Heptodonta schuelei, Görn, Sebastian, 2020

Görn, Sebastian, 2020, Revision of the Oriental tiger beetle genus Heptodonta Hope, 1838 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), Zootaxa 4875 (1), pp. 1-62 : 53-58

Heptodonta schuelei sp. nov.

Figs. 7 , 144–154 , 156

Type locality. India: Meghalaya , Khasi Hills; Nagaland , Kohima; Arunachal Pradesh , West Kameng. Myanmar: Chin State .

Type material. Holotype: ♂ in JWCW, labelled: “NE INDIA, Meghalaya, / SW of Cherrapunjee , / 25°13’– 14’N, 91°40’E, / 29.4.– 22.5.2005, 500–950m, / L. Dembický & P. Pacholátko ” [yellow, printed] // “ Heptodonta / pulchella / ( Hope 1831) / det. J. Wiesner 2005” [printed] . Paratypes (12): 1 ♀ in JWCW with same labels as holo- type. 1 ♂ in JWCW: “NE INDIA, W Arunachal, / 8 km S Jamiri, Sessa vic., / 27°07’–09’N, 92°34’E, / 350± 50m, 26.5.– 4.6.2005, / L. Dembický & P. Pacholátko ” [yellow, printed] // “ Heptodonta / pulchella / ( Hope 1831) / det. J. Wiesner 2005” [printed] . 1 ♂ in PSCH: “ INDIA Laitkynsew 1000m / nr Cherrapunjee MEGHALAYA / 5.– 11.VI.2005 / N. Nishikawa leg.” [printed] . 1 ♂ in MNB: “KOHIMA. / ASSAM. / V. M. DUCHON.” [with black frame, printed] // “ Heptodonta / pulchella (Hope) / Museum f. Naturkunde / Berlin” [printed] . 1 ♀ in SDEI: “ Assam / Kas. Hill. / Kricheldorff” [with black frame, handwritten/printed] // “yunnana / Fairm.? / Fleut. ” [handwritten] // “ Coll. W. Horn / DEI Eberswalde” [printed] . 1 ♂ in SDEI: “ Deyrolle / Khasia Hills ” [printed/handwritten] // “ Coll. W. Horn / DEI Eberswalde” [printed]. 1 ♀ in SDEI: “Kihasi Hills” [printed] // “Donckier” [printed] // “ Coll. W. Horn / DEI Eberswalde” [printed] . 1 ♀ in SDEI: “ Khasi Hills ” [printed] // “ Coll. W. Horn / DEI Eberswalde” [printed] . 1 ♂ in SMNS, 1 ♀ in JWCW, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ in SGCH: “ MYANMAR, Chin State / Kanpetlet Township / N21°11’53.3”, E94°03’14.5” / Road cut / 8.VI.2015 leg. Michio Hori ” All type specimens labelled: “ HOLOTYPE (or PARATYPE respectively) / Heptodonta / schuelei sp. nov. / ded. Sebastian Görn 2020” [red, printed] .

Diagnosis. Large green slender species resembling H. pulchella , H. tempesta sp. nov., and H. posticalis , but distinguishable by the duplicate anterior diagonal spines of the aedeagal anteromedian sclerite. Usually elytral apex specifically elongated and particular slender, due to posterior converging lateral margins. Labrum commonly more elongated than in any other Heptodonta species. In contrast to H. posticalis and most of eastern H. pulchella specimens, the scape has iridescent metallic green, sometimes also violet, lustre.

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to Peter Schüle for his essential support with material.

Description. Body size: Length 13.8–16.3 mm (without labrum), width 4.2–4.9 mm ( Figs. 144–145 , 151– 152 ).

Dorsal surface of head metallic bronze-green. Frons irregularly grooved. Vertex with coarse irregular longitudinal striation or almost completely irregular grooves, in transition to orbital plates with converging wrinkled grooves ( Fig. 7 ). Orbital plates with fine irregular striation and two setae on each side. Occiput with wrinkled transverse grooves, anteromedian irregularly rugose. Genae glabrous (except for a specimen from Arunachal with two setae on each side) and rather shallowly grooved, anterior copper-bronze to yellowish-green with dorsal and anteroventral green transition to the blue margin, posterior bronze-green to bluish-green. Clypeus glabrous and bronze-coloured, anterior with green margin and often two dull blue spots. Labrum testaceous, with four setae, five apical teeth, and one lateral tooth on each side, three median teeth acute, third apical teeth reduced with elongated triangular shape, male labrum shorter (1.20–1.43 mm long, 1.75–2.10 mm wide, Fig. 146 ) than female labrum (1.48–1.83 mm long, 1.83–2.10 mm wide, Fig. 147 ). Mandibles testaceous, teeth black, basal inner margin and inner tooth often rufousbrown. Labial and maxillary palpi testaceous, terminal palpomeres in males apically and in females entirely black. Antennae slender, extending back over almost the first half of the elytra, metallic black, scape with iridescent green and sometimes also violet lustre, pedicel with slightly green reflection, antennomeres 3–4 distal with golden-violet shine, pedicel basal testaceous, scape with a single apical seta, antennomeres 3–4 with few scattered setae, antennomeres 5–11 finely and evenly pubescent, in males terminal antennomere slightly dilated.

