Syntelia sinica Zhou

Zhou, Hong-Zhang & Yu, Xiao-Dong, 2003, Rediscovery of the Family Synteliidae (Coleoptera: Histeroidea) and Two New Species from China, The Coleopterists Bulletin 57 (3), pp. 265-273 : 267-269

Syntelia sinica Zhou , new species

( Fig. 1 )

Diagnosis. This species is relatively small and slender, with only two long dorsal striae and without a slight impression near posterior angle of pronotum, allowing it to be easily distinguished from other congeners including S. davidis Fairmaire.

Description. Male. Body 12.1 mm long (between apex of head and apex of pygidium); head 3.2 mm long; pronotum 3.4 mm long; elytron 5.8 mm long (from humerus to apex). Body 4.0 mm wide across middle of elytra; head 3.0 mm wide; pronotum 3.9 mm wide. Body stout, near cylindrical, slightly depressed; cuticle black with a slight metallic shine above. Palpi, ventral parts of legs, and tarsi rufopiceous.

Head vertex evenly convex, dorsal surface glabrous, punctures of different sizes irregularly clustered around eyes and obviously more dense in the frontal and lateral regions. Front margin nearly straight, with a marginal stria triangularly curved backwards, posteriorly and medial to it is a short longitudinal fossa that fades posteriorly, not extending beyond base of antennae. Maxillae robust, with three small blunt teeth internally, surface punctures small and regular. Eyes shorter than genae, laterally not protruding beyond head outline. Ventral surface less glabrous as dorsal and more closely punctured, punctation on submentum less dense and irregular than that on postgenae. Antennae geniculate and clubbed, joint 1 (scape) robust and longer than the others, 2 and 3 longer than the five following ones, the apical half of joint 8 and 9–11 combined to form an oval but slightly depressed club, with a length-to-wide ratio 1.38. Joint 1 to 8 glabrous, 9 to 11 dull and covered with golden pubescence and a few long setae laterally.

Pronotum glabrous, not punctured except along marginal stria, which extends continuously along lateral and posterior margins and curves inwards to form a triangular fossa behind each anterior angle. Anterior margin densely fringed with equal short golden setae, slightly arcuate medially and strongly curved on sides, forming large, projecting anterior angles. Posterior angles rounded and not distinct. Sides convergent posteriorly, with lateral margins narrowed medially and thickened in anterior one-half.

Scutellum oblong between elytra, with a length to width ratio of 1/3, slightly constricted between elytral basal margins; its basal part normally concealed under pronotum, broadly triangular and covered with coarse setigerous punctures in anterior portion.

Elytra nearly rectangular. External subhumeral stria complete, with punctures mostly coarse and deep, but smaller basally and apically; apically abbreviated before hind margin and basally united with marginal stria under humerus. Subhumeral stria only indicated by a few punctures distributed irregularly on elytral apex. First dorsal stria nearly complete, but abbreviated on basal 1/5 (humeral area). Second dorsal stria longer than others, its basal end united with basal marginal stria, forming the medial boundary of humeral area. Third dorsal stria short, no longer than 1/3 of elytral length, basally abbreviated before elytral midpoint. Fourth and fifth dorsal striae absent, only a rudiment of puncture lines present on apex and on base. Sutural stria complete, its basal end united with basal marginal stria and its apical end connected with hind marginal stria. Epipleura long and extending to elytral apex, basal 1/5 broadened under humeral area, where a row of setigerous punctures are present, sometimes irregularly scattered; the setae long and stout, golden-colored.

Pygidium depressed near each side, the basal end of the depression broadened and not attaining anterior angle; outside the depression, a carina extends from base to apex and unites with the opposite one to form distinct edge; surface densely punctured, intervals microsculptured.

Prosternal lobe impunctate, evenly elevated medially; anterior margin fringed with long golden setae and extended forwards to form a median triangle. Prosternum coarsely punctured, punctures united and transversely rugose before procoxae, punctation less dense laterally and even less dense toward anterior angles. Broad medial keel impunctate, interrupted in the posterior half between procoxae, anteriorly elongate, bearing a pair of long setae in anterior 1/3, posteriorly with oblong disc smooth and glabrous. Hypomeron coarsely punctured. Mesosternum punctures close and dense, forming coarse, rugose surface; moderately convex medially, and slightly concave in posterior 1/3; posterior margin narrow and connected to metasternum between mesocoxae; margin elevated around mesocoxae. Metasternum mainly impunctate, but densely punctured around anterior angle and lateral margins. A deep, punctured, triangular fossa extends behind anterior margin; medial longitudinal suture shallow but distinct. Along medial posterior edge the margin is separated by a stria extending from metasternum and is expanded slightly in the middle between metacoxae. Abdominal sterna coarsely and densely punctured, punctation finer and less dense medially.

Protibia expanded, outer margin with four denticles, apex with two long but unequal ones; dorsal surface near the outer denticles with a tarsal groove limited by a short row of brown setae internally; ventral surface with a long, sinuate, longitudinal keel sinuate and setiferous punctures along the internal margin. Outer margin of mesotibia with three denticles and metatibia with two.

Female equal or slightly smaller in body size, dorsal surface relatively dull.

Specimens Examined. Holotype #, CHINA: Sichuan Province, Heshui County (328069N, 1028499E), 2,775 m, 23–26 July 2001, Xiao-dong Yu and Hong-zhang Zhou collected . Paratypes. 2 $$, same as holotype.

Etymology. The species epithet is from Latin word sinicus, meaning ‘‘of China.’’

Remarks. Specimens were collected in a forest habitat with mixed broad-leaved and coniferous trees using pitfall traps.

Figures

Fig. 1. Syntelia sinica Zhou, new species. A) Dorsal habitus; B) ventral habitus; C) head; D) right protibia, dorsal view; E) pygidium.