Sphaeroliodes acuminatus, Švec, 2002

Švec, Z., 2002, Sphaeroliodes Acuminatus Sp. N. (Coleoptera: Leiodidae, Leiodinae) From Taiwan And Notes On Two Other Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (3), pp. 191-195 : 192

Sphaeroliodes acuminatus sp. n.

( Figs 1–4 )

Type material – Holotype, male, “ Taiwan, Nantou Pr., Hoshuanshan Exp. Stat., 24°09’N, 121°17’E, from bark at night, 3100 m, 27.ix.1999, G. Csorba & B. Herczig ”, HNHM; paratype, male, the same, SC.

Description – Length of body 4.8–5.1 mm, in holotype 4.8 mm, head 1.0 mm, pronotum 1.3 mm, elytra 2.5 mm, antenna 1.6 mm, maximum width of head 1.6 mm, pronotum 2.9 mm, elytra 2.8 mm.

Broadly oval ( Fig. 1 ); reddish-brown with pronotal lateral margins widely and basal margin narrowly reddish; underside reddish with yellow-brown mesosternum and light chestnut metasternum. Mouth parts and antennae up to segment 6 reddish-brown; antennal segments 7–11 infuscate. Dorsum partly, venter entirely microsculptured.

Head. Convergent anteriorly in dorsal view; widest at broadly rounded temporal angles. Temples very long; length ratio of eye: temple = 1.4. Clypeal line very fine and unobtrusive. Puncturation fine, punctures separated by about 4–8 times their own diameter; each puncture furnished by single short fine pale, forward directed, seta. Two large frontal punctures located near each eye medially. Traces of microsculpture on front near eyes. Antennae ( Fig. 4 ) with very long and slim segment 3. Length ratioof antennal segments 2–11: 1.0 – 3.0 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 0.8 – 0.9 – 0.9 – 1.3 – 1.3 – 2.5. Ratio of length: width of antennal segments 2–11: 1.3 – 3.5 – 1.2 – 1.1 – 0.8 – 0.8 – 0.8 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 2.1. Width ratioof club segments: 1.0 – 0.9 – 1.2 – 1.2 – 1.1.

Pronotum. Widest at base. Basal margin curved forward laterally to posterior angles; those very broadly rounded in dorsal and lateral view. Pronotum very finely bordered from lateral sixth of basal length to anterior angles. Median part of pronotal base and anterior margin simple. Punctures larger than those on head; separated by 4–6 times their own diameter, each puncture furnished by single short fine pale, backward directed, seta. One large shallow puncture at each side of disc. Interstices with microreticulation increasing in strength laterally and basally; anteriorly weakly developed, superficial.

Scutellum. Smooth.

Elytra. Broadest at broadly rounded shoulders. Distinctly punctured; punctures inordinate, large shallow, separated by 1–2 times their own diameter. Interstices with traces of irregular transverse discontinuing wrinkles. Some minute scarce punctures interposed. Sutural stria feebly impressed reaching half of elytral length. Lateral margins feebly margined. Epipleurae feebly transversely wrinkled.

Legs. Tarsal segment 1 on anterior and middle legs strikingly dilated, broader than tibia distally; segment 2 feebly dilated.

Genitalia. Aedeagus as in Figs 2–3 . Female unknown.

Variation. Head lacking microsculpture; pronotum anteriorly and on disc with traces, posteriorly and laterally with well-developed microreticulation in paratype.

Diagnosis. Sphaeroliodes acuminatus sp. n. differs from both other species of the genus by antennal segment 3, being three times longer than segment 2, while segment 3 is at most 1.5 times as long as segment 2 in both species compared. Also aedeagus shows specific characters.

Figures

Figs 1–5. 1–4: Sphaeroliodes acuminatus sp. n.: 1 = body outline, 2 = aedeagus laterally, 2 = anterior tarsus, 3 =tip ofaedeagus dorsally, 4= antenna.5: S.rufescensPORTEVIN, 1905, tip ofaedeagusdorsally