Rhagonycha (s.str.) tibetanimima Y. Yang, Liu & X. Yang, 2024

Xiao, Yun-Feng, Liu, Hao-Yu, Yang, Xing-Ke & Yang, Yu-Xia, 2024, Taxonomic review of the Rhagonycha flava species group (Coleoptera, Cantharidae), with descriptions of fourteen new species from China, Zootaxa 5534 (1), pp. 1-69 : 49-50

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5534.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C36ED8DA-FCF2-44FE-A38E-41112A1C0D6D
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14023672
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F9023D04-FFCA-FFF3-FF69-E5E93BEBEA57
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Rhagonycha (s.str.) tibetanimima Y. Yang, Liu & X. Yang
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Rhagonycha (s.str.) tibetanimima Y. Yang, Liu & X. Yang , sp. nov.

( Figs 27C‒D View FIGURE 27 , 28D‒F View FIGURE 28 , 29B View FIGURE 29 , 30B View FIGURE 30 , 39 View FIGURE 39 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♂ ( IZAS), CHINA, Yunnan: Lushui, Pianma , 2100 m, 29.Ⅴ.1981, leg. X.Z. Zhang. PARATYPES: CHINA, Yunnan: 2♀♀ ( IZAS), Yunlong, Zhibenshan , 2430 m, 20.Ⅴ I.1981, leg. S.Y. Wang ; 1♂ ( IZAS), Lushui, Pianma , 2300 m, 28.Ⅴ.1981, leg. S.Y. Wang ; 2♀♀ ( IZAS), same data as the preceding, 29.Ⅴ.1981 ; 1♂, 1♀ ( IZAS), same data as the preceding, leg. X.Z. Zhang ; 1♂ ( CAS), Tengchong, Jietoutown, Dantang , Dahelingganjiao , 27.73939° N, 98.69633° E, 2010 m, 17.Ⅴ.2006, Sino-Amer Exped, leg. H.B. Liang. GoogleMaps

Differential diagnosis. It looks similar to Rh. tibetana in the body coloration, but can be distinguished from the latter by the aedeagus: conjoint dorsal plate of parameres with lateral margins distinctly diverging apically in dorsal view, while feebly converging in Rh. tibetana ( Fig. 5H View FIGURE 5 ); ventral process of each paramere triangularly expanded at apices in ventral view, shorter than conjoint dorsal plate in lateral view, while roundly expaned at apices ( Fig. 5G View FIGURE 5 ), longer than conjoint dorsal plate ( Fig. 5I View FIGURE 5 ); female reproductive system: spermatheca nearly as long as diverticulum, while longer in Rh. tibetana ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ).

Description. Body length: 7.5‒8.4 mm (7.5 mm in holotype); width: 1.9‒2.3 mm (1.9 mm in holotype).

Male. ( Fig. 27C View FIGURE 27 ). Coloration. Body balck except for head and pronotum yellowish orange. Surface sparsely and finely yellow pubescent, anterior margin of clypeus fringed with pale bristles.

Head rounded, surface densely and finely punctate; eyes moderately protruding, head width across eyes 1.1 times wider than anterior margin of pronotum; terminal maxillary palpomeres subtriangular, widest at apical third; antennae extending to basal 3/4 length of elytra when reclined, antennomeres II shortest, about 2.4 times as long as wide at apices, III about 2.5 times longer than II, VII longest, XI feebly longer than X and pointed at apices.

Pronotum subquadrate, about as wide as long, anterior margin rounded, anterior angles subrounded, lateral margins feebly diverging posteriorly, posterior margin nearly straight, posterior angles sub-rectangular, disc strongly convex on posterolateral parts, surface finely and densely punctate.

Elytra nearly parallel-sided, about 3.5 times as long as humeral width, 5.0 times longer than pronotum, surface finely rugulose-lacunose, almost lustrous at basal parts.

Aedeagus strongly swollen laterally in middle ( Fig. 28D View FIGURE 28 ); ventral processes of parameres abruptly thinned apically near bases, widened and acute at apices, directing to each other in ventral view ( Fig. 28D View FIGURE 28 ), and almost straight in lateral view ( Fig. 28F View FIGURE 28 ), with apices widened and wide-traigular shaped; conjoint dorsal plate of parameres longer than ventral processes ( Fig. 28D, F View FIGURE 28 ), with apical margin moderately deeply and roundly emarginate in middle, lateral margins distinctly diverging apically in dorsal view ( Fig. 28E View FIGURE 28 ), latero-apical angles acute, feebly bent ventrally in lateral view ( Fig. 28F View FIGURE 28 ); emargination between ventral process and conjoint dorsal plate about 1/3 length of aedeagus ( Fig. 28F View FIGURE 28 ).

Female. ( Fig. 27D View FIGURE 27 ). Similar to male, but with larger and stouter body, antennae shorter and extending to apical third length of elytra when reclined, head width across eyes as wide as anterior margin of pronotum, pronotum wider and about 1.1 times as wide as long, anterior margin less arcuate, disc feebly convex on posterolateral parts, elytra yellowish brown at humeri and progressively darkened apically, about 3.3 times as long as humeral width, with lateral margins moderately diverging posteriorly.

Internal organ of reproductive system ( Fig. 29B View FIGURE 29 ): vagina stout and abruptly thinned at ventroapical portion into a long and feebly stout tube, where diverticulum and spermathecal duct arising separately; diverticulum long and spiral, evenly thin along the whole length; spermathecal duct short and about 1/8 length of apical tube of vagina; spermatheca provided with a spiral tube, progressively thinned apically and nearly as long as diverticulum; accessory gland extremely long, about four times longer than spermatheca.

Abdominal sternite VIII ( Fig. 30B View FIGURE 30 ) moderately narrowed posteriorly, widely rounded at latero-apical angles, and trapezodianlly protuberant in middle of posterior margin.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin mimus (imitator), referring to its similarity to Rh. tibetana .

Distribution ( Fig. 39 View FIGURE 39 ). China (Yunnan).