Ptomaphaginus similipes, Schilthuizen & Perreau, 2008

Schilthuizen, Menno & Perreau, Michel, 2008, New species and new records of Ptomaphaginus Portevin from the Sunda region, Southeast Asia (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae), Zool. Med. Leiden 82 (19), pp. 189-210 : 193-194

Ptomaphaginus similipes spec. nov.

( figs 18-19 ; 27-28 ).

Type material.— Holotype ♂: Malaysia: Sabah: Crocker Range Park , 5º47.079’N 116º20.492’E, 31.x.2000, pitfall with carrion or dung, leg. M. Schilthuizen ( BOR) . Paratypes same collection data as holotype: 3 ♂♂, 7 specimens of undetermined sex ( BOR) ; Malaysia: Sabah: Crocker Range Park: Gunung Mas (30 km ESE of Kota Kinabalu), 1350 m alt., 31.vii.2000, pitfall with carrion or dung, leg. M. Schilthuizen: 2 specimens of unidentified sex ( BOR) ; Malaysia: Sabah: Sugud Forest Reserve , 15 km S of Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), 200 m alt., 16-20.ix.2001, pitfall with carrion, leg. M. Schilthuizen, 1 ♂, 4 individuals of unidentified sex ( BOR) ; Malaysia: Sabah: Mahua Waterfall (5˚47’52.3”N 116˚24’19.0”E), 1017 m alt., 2-5.vii.2001, pitfall with carrion or dung, leg. M. Schilthuizen, 1 ♂ ( BOR) ; Malaysia: Sabah: Mount Trus Madi (5˚34.152’N 116˚29.638’E), 1400 m alt., pitfall with lamb, 23-28.x.2001, leg. M. Schilthuizen, 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 7 specimens of unidentified sex in 70% ethanol ( BOR) .

Additional material (not included in the type series).— Type locality, 4 specimens of unidentified sex in 70% ethanol, 2 specimens of unidentified sex in 100% ethanol; Sugud, 7♂♂ in 100% ethanol; Kinabalu Park Headquarters, 5-8.vii.2003, in pitfall with pork, 1 ♂ (DNA isolate). (For full collection details, see Type material above.)

Diagnosis.— Habitus relatively slender, ovoid. Elytra on average 1.2 times as long as their combined width (length measured from the caudal tip of the scutellum to the elytral apices). Aedeagus ( figs 18-19 ) with two short apical lateral ‘wings’ and a short terminal processus. Male forelegs usually with long hairs on the ventral side of the profemur and protibia. Male protarsus completely undilated, of the same width as in the female ( figs 27-28 ).

Description.— Habitus relatively slender, ovoid. Moderately pigmented: mostly chestnut brown; only the legs, the elytral apices, the tips and the bases of the antennae lighter brown. Length 2.4-3.0 mm (n = 18). Antennae slender and relatively long, 1.1-1.2 times as long as the width of the head (n = 2). Articles 6, 9, and 10 slightly longer than wide. Male and female protarsi completely undilated ( figs 27-28 ): the protibia at its largest width (excluding the lateral spines) is 2.5 times broader than the first article of the protarsus (n = 1). In the male, the ventral side of profemur and protibia carry long hairs, some of which are as long as the tarsus. (In one paratype specimen from Mount Trus Madi, these hairs were absent.) Thorax 1.69-1.80 times as wide as long (n = 3), the caudal corners distinctly drawn out. The mesosternal carina is strongly developed, its edge somewhat thickened. Elytra of medium length, 1.19-1.23 times as long (measured from the caudal tip of the scutellum) as their combined width. Elytral apices distinctly truncate, identical in both sexes. The 3 rd- 5 th visible abdominal sternite in the male each have a broad and relatively distinct central notch and are depressed in the vicinity of these notches. Aedeagus ( figs 18-19 ) in dorsal view abruptly narrowing towards the apex, and there adorned with two short lateral ‘wings’. The tip is composed of a short, obtuse, triangular processus. In lateral view, the aedeagus is almost not curved, except for the apical quarter, which is bent ventrad under an obtuse angle. Male genital segment relatively broad, at the apex slightly triangular, 2.5 times as long as wide.

Distribