Laena ledangica, Schawaller & Bellersheim, 2024

Schawaller, Wolfgang & Bellersheim, Aron, 2024, New species and records of the genus Laena Dejean (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae) from the Malay Peninsula, Zootaxa 5529 (2), pp. 396-400 : 397

Laena ledangica sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 , 4 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Malaysia, Johor, 10 km NE Tangkak, Bukit Ledang , 100–300 m, 22.IX.2007, leg. A. Schulz & P. Schwendinger (no. 5a), SMNK . Paratypes. Same data as for holotype, 4 ex. SMNK .— Malaysia, Johor, 14 km NW Yong Peng, trail to Bukit Ma'Okil , 100–300 m, 24.IX.2007, leg. A. Schulz & P. Schwendinger (no. 6a), 3 ex. SMNS .

Description. Body length 4.5–5.5 mm. Eyes in dorsal view not prominent, not reduced. Antennomeres broad ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum widest across anterior third, dorsally with rough and confluent punctures, intervening spaces 0.5–3 puncture diameters, most punctures provided with long erect setae; surface convex and shiny, pronotal disc mediobasally with a weak longitudinal impression; lateral pronotal margin rounded, marked and crenulate but not beaded; anterior pronotal margin not excavated, posterolateral angles rounded; prothoracic hypomera with slightly sparser punctation and shorter setation than those on pronotum. Elytra oval with longitudinal rows of punctures without striae, punctures in rows of similar large size as those on pronotum, most punctures provided with long erect setae; intervals with a row of fine punctures, some bearing a long seta, all intervals distinctly convex, nearly ridged, most ridges complete, some interrupted, surface shiny, lateral elytral margin crenulate; interval nine without setiferous pores. All femora with a pair of weak denticles. Tibiae in both sexes without modifications. Aedeagus as in Fig. 4 , apicale triangular with rounded apex.

Diagnosis. Laena ledangica sp. nov. appears similar to L. tanahratica Schawaller, 2014 and L. kenyrica Schawaller, 2006 , both also from West Malaysia, and shares the similar body length, the rough pronotal punctation and the convex, nearly ridged elytral intervals. However, L. ledangica sp. nov. can be separated by the distinctly broader antennomeres and all femora with a pair of small denticles (completely unarmed in both above mentioned species). Laena penangica Schawaller, 2014 from Penang Island (West Malaysia) belongs to the same group concerning the rough pronotal punctation and the ridged elytral intervals, and also has widened antennomeres, but has a smaller body length (3.5–3.8 mm), the pronotum nearly conical with sparser large punctures, and have unidenticulate femora. The apicale of the aedeagus of L. tanahratica is finger-like with rounded apex, of L. kenyrica short and broad with blunt apex, and of L. ledangica sp. nov. and L. penangica triangular with rounded apex.

Etymology. Named after the isolated Mount Ledang (also known as Mount Ophir), where part of the type series was collected.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Dorsal view of Laena species from West Malaysia. 1. L. johorica sp. nov., paratype SMNS. 2. L. ledangica sp. nov., holotype SMNK. Scale bar: 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 3–4. Aedeagi of Laena species from West Malaysia. 3. L. johorica sp. nov., paratype SMNS. 4. L. ledangica sp. nov., holotype SMNK. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.