Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) deimos, Bílý, 2017

Bílý, Svatopluk, 2017, A new species-group of the genus Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) from south-eastern Asia, with descriptions of two new species (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 57 (1), pp. 145-152 : 150-151

Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) deimos sp. nov.

( Figs 4–6 )

Type locality. North-eastern Laos, Houa Phan Province, 20°12–13.5′N 103°59.5– 104°01′E, Ban Saluei–Phou Pane Mt., 1340–1870 m a.s.l.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ʻLaos-NE, Houa Phan Prov. , 20°12–13.5′N 103°59.5– 104°01′E, Ban Saluei–Phou Pane Mt., 1340–1870 m, 15.iv.–15.v.2008, Lao collectors leg.ʼ ( NMPC) . ALLOTYPE: ♀, ʻThai[land]-N, Chiang Mai Prov., San Pakia vill., 19°19′N 98°50′E, 1400 m, 1.–15.v.1998, Vít Kubáň leg.ʼ ( NMPC) . PARATYPE: J, ʻChina: S-Yunnan (Xishuangbanna), 34 km NW Jinghong above Guo Men Shan // 22°14′35′′N 100°36′56′′E, 1200–1300 m, 10.v.2009, NNNR leg. A. Weigel on Castanopsis flowerʼ ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. Relatively small (length 3.2–4.3 mm), flattened, subparallel, completely asetose, very lustrous ( Figs 4–5 ); dorsal surface bronze-violet, frons, anterior pronotal angles, antennae and legs golden green, vertex bronze (male) or anterior pronotal angles coppery red, antennae and legs green, frons and vertex dark bronze (female); ventral surface red-bronze with green lustre, meso- and metafemora bright green (male) or ventrally entirely red-bronze (female). Description of the male holotype ( Fig. 4 ). Head large as wide as width of anterior pronotal margin; anterior margin of frontoclypeus almost straight; frons regularly, rather strongly convex, vertex weakly convex, 1.1 times as wide as width of eye; eyes large, widely reniform, only very weakly projecting beyond outline of head; sculpture of head homogeneous consisting of small, dense, regular, oval cells with tiny central grains; antennae relatively short almost reaching posterior pronotal angles when laid alongside; scape 4.5 times as long as wide, slightly curved, claviform, pedicel elliptical, twice as long as wide; third antennomere obtusely triangular, as wide as long, fourth antennomere triangular, slightly wider than long, antennomeres 5–10 trapezoidal, somewhat wider than long; terminal antennomere rhomboid, 1.5 times as long as wide.

Pronotum flattened, 1.7 times as wide as long, with deep, wide lateroposterior depressions almost occupying posterior half of pronotum; anterior margin deeply bisinuate with wide, projecting medial lobe, posterior margin very weakly bisinuate, almost straight; lateral margins weakly arcuate, posterior angles obtuse-angled, maximum pronotal width at anterior third; sculpture consisting of small, dense, rather poorly defined, polygonal cells with tiny central grains. Scutellum large, subcordiform, flat, microsculptured, 1.4 times as long as wide.

Elytra very weakly convex, 1.9–2.0 times as long as wide, almost subparallel, slightly uneven at posterior fourth; each elytron regularly rounded apically, humeral callosities small, not projecting beyond outline of elytra; basal, transverse depressions deep, wide, reaching scutellum; elytral epipleura narrow, parallel-sided, not reaching elytral apex; only very tips of elytra with very fine, lateral serrations; sculpture very fine, homogeneous, almost scale- -shaped, weakly granulate in basal, transverse depressions.

Ventral surface lustrous, with rather rough eye-like sculpture with large central grains, abdominal ventrites with very fine, eye-like sculpture; prosternal process flat, strongly widening behind procoxae, pointed apically. Anal ventrite obtusely rounded with very fine, lateral serrations. Legs thin, relatively short, tibiae almost straight, without inner serrations; tarsi slender, distinctly shorter than corresponding tibiae, fourth tarsomere yellow-brown with wide, adhesive pads. Tarsal claws fine, weakly hook-shaped, yellow, only slightly enlarged at base. Aedeagus ( Fig. 6 ) slender, spindle-shaped, strongly sclerotised, parameres regularly narrowed in posterior fourth, obliquely truncate apically; median lobe broad, widely pointed apically, with sparse, fine dorsolateral serrations.

Measurements. Length: 3.2–4.3 mm (holotype 4.3 mm); width: 1.3–1.5 mm (holotype 1.5 mm). Sexual dimorphism. The female differs from the male by the different colouration (see above and Fig. 5 ), more convex elytra and by the less developed lateroposterior pronotal depressions and depressions at the posterior fourth of elytra (unfortunately poorly visible in Fig. 5 ).

Variability. No variability was observed except for the size and sexual dimorphism; the male paratype ( China) possesses somewhat longer elytra (2.1 times as long as wide) and almost unicolorous pronotum .

Differential diagnosis. Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) deimos sp. nov. is similar and most probably related with the previous species, A. (H.) phobos sp. nov., from which it differs by the colouration and smaller, lustrous, flattened body (see above and Figs 4–5 ), uneven posterior fourth of elytra, and significantly by the wide, deep lateroposterior pronotal depressions. Male genitalia of both species are very characteristic differing from each other by the shape, sclerotisation and form of the apical part of parameres ( Figs 3 vs. 6). The shape of the male genitalia is one of the main reasons for separating both species into the separate species-group of Haplanthaxia .

Etymology. This species is named after the second moon of Mars – “ Deimos ”; noun in apposition.

Distribution. China, Laos, Thailand.

Figures

Figs 1–6. 1 – Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) phobos sp. nov., holotype, 4.3 mm; 2 – the same, allotype, 3.7 mm; 3 – the same, aedeagus, holotype; 4 – A. (H.) deimos sp. nov., holotype, 4.3 mm; 5 – the same, allotype, 3.7 mm; 6 – the same, aedeagus, holotype.