Prothemus svihlai Wittmer, 1987

Fig. 118.

Prothemus svihlai Wittmer, 1987: 87 .

Type material examined. Holotype, male (NMPC), “N Vietnam, prov. Vinh phu, Tam dao, 27.5.– 2.6.1986. V. Švihla lgt. [white label, printed] / HOLOTYPUS [red label, printed] / Prothemus svihlai Wittm., det. W. Wittmer [white label, handwritten and printed]”. Paratype, female (NMPC), “N Vietnam, prov. Vinh phu, Tam dao, 27.5.– 2.6.1986. V. Švihla lgt. [white label, printed] / PARATYPUS [red label, printed] / Prothemus svihlai Wittm., det. W. Wittmer [white label, handwritten and printed]”.

Additional material examined. NE Laos, Houa Phan prov., Ban Saluei to Mt. Phou Pane, 1340–1870 m a.s.l., 20°12–13.5ˏN 103°59.5ˏ–104°01ˏE, 15.iv.–1.v.2008, Lao collectors lgt., 18 males 34 females (numerous additional specimens in NHMB).

Comments. P. svihlai was described from northern Vietnam based on one male and two females. Both females have black elytra like the male. In the material from Laos all the females posses yellow elytra while elytra in males are black as in holotype. The aedeagus and last abdominal sternite of female (Fig. 118) do not show any differences. The last sternite has a central, more or less elevated, bulge and a pair of very shallow, more or less lustrous depressions laterally. Possibly, the population from Laos can be classified in the future as a different subspecies, when more material from different localities is available.

Distribution. Described from northern Vietnam, new species for Laos.