Syncosmetus euryale Lopes-Andrade et Grebennikov

Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano & Grebennikov, Vasily V., 2015, First record and five new species of Xylographellini (Coleoptera: Ciidae) from China, with online DNA barcode library of the family, Zootaxa 4006 (3), pp. 463-480 : 467-470

Syncosmetus euryale Lopes-Andrade et Grebennikov , sp. nov.

Figs. 7–14 , 35 , 37

Diagnosis. Prothorax with sides explanate and easily visible for their entire lengths from above; edge of lateral carina coarsely crenulate. Pronotum with longitudinal midline in low relief, mostly glabrous and unpunctate, surface smooth to irregular (but not microreticulate); anterior portion with surface between punctures somewhat in high relief; border along the posterior edge unpunctate, glabrous. Aedeagus with basal portion of tegmen homogeneously sclerotized, and apical portion with somewhat a spoon-like shape ( Fig. 12 ).

Description, holotype male ( Figs. 7–9 ). GenBank accession: KC 130808 . Fully pigmented adult. Measurements in mm: TL 1.63, PL 0.70, PW 0.88, EL 0.90, EW 1.08, GD 0.88. Ratios: PL/PW 0.80, EL/EW 0.84, EL/PL 1.29, GD/EW 0.81, TL/EW 1.51. Body rounded, extremely convex, mostly dark brown; antennae, palpi and legs yellowish brown; dorsal vestiture of minute setae, conspicuously shorter than a puncture-width; ventral vestiture of slender decumbent setae as long as a puncture-width or less. Head with coarse shallow punctures, separated from each other by a puncture-width or less; surface in between punctures microexcavated, partially in high relief and forming longitudinal lines; vertex bearing an unpunctate, glabrous knob at middle. Antennae bearing ten antennomeres with the following lengths (in mm, left antenna measured): 0.10, 0.05, 0.03, 0.03, 0.02, 0.02, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, 0.08 (FL 0.12 mm, CL 0.16 mm, CL/FL 1.33). Eyes coarsely facetted, each with about 30 ommatidia; GW 0.11 mm. Pronotum with coarse punctures, which are irregular and separated from each other by a puncture-width or less; surface in between punctures smooth, dull, microexcavated near the lateral margins; the punctures are very close to each other on disc and near the anterior edge, with the surface in between them forming longitudinal lines in high relief; longitudinal midline in low relief, mostly unpunctate, glabrous and smooth, forming a broad sulcus most conspicuous at disc, surface smooth to irregular (but not microreticulate); anterior edge broadly rounded; anterior angles slightly projected forward; sides broad, explanate, coarsely crenulate, visible for their entire lengths from above; posterior edge broadly rounded, the surface bordering it unpunctate, glabrous and somewhat microexcavated. Scutellum very small, almost indiscernible, confused with the beginning of the median keel of elytra; BW 0.02 mm. Elytra tightly locked but not fused, with punctures deep and coarse, separated from each other by at least a puncture-width and with smooth surface in between them; pseudoepipleura unpunctate, glabrous, with microstriated surface; each elytron with first longitudinal keel extending to about the middle of elytral edge ( Fig. 8 , arrow); first two keels diverging close to elytral base; second and third keels not united at their apices. Prosternum in front of coxae biconcave, extremely tumid at middle and bearing a longitudinal carina; surface irregular, with coarse punctures separated by a puncture-width or less; surface in between punctures microreticulate. Hypomera with surface similar to that of the prosternum, but punctures comparatively shallower. Protibia not expanded, three times as long as broad; inner facet with a conspicuous tuft of long bristles at the apical half; apical angle broadly rounded, its edge bearing a row of spines; outer edge apparently devoid of spines. Meso- and metatibia not expanded, four times as long as broad; outer edge apparently devoid of spines in low magnifications (but a few are visible in high magnifications); outer apical angle rounded, not produced; apical edge with a row of spines. Metaventrite without discrimen; punctures very coarse and separated from each other by a puncture-width or less; surface in between punctures microreticulate. Abdominal ventrites with very coarse punctures, concentrated at the anterior portion of each ventrite and separated by about a puncture-width; surface in between punctures and elsewhere microreticulate; length of the ventrites (in mm, from base to apex at the longitudinal midline) as follows: 0.23, 0.07, 0.07, 0.08, 0.15; first ventrite bearing a circular, weakly margined setose sex patch at its center, with a transverse diameter of 0.04 mm. Male abdominal terminalia in a paratype ( Figs. 11–14 ) with sternite VIII ( Fig. 11 ) subtrapezoidal; posterior edge narrow, slightly curved inward; posterior angles bearing a few long setae. Tegmen ( Fig. 12 ) with base Vshaped, lateral edges diverging; apex enlarged and broadly rounded, most sclerotized laterally and bearing a broad concavity, making the tegmen similar to a spoon. Basal piece ( Fig. 13 ) subtriangular. Penis ( Fig. 14 ) very elongate; basal two-thirds bearing lateral struts; lateral edges subparallel, slightly enlarged near apex and then converging to a membranous apex.

