and flat.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 31 ). Median lobe of aedeagus 4.40 times as long as wide; basal half wide, parallel, apical half slightly convergent, apex relatively wide, transversely cut. Lateral view: middle part very thin, nearly straight, apical part bent, lateral elevation triangular, placed in apical sixth of median lobe length. Dorsal proces narrow, 9.33 times as long as wide, 0.86 times as long as median lobe of aedeagus. Lateral view: dorsal process bifurcate, both branches separated by deep U-shaped incision, apex of ventral branch bent down.

Female ( Fig. 56 ). Metatibial spur absent. Last abdominal ventrite with very large U-shaped incision. Sternite VIII subhexagonal, posterior margins oblique and slightly concave, in middle with deep incision, surface with indicated keel along posterior margins, setae accumulated between keels and posterior margins, large shallow impression along incision; tignum very short, subtriangular ( Fig. 41 ). Spermatheca with short transverse wrinkled nodulus, cornu U-shaped, narrow, spermathecal duct with wide basal part and narrowed apical part ( Fig. 36 ).

Differential diagnosis. Liroetis nigricollis is very similar to L. coeruleipennis . Both species can be distinguished by body colouration which is completely black with indistinct metallic tint in L. nigricollis but violet blue in L. coeruleipennis . Dorsal process of aedeagus in lateral view is similar to that of L. coeruleipennis and L. coeruleus but the incision between both branches is deeper in L. nigricollis , and shallower in L. coeruleipennis and L. coeruleus ( Figs 27–28, 31 ).

Distribution. China: Sichuan (JංൺඇǤ 1990, ZIJൺඇǤ et al. 2008a, present paper).

Comments. Liroetis unicolor is synonymized with L. nigricollis based on the original description provided with the drawing of very characteristic aedeagus (JංൺඇǤ 1990). Moreover, both taxa were described from Luding County in Sichuan.

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 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.

Figs 32–41. Spermatheca (Figs 32–36) and sternite VII (Figs 37–41) of Liroetis. 32, 37 – L. aeneipennis Weise, 1889; 33, 38 – L. coeruleipennis Weise, 1889; 34, 39 – L. ephippiatus (Laboissière, 1930); 35, 40 – L. leechi Jacoby, 1890; 36, 41 – L. nigricollis (Jiang, 1990). Scales 0.25 mm for Figs 32–36, 0.5 mm for Figs 37–41.

Figs 50–56. Liroetis nigricollis (Jiang, 1990). 50–54 – Male, paratype (6.9 mm). 50 – dorsal view; 51 – ventral view; 52 – lateral view; 53 – head and pronotum; 54 – labels. 55 – Male (7.3 mm); 56 – female (9.0 mm).