Belonuchus punctifrons ( Cameron, 1926 )

Li, Liang & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2010, Revision of the Chinese species of the genus Belonuchus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Journal of Natural History 44 (35 - 36), pp. 2149-2177 : 2170-2173

Belonuchus punctifrons ( Cameron, 1926)

( Figures 8C–K , 9A–L )

Cameron 1926: 352 [ Philonthus ; Type locality: Mussorie District; Keyarkuli. Chakrata District; Chulli Khud, 8000 feet (2400 m)]; Cameron 1932: 89 ( Philonthus , India); Scheerpeltz 1933: 1357 ( Philonthus , catalogue); Herman 2001: 2924 ( Philonthus , world catalogue); Smetana 2004: 648 ( Philonthus , catalogue for Palaearctic region); Rougemont 2004: 263 ( Belonuchus ).

Synonym

Philonthus puncticeps Cameron 1926: 352 [Type locality: Simla Hills; Gahan, 7000 feet (2100 m)]; Herman 2001: 2924 ( Philonthus , world catalogue); Smetana 2004: 648 ( Philonthus , catalogue for Palaearctic region); Rougemont 2004: 263 [ Belonuchus , synonym of B. punctifrons ( Cameron 1926) ].

Examined material

Three males, China: Sichuan: Qingchengshan, 24 August 2005, Li Xiaoyan collected (IZ-CAS); two females, China: Sichuan: Baoxing , 1 September 2005, 800 m, Li Xiaoyan and Zhang Yejun collected (IZ-CAS) ; one male, two females, China: Sichuan: Emeishan , 29 August 2005, 800– 1200 m, Li Xiaoyan collected (IZ-CAS) ; four females, China: Yunnan: Kunming: Guandu , 24–26 July 2006, Li Xiaoyan collected (IZ-CAS) ; one female, China: Shaanxi: Taibaishan : 8 June 2007, Zhou Hongzhang collected (IZ-CAS) ; five males, six females, China: Sichuan: Dujiangyan: Puyang: Huaxi Village , 676 m, 12 May 2009, Zhou Yulingzi collected (IZ-CAS) ; one female, China: Sichuan: Kangding , 1472 m, 21 May 2009, Zhou Yulingzi collected (IZ-CAS) ; one male, China: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna , 22 January1993, G. de Rougemont collected ( CRL) .

Description

Head and pronotum black, shining. Antennae black with antennomeres I–II to various extent dark brown. Elytra and scutellum black. Abdomen black with blue lustre. Mandibles, maxillary and labial palpi and legs dark brown.

Body depressed, 7.10–7.83 mm long ( HPL: 2.20–2.45 mm). Head rounded quadrangular, 0.90–1.06 mm long, 0.90–0.98 mm wide, almost as long as wide ( HW: HL = 0.92–1.09), slightly narrowed posteriad behind eyes, with almost evenly rounded hind angles. Entire frons distinctly impressed, densely punctate, narrowly impunctate along midline, each side with 10–14 punctures. Tempora 0.41–0.49 mm long, sparsely and coarsely punctate; eyes moderately large, slightly prominent, 0.25–0.33 mm long, 0.50–0.80 times as long as tempora. Lateral portions of head with scattered, large, setiferous punctures, vertex largely impunctate. Dorsal surface of head with distinct and profound microsculpture of oblique, long waves. Antennae moderately long, antennomere I very long, thickened towards apex, antennomere III distinctly longer than antennomere II, antennomeres IV–V slightly longer than wide, antennomeres VI–VII almost as long as wide, antennomeres VIII–X slightly transverse, antennomere XI distinctly longer than wide, obliquely truncate.

Pronotum almost parallel-sided, 1.14–1.22 mm long, 0.90–0.98 mm wide, slightly wider than head ( PW: HW = 0.92–1.00); dorsal rows on pronotum each with four large punctures, sublateral rows each with two large punctures; dorsal surface with distinct and profound microsculpture of transverse waves.

Elytra slightly widened posteriad, 1.39–1.47 mm long, 1.39–1.55 mm wide, 1.20–1.29 times as long as pronotum, densely and finely punctate, punctures separated by one or two times their diameter. Scutellum large, triangular, densely and finely punctate.

Abdomen slightly narrowed posteriad, widest 1.22–1.39 mm, punctures separated by about one puncture diameter at base, gradually becoming sparser toward apex of each tergite; surface between punctures with exceedingly fine and dense microsculpture of transverse striae; first three visible abdominal tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between basal lines with a more or less regular row of fine punctures.

Male. Anterior tarsomeres I–IV simple, not dilated, without modified pale setae ventrally ( Figure 9I ). Sternite VIII with moderately deep, triangular, medio-apical emargination ( Figure 8E ). Genital segments with styli of tergite IX simple, moderately setose apically ( Figure 8G ). Sternite IX with markedly asymmetrical proximal portion, subapical portion largely semi-membranous, apex slightly emarginate, each lobe bearing one moderately long apical seta ( Figure 8H ). Tergite X simple, triangular, subtruncate at apex with numerous apical setae ( Figure 8I ).

Aedeagus slender, with apical portion of median lobe narrowed to very acute apex ( Figure 8C ); in lateral view, subapical portion with pair of small, dorso-lateral extensions ( Figure 8D ); paramere small, with wide, shallowly emarginate apex, lacking sensory peg setae on underside of paramere.

one anterolateral seta on each side (arrow); (D) prosternum; (E) pronotal hypomeron;. (F) mesoventrite, showing transversal carina (arrow); (G) tergites IV–V, showing two basal lines (arrows); (H) first visible sternite, showing basal line (arrow); (I) protarsus without modified pale setae, ventral view; (J) labial palpus; (K) left mandible; (L) maxillary palpus.

Female. Anterior tarsomeres I–IV similar to that of male. Sternite VIII rounded at apex, without medio-apical emargination ( Figure 8F ). Genital segments with styli of tergite IX similar to that of male. Gonocoxites moderately developed, second gonocoxites with minute stylus, bearing two long setae ( Figure 8K ). Tergite X triangular, subrounded at apex, with numerous apical setae ( Figure 8J ).

Distribution

China (Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi), India, Thailand, Malaysia.

Remarks

Cameron (1926) described this species from India. Rougemont (2004) transferred it to the genus Belonuchus . Our specimens agree well with Rougemont’s specimen. Belonuchus punctifrons is very similar to B. puncticulus Rougemont, 2004 in having impressed frons with dense punctures. Belonuchus punctifrons can be easily distinguished from B. puncticulus by larger body, entirely black elytra (posterior margin and suture markedly reddish-brown in B. puncticulus ) and different morphology of aedeagus.

Figures

Figure 8. Belonuchus puncticulus Rougemont, 2004. (A) Aedeagus, ventral view; (B) median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view. Belonuchus punctifrons (Cameron, 1926). (C) aedeagus, ventral view; (D) median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view; (E) sternite VIII of male; (F) sternite VIII of female; (G) genital segment with styli of tergite IX; (H) sternite IX of male; (I) tergite X of male; (J) tergite X of female; (K) gonocoxites of female genital segment. Scale bars 0.5 mm.

Figure 9. Scanning electron micrographs of Belonuchus punctifrons (Cameron, 1926). (A) Underside of head, showing gular sutures (arrows), ventral view; (B) labium; (C) mentum, showing