Diploptera nigrescens guani, Li & Wang, 2015

Li, Xinran & Wang, Zongqing, 2015, A taxonomic study of the beetle cockroaches (Diploptera Saussure) from China, with notes on the genus and species worldwide (Blattodea: Blaberidae: Diplopterinae), Zootaxa 4018 (1), pp. 35-56 : 49-51

Diploptera nigrescens guani subsp. n.

( Figs. 11–12 , 27–28 , 48–53 )

Diagnosis. D. nigrescens is darker than other known species in Diploptera , and has a pronotum with narrow anterior and lateral borders reddish brown. D. n. guani subsp. n. is distinguished from the nominotypical subspecies by reddish head.

Description. Size small. Holotype, male, overall length (= body length) 10.5mm; pronotum length×width 2.8mm × 4.4mm; tegmen length 7.0mm; wing length 10.2mm. Paratypes, female, overall length (= body length) 12.8 (abdomen retracted)– 14.7mm; pronotum length×width 2.8mm ×5.0mm– 3.2mm × 5.4mm; tegmen length 8.5– 9.7mm.

Body black. Head reddish brown; antenna with basal portion blackish and the remainder yellowish brown. Pronotum black, with narrow anterior and lateral borders reddish brown, but the latter broader, with ventral surface reddish brown. Tegmina dark brown, but looking blackish because of the color of abdomen. Legs except coxae brownish yellow. Cerci and styli brownish yellow.

Pronotum and tegmina setose. Pronotum subsemicircular, extremely finely and densely punctate, with posterior margin emarginate near posterolateral angles, lateral borders subsided. Tegmina densely punctate. Venation of hindwings similar to that of D. punctata .

Male (holotype). Subgenital plate relatively broad at sides. Styli large, exceeding the hind margin of subgenital plate when pointing rearward. Sclerite L3’ with basal part broad and suddenly narrowing to the curved part, resulting in a rounded obtuse angle at the inner margin; the apex of hook normal.

Comparison with the nominotypical subspecies. The only difference of taxonomic value is head color, the individuals found in Taiwan have black heads, whilst those from the south of mainland China have reddish ones.

Distribution. South of mainland China.

Etymology. The Latinized name guani originates from the Chinese surname Guan, referring to the ancient Chinese general, also regarded as a god, Guan Yu, which is well-known for his red face—the diagnostic character of this subspecies.

Type materials examined. HOLOTYPE ( IESWU), male, China, Guangxi, Chongzuo , Daqingshan , 1963. V.15, coll. Ji-Kun Yang; PARATYPE ( IESWU), female, China, Guangxi, Guilin, Huaping Nature Reserve, Tianpingshan, 1963. VI.6, coll. Ji-Kun Yang; PARATYPE ( MHBU), female, China, Hunan, Yuanling, Jiemuxi Nature Reserve, 2004. VIII.1–2, coll. Ji-Liang Wang, Jian-Feng Wang; PARATYPE ( IESWU, ex KLU), female, China, Guizhou, Danzhai, Jiucaigou, 600–1326m, N 26°12′–15′, E 107°52′–56′, 2009. VI.17, coll. Ming Tang.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 16. Pronota of Diploptera spp. & subspp. presented in monochrome, i. e., white indicates unicolor or lighter coloration, whilst black is for darker portion. 2 – 3 D. punctata; 2 male; 3 female; 4 – 5 D. minor; 4 female; 5 male; 6 D. erythrocephala, male; 7 – 8 D. parva; 7 male; 8 female; 9 D. naevus sp. n., male; 10 D. nigrescens nigrescens, male; 11 – 12 D. nigrescens guani subsp. n.; 11 male; 12 female; 13 D. bicolor, male; 14 D. maculata, female; 15 – 16 D. elliptica sp. n.; 15 male; 16 female. (Dashed lines indicate depression. Scale bar = 2 mm)

FIGURES 17 – 30. Diploptera spp. & subspp. distributed in China. 17 – 18 D. punctata, female from Yunnan, Menglun; 19 – 21 D. punctata, lectotype (ZMMU) from Hawaii instead of China, photographed by Dr. Andrey L. Ozerov, copyright ZMMU, published with permission; 22 – 24 D. elliptica sp. n.; 22 – 23 male holotype from Yunnan, Cangyuan, Banhong; 24 female paratype from Yunnan, Mengla, Mohan; 25 – 26 D. naevus sp. n., male holotype from Xizang, Motuo, Beibeng; 27 – 28 D. nigrescens guani subsp. n., male holotype from Guangxi, Chongzuo, Daqingshan; 29 – 30 D. nigrescens nigrescens, male syntype (NTU) from Taiwan, photographed by Yi-Ho Liu and downloaded from NTU website, copyright Insect Museum Digital Archives Project, Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University. (Scale bars = 5 mm.)

FIGURES 48 – 53. Diploptera nigrescens guani subsp. n., holotype. 48 hind wing, with grey coloration indicating sclerotization; 49 terminal segment of dorsal abdomen, in ventral view; 50 subgenital plate in dorsal view; 51 – 53 phallic sclerites in dorsal view; 51 sclerites R’; 52 sclerites L 2 ’; 53 apex of left complex hook, showing sclerite L 3 ’. (m. = membranous. Scale bars = 5 mm for 48, 1 mm for 49 & 50, 500 µm for 51 – 53.)