Thorax entirely glabrous. Pronotum metallic bronze-green to reddish bronze-green, approximately as long (2.50–3.25 mm) as wide (2.60–3.10 mm), narrow median line blue, irregular transverse grooves wrinkled on disc, pronounced anterior and posterior sulci, anterior lobe wider than posterior, lateral margins of the median lobe slightly to moderately converging to the base. Episterna metallic yellowish-green to bluish-green with iridescent bronze 144, 146, 148–150— ♂, holotype: 144—habitus, 146—head, 148—lateral body, 149—aedeagus in left lateral aspect, 150—ae- deagus in right lateral aspect; 145, 147— ♀, paratype: 145—habitus, 147—head. Scales: 144–148 = 1 mm, 149–150 = 0.5 mm.

to copper lustre. Sterna median violet-blue and laterally with iridescent green to copper lustre. Epimera iridescent copper and green.

Elytra extremely elongate, length 8.7–10.3 mm, slightly dilated laterally to almost parallel, maximal width slightly anterior to the middle, lateral margins conspicuously converging posterior to apex, colouration green with yellow-bronze lustre, dull shine due to pronounced microsculpture, lateral margin violet with bluish-green transition, juxtahumeral and apical impression slightly pronounced, discal impression and basodiscal convexity moderate, posterior gibbosity lacking, violet-blue punctures slightly deeper anteriorly, formation of transverse puncture lines irregular and inconspicuous.

Coxae testaceous and dark-testaceous with median blue and lateral yellowish-green metallic colouration; procoxae anteriorly, mesocoxae anteriorly and posteriorly, and metacoxae laterally densely covered with long white setae. Trochanters, femora, and tibiae testaceous. Femoral distal apices with black tip, followed by a testaceous ring (more or less reduced on metafemora) and a metallic green shining black colouration covering posterior approximately one-half to almost all of profemora, one-third to one-half of mesofemora, and one-quarter to one-third of metafemora. Tarsi and distal one to three-quarters of tibiae metallic black. Last two to all tarsomeres proximally dark-testaceous. Claws rufous-testaceous.

Abdominal sternites glabrous (apart from few long setae at posterior margins), with iridescent yellowish-green and blue lustre, terminal sternite with broad and sternites 3–5 with fine dark-testaceous posterior margins ( Fig. 148 ).

Aedeagus arched, variable in length (3.95–4.55 mm) and curvature, typical dorsal and apical evenly curved shape, acute aedeagal tip gently directed ventrally, dorsoapical short, ascending, aedeagal base rather steeply sloping. Inner sac in right lateral aspect with short, diagonal testaceous to dark-testaceous apical spine row, dark-testaceous anteromedian sclerite wide posteriorly, anterior ending in two elongate diagonal spines ( Figs. 149–150 , 153–154 ).

Variability. The specimen from Arunachal Pradesh stands out in having the longest aedeagus and the most parallel-sided elytra in this species. The specimens collected in western Myanmar (Chin State) lack the elongation of the elytral apex and the pronounced posterior converging lateral margins, as well as the elongated shape of the female labrum ( Figs. 151–152 ). Hence, the determination of specimens from this region is complicated without aedeagal examination ( Fig. 153–154 ). However, the intense metallic green lustre on the scape is only found in H. schuelei sp. nov. in Myanmar.

Distribution. Northeastern INDIA (Meghalaya (Khasi Hills), Nagaland (Kohima), Arunachal Pradesh (West Kameng)), western MYANMAR (Chin State (Mindat District)).

Remarks. The distribution of H. schuelei sp. nov. in northeastern India and western Myanmar corresponds to the distribution gap of H. pulchella between eastern Myanmar and Darjeeling.

Figures

FIGURES 156. Habitat and specimen of Heptodonta schuelei sp. nov., Myanmar, Chin State, Kanpetlet, vertical slopes like this road cut are typical habitats for various Heptodonta species. Photo: Michio Hori.

FIGURES 1–7. 1–2—anterior elytra: 1—Heptodonta melanopyga (Schaum, 1862), ♀, Philippines, Luzon, Banaue (PSCH); 2—H. mindoroensis Cassola, 2000, ♂, Philippines, Mindoro, Mt. Halcon (JWCW). 3–4—pronotum: 3—H. arrowi W. Horn, 1900, ♂, Myanmar, Magway Region, Pyon Village (SGCH); 4—Heptodonta horii sp. nov., ♂, holotype, Myanmar, Bago Re- gion, Chanthakwin (JWCW); 5–7—head: 5—Heptodonta tempesta sp. nov., ♂, holotype, India, Meghalaya, Balpakram NP (JWCW); 6—Heptodonta pulchella (Hope, 1831), ♂, Nepal, Bagmati, Sollenta-Dhading (JWCW); 7—Heptodonta schuelei sp. nov., ♂, holotype, India, Meghalaya, Cherrapunjee (JWCW). Scales: 1 mm.

FIGURES 144–150. Heptodonta schuelei sp. nov., India, Meghalaya, Cherrapunjee (JWCW):

FIGURES 151–154. Heptodonta schuelei sp. nov., Myanmar, Chin State, Kanpetlet (SGCH): 151, 153–154—♂, paratype: 151—habitus, 153—aedeagus in left lateral aspect, 154—aedeagus in right lateral aspect; 152—habitus, ♀, paratype. Scales: 151–152 = 1 mm, 153–154 = 0.5 mm.