Sulabanus gracilis, Dvorak, Milan & Bocak, Ladislav, 2007

Dvorak, Milan & Bocak, Ladislav, 2007, Sulabanus gen. nov., a new genus of Lycidae (Coleoptera) from Sulawesi, Zootaxa 1611, pp. 1-24 : 15

Sulabanus gracilis sp. nov.

(Figs. 55–56)

Type material. Holotype. Male. S. Sulawesi, 8 km W Mamasa, 950 m, 119.20.32E, 2.56.13S, 18-21 July 1999, Bolm lgt. 10 paratypes. 1 male, same locality data as the holotype; 7 males, S. Sulawesi, 8 km W Mamasa (Nepe), 119.20.32E, 2.56.13S, 29-31 June 2001, Bolm lgt.; 1 male, S. Sulawesi, 25 km E Mamasa, 119.28.39E, 3.02.10S, 22-24 July 1999, Bolm lgt.; 1 male, S. Sulawesi Prov., 20 km NE Sabbang, 120.12.00E, 2.28.56 S, 5-7 July 2001, Bolm lgt. ( LMBC).

Differential diagnosis. Sulabanus gracilis and S. pendolensis are the only two species in the S. pendolensis group with the yellow patch on the elytra. S. gracilis is characterized by the very small eyes (distance: diameter ratio 1.46 in S. gracilis and 1.19 in S. pendolensis ). The shape of the phallus enables reliable identification of S. gracilis . It is 4.9 times longer than its maximum width. The phallus of S. pendolensis is 3.4 times longer than its maximum width (compare Figs. 27 and 55).

Description. Body dark brown to black, only elytra with bright yellow patch. Head partly hidden by pronotum. Frontal interocular distance 1.66 times than eye diameter. Pronotum flat, 1.46 times wider that long. Elytra parallel–sided, 3.37 times longer than width at humeri. Phallus parallel–sided, only slightly widened in apical part internal sac moderately sclerotized (Figs. 55–56).

Measurements. BL 5.75 mm, HW 1.45 mm, PL 0.65 mm, PW 0.95 mm, Ediam 0.30 mm, Edist 0.50 mm, EL 4.9 mm.

Distribution. Sulawesi, known from the Mamasa valley near the western coast and the southern slope of the mountain range in northern region of the province Sulawesi Tenggah.

Etymology. The name refers to the general appearance of the species.