Females. Similar to males, but devoid of abdominal sex patch. Female abdominal terminalia with conspicuous gonostyli; gonocoxites transversely divided into two parts; paraprocts shorter than gonocoxites together; opening of proctiger close to basal gonocoxites.

Variation. Males, measurements in mm (n = 7, including the holotype): TL 1.53–1.78 (1.65 ± 0.03), PL 0.63– 0.75 (0.68 ± 0.04), PW 0.83–0.95 (0.88 ± 0.04), EL 0.85–1.03 (0.95 ± 0.06), EW 1.03–1.18 (1.08 ± 0.05), GD 0.80–0.93 (0.87 ± 0.04). Ratios: PL/PW 0.74–0.82 (0.77 ± 0.03), EL/EW 0.83–0.95 (0.88 ± 0.05), EL/PL 1.26– 1.60 (1.40 ± 0.13), GD/EW 0.78–0.83 (0.81 ± 0.02), TL/EW 1.49–1.60 (1.53 ± 0.03). Females, measurements in mm (n = 4): TL 1.55–1.80 (1.69 ± 0.11), PL 0.60–0.73 (0.68 ± 0.05), PW 0.80–0.93 (0.89 ± 0.06), EL 0.93–1.08 (0.99 ± 0.08), EW 1.05–1.18 (1.11 ± 0.05), GD 0.83–0.98 (0.92 ± 0.07). Ratios: PL/PW 0.73–0.81 (0.76 ± 0.03), EL/EW 0.84–0.93 (0.89 ± 0.04), EL/PL 1.28–1.56 (1.48 ± 0.13), GD/EW 0.79–0.86 (0.83 ± 0.03), TL/EW 1.48– 1.53 (1.52 ± 0.03).

Type series. Holotype: male ( IZCAS) “P.R. CHINA, Yunnan, E slope N. Gaoligongshan, N27º47’22.1” E098º32’17.7”, 24.v.2010, 3027m, sifting20, V. Grebennikov \ Syncosmetus [handwritten] Grebennikov dt., 2011 [printed] \ CNCCOLVG00001432 \ Syncosmetus euryale Lopes-Andrade & Grebennikov HOLOTYPUS [handwritten, red paper]”. Paratypes: 4 males (1 CNCI, 1 LAPC, 2 IZCAS) and 2 females (1 CNCI, 1 LAPC,) “P.R. CHINA, Yunnan, E slope N. Gaoligongshan, N27º47’22.1” E098º32’17.7”, 24.v.2010, 3027m, sifting20, V. Grebennikov”, but 1 male additionally labelled “CNCCOLVG00000918”; 1 male (dissected, LAPC) “P.R. CHINA, Yunnan, E slope N. Gaoligongshan, N27º59’01.0” E098º32’56.9”, 27.v.2010, 3018m, sifting23, V. Grebennikov \ CNCCOLVG00000914”; 1 male and 1 female ( CNCI) “P.R. CHINA, Yunnan, E slope N. Gaoligongshan, N27º46.782’ E098º33.087”, 14.vi.2009, 2956m, sifting04, V. Grebennikov”; 1 female ( IZCAS) “P.R. CHINA, Yunnan, E slope N Gaoligongshan, N27º47’22.1” E098º32’17.7”, 24.v.2010, 3027m, sifting20, V. Grebennikov \ Syncosmetus [handwritten] Grebennikov dt. 2011 [printed] \ CNCCOLVG00001433”. All paratypes additionally labelled \ Syncosmetus euryale Lopes-Andrade & Grebennikov PARATYPUS [yellow paper]\.

Doubtfully included specimen. One female ( Fig. 10 ; IZCAS) “ CHINA: Yunnan, Haba Shan, N27º22’05” E100º06’25” 29.vi. 2012. 3272m, sift 37 V. Grebennikov \ CNCCOLVG 00004709”. This single female from Haba Shan does not cluster on the DNA tree ( Fig. 37 ) with individuals from Gaoligong Shan. We have decided to provisionally place this specimen as Sync. euryale sp. nov. because it fits well within the morphological limits of this species.

Etymology. The species epithet is a Latinized Greek mythical name of the middle of the three Gorgon sisters, terrifying monsters with hair of living snakes; noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 35. Known distribution of Xylographellini beetles in the Palaearctic Region outside of Japan.

FIGURE 37. Lower part of the Maximum Likelihood inference phylogram, upper part of which is depicted on Fig. 36. HT: holotype.

FIGURES 7 – 14. Syncosmetus euryale sp. nov., male holotype (Figs. 7 – 8) from Gaoligong Shan: (7) dorsal view; (8) lateral view, with large arrow showing the first longitudinal elytral keel extending to about the middle of elytral edge, and small numbered arrows referring to the counting system of elytral keels used in the present work; (9) ventral view; (10) female paratype from Haba Shan. Pregenital segment and aedeagus of a paratype from the type locality (Figs. 11 – 14): (11) sternite VIII; (12) tegmen; (13) basal piece (= phallobase); (14) penis. The apices of sclerites of male abdominal terminalia are oriented to the left. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (Figs. 7 – 10); 0.1 mm (Figs. 11 – 14).