Plotina menghaiensis Wang, Ren et Chen

Wang, Xingmin, Ren, Shunxiang & Chen, Xiaosheng, 2011, The genus Plotina Lewis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with descriptions of four new species from China, Zootaxa 2801, pp. 57-68 : 62

Plotina menghaiensis Wang, Ren et Chen , sp. nov.

(Figs. 21–23, 39–44)

Diagnosis. This species is similar to P. muelleri in general appearance and male genitalia, but it can be distinguished from the latter as follows: pronotum without black spots, elytra with only two dark spots (Fig. 21). Process of penis, penis guide in ventral view and spermatheca are also different (Figs. 39, 42, 44).

Description. TL: 2.89–3.35mm, TW: 2.32–2.68mm, TH: 1.39–1.55mm, TL/TW: 1.24–1.25; PL/PW: 0.48– 0.49; EL/EW: 1.00–1.02.

Head yellow brown with eyes silver gray. Pronotum yellow brown, lateral portions and anterior corners white– yellow. Scutellum yellow brown. Elytra yellow brown with two large white–yellow spots, and each elytron with two dark spots, one placed on humeral callus and one around 3/4 elytral length. Undersides yellowish brown except elytral epipleuron yellow and metasternum deep yellow brown.

Body medium to large, broadly oval, moderately convex, shining and glabrous (Figs. 21–23). Head comparatively small, width 0.38X elytral width (HW/EW=2.60); punctures on frons moderately large, separated by 0.3– 1.2X their diameter, with short golden setae in punctures; eyes small, broadly oval, widest interocular distance 0.63X width of head (Fig. 23). Pronotum 0.80X elytral width (PW/EW=1: 1.58), pronotal punctures similar to those on head, separated by 0.5–1.5X their diameter. Punctures on elytra moderately large, similar to those on head, separated by 0.2–1.0X their diameter. Surface of pro- and mesosterna smooth with several hairs. Surface of metasternum shining and glabrous, with moderately large punctures, separated by 2.0–4.0X their diameter, with short setae in punctures.

Male genitalia: Penis long, slender, penis capsule with a small outer process and a long inner one, apex simple, pointed (Figs. 39–40); penis guide in lateral view slender, subparallel at basal 5/7, then gradually tapering to apex, apex slightly arcuate, pointed (Fig. 41); parameres slender with sparsely short setae, slightly longer than penis guide; penis guide in ventral view stout, widest at basal 2/5, distinctly narrowed at base, at its widest 1.74X basal width, apex rounded (Fig. 42).

Female genitalia: Coxites elongate, 4.0X as long as wide, tapering to blunt apices, outer and inner margin straight, each with long terminal setae (Fig. 44); spermatheca with a big nodulus and a slender cornu, nodulus creased (Fig. 43).

Specimens examined. Holotype: China, Yunnan: 1 male, Menga, Menghai, 12.v.2008, Wang XM leg. Paratype: 5 males, 1 female, same data as holotype.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, in reference to the type locality.