Falsimalmus Breuning, 1956

Bi, Wen-Xuan, Chen, Chang-Chin & Lin, Mei-Ying, 2020, Notes on the tribe Petrognathini Blanchard, 1845 from China, with description of a new species from Yunnan (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), Zootaxa 4732 (3), pp. 453-460 : 457-459

Genus Falsimalmus Breuning, 1956

( Figs. 6, 7 , 18, 21 )

Falsimalmus Breuning, 1956: 358 . Type species: Falsimalmus niger Breuning, 1956 , by original designation.

Falsimalmus ; Rondon & Breuning, 1970: 486; Ohbayashi & Lin, 2012: 249.

Remarks. This genus consists of a single species and has been placed in the Petrognathini since Breuning (1956) described it. Ohbayashi & Lin (2012) mentioned that the “head with frons is not fully vertical, but more or less inclined anteriad.” According to our observation, the head of this genus is normally vertical ( Fig. 7 ). In addition, the endophallic structure of the only species of this genus has been investigated for the first time and described herein. As shown in the following section, the endophallus of this genus has normally developed crescent-shaped sclerites (absent in Petrognatha gigas (Fabricius, 1793) and Ithocritus spp.); a developed, complete, elongate and sclerotized internal membrane (im) of apical furrow (incomplete and represented by a short dorsal appendix in Ithocritus spp.); a strongly constricted and elongate APH, which is associated with larger spicules (APH swollen and lacking spicules in Ithocritus spp.). These features are obviously different from the other members of this tribe studied by the first author, but partially (especially the constricted and spiculate APH with reduced apical bubble and the developed internal membrane of apical furrow) resemble some Lamiini genera, e.g. Echinovelleda Breuning, 1936 ( Bi 2018: figs. 25, 26), indicating an uncertain tribal position of this genus, which is consistent with the suggestion presented by Ohbayashi & Lin (2012). A further examination based on molecular methods may confirm its systematic position.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Habitus of three species. 1–3, Ithocritus ruber (Hope, 1839); 4–5, Ithocritus similis Bi & Lin, sp. nov.; 6–7, Falsimalmus niger Breuning, 1956. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, male; 3, 5, female. 1–6, dorsal view; 7, lateral view. Not to scale.

FIGURES 17–21. Male terminalia of three species. 17, 20, Ithocritus similis Bi & Lin, sp. nov.; 18, 21 Falsimalmus niger Breuning, 1956; 19, Ithocritus ruber (Hope, 1839). 17, 18, genitalia. 19, 20, 21, endophallus in inflated and everted condition (lateral view). a, tergite VIII with sternites VIII and IX in ventral view; b, tegmen in ventral view and lateral view; c, median lobe in ventral view and lateral view; d, apical part of endophallus (ventral view); e, enlarged apical part of endophallus (lateral view). 17, 18, scale = 1 mm; others not to scale.