Sasajiscymnus hareja species group

The Sasajiscymnus hareja species group is characterized by the stout penis with large penis capsule, apex of penis with membranous appendage, penis guide robust with prominent keel at base, interocular distance distinctly greater than eye width in frontal view, coxites elongate and triangular, styli well developed with terminal setae, and spermathecal with elongate nodulus.

34 species of hareja group are recorded from China, including 12 new species and 1 newly recorded species.

Key to the species of hareja group within the genus Sasajiscymnus Vandenberg, 2004

1. Parameres distinct..................................................................................... 2

- Parameres inconspicuous (Figs 13f–g)......................................... Sasajiscymnus gibbosus (Yu, 1997)

2. Central part of penis smooth without small protuberances..................................................... 3

- Central part of penis with several small protuberances (Fig. 14e)............... Sasajiscymnus shixingiensis (Pang, 1993)

3. Penis uniform without constricted part..................................................................... 4

- Penis strongly constricted near distal 1/3 (Fig. 15e)..................... Sasajiscymnus striatus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

4. Penis with a large protuberance on inner side............................................................... 5

- Penis with smooth inner side............................................................................ 6

5. Pronotum entirely yellow (Fig. 16c); parameres about 1/3 as long as penis guide (Fig. 16g)...................................................................................... Sasajiscymnus wuliangshan Tong & Wang sp. nov.

- Pronotum black with yellow margins (Fig. 17c); parameres about 3/5 as long as penis guide (Fig. 17g).................................................................................. Sasajiscymnus ocelliferus (Canepari, 1997)

6. Elytron black with an eye-spotted pattern.................................................................. 7

- Elytron without an eye-spotted pattern..................................................................... 8

7. Yellow area of the eye spot extending to the apex of elytra (Figs 18a–b).......... Sasajiscymnus orbiculatus (Yang, 1971)

- Yellow area of the eye spot not extending to the apex of elytra (Figs 19a–b)........... Sasajiscymnus ocellatus (Yu, 2000)

8. Ground color of elytra uniformly yellow or brown........................................................... 9

- Ground color of elytra black with yellow marking or yellow with black marking.................................. 11

9. Ventral surfaces yellow to black......................................................................... 10

- Ventral surfaces yellow without any contrasting markings (Figs 20a–c)..... Sasajiscymnus paltatus (Pang & Huang, 1986)

10. Elytra uniformly yellow (Fig. 21a).................................... Sasajiscymnus aureus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

- Elytra uniformly brown (Fig. 22a)............................................ Sasajiscymnus fuscus (Yang, 1971)

11. Parameres distinctly dilated in lateral view, with widest part about twice of basal width............................. 12

- Parameres slightly dilated or not........................................................................ 14

12. Parameres shorter than 3/4 length of penis guide............................................................ 13

- Parameres slightly shorter than penis guide (Fig. 23g)....................... Sasajiscymnus parenthesis (Weise, 1923)

13. Parameres are about 1/2 as long as penis guide (Fig. 24g)................. Sasajiscymnus longus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

- Parameres are about 3/4 as long as penis guide (Fig. 2n)................ Sasajiscymnus quinquepunctatus (Weise, 1923)

14. Parameres longer than 1/4 length of penis guide............................................................ 15

- Parameres about 1/4 as long as penis guide (Fig. 26j).................. Sasajiscymnus heijia (Yu & Montgomery, 2000)

15. Penis guide widest at base or near the base in ventral view.................................................... 16

- Penis guide widest at 1/2 length in ventral view (Fig. 27h).................. Sasajiscymnus latus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

16. Parameres distinctly shorter than 1/2 length of penis guide.................................................... 17

- Parameres as long as or much longer than 1/2 length of penis guide............................................. 24

17. Scutellar shield yellow to yellowish brown................................................................ 18

- Scutellar shield black (Fig. 28a).............................................. Sasajiscymnus curvatus (Yu, 1999)

18. Humeral angles black................................................................................. 19

- Humeral angles yellow to yellowish brown................................................................ 21

19. Elytra black with yellow apices, and a large yellow spot presenting in the middle part.............................. 20

- Elytra black with yellowish brown apices, sometimes with two brown spots close to suture (Fig. 29a)............................................................................. Sasajiscymnus ancistroides (Pang & Huang, 1986)

20. Middle part of elytra with yellow spot extending to the lateral margins (Figs 30a–b).............................................................................................. Sasajiscymnus obliquus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

- Middle part of elytra with yellow spot not extending to the lateral margins (Figs 31a–b).......................................................................................... Sasajiscymnus niganulus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

21. Elytral base entirely yellow............................................................................ 22

- Elytral base mostly black.............................................................................. 23

22. Elytral outer margin black in the middle............................ Sasajiscymnus fulvihumerus (Yang & Wu, 1972)

- Elytral outer margin entirely yellow (Figs 33a–b)..................... Sasajiscymnus maculatus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

23. Elytra black with yellow apices and humeral angles, and a large yellowish brown spot presenting in the middle part (Figs 34a–b)................................................................. Sasajiscymnus seboshii (Ohta, 1929)

- Elytra black with yellowish brown apices and humeral angles (Figs 35a–b)......... Sasajiscymnus truncatulus (Yu, 1997)

24. Penis with a deep terminal emargination.................................................................. 25

- Penis without emarginations............................................................................ 26

25. Elytra black with yellowish brown apices............................. Sasajiscymnus lamellatus (Yang & Wu, 1972)

- Elytra black with yellow to yellowish brown markings (Figs 37a–b)....... Sasajiscymnus variabilis Tong & Wang sp. nov.

26. Apex of penis guide pointed in ventral view............................................................... 27

- Apex of penis guide blunt in ventral view................................................................. 29

27. Elytral base mostly black.............................................................................. 28

- Elytral base entirely yellow (Figs 38a–b)............................. Sasajiscymnus seminigrinus (Yu & Pang, 1993)

28. Scutellar shield black (Fig. 39a); parameres short and stout (Fig. 39g)................. Sasajiscymnus bivalvis (Yu, 1997)

- Scutellar shield yellowish brown (Fig. 40a); parameres long and slender (Fig. 40g). Sasajiscymnus flexus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

29. Apex of penis expanded............................................................................... 30

- Apex of penis not expanded............................................................................ 31

30. Penis guide long; apex of penis with distinct membranous appendage (Fig. 41f).................................................................................................. Sasajiscymnus sagittalis Tong & Wang sp. nov.

- Penis guide short; apex of penis with inconspicuous membranous appendage (Fig. 42f)............................................................................................ Sasajiscymnus robustus Tong & Wang sp. nov.

31. Apex of penis with membranous appendage on both sides (Fig. 43f).. Sasajiscymnus lancetapicalis (Pang & Gordon, 1986)

- Apex of penis with membranous appendage on lateral side (Fig. 44f).. Sasajiscymnus disselasmatus (Pang & Huang, 1986)

Remarks. Sasajiscymnus hareja (Weise, 1879) and Sasajiscymnus changi (Yang, 1971) were not included in the above key since no specimens of these species were available for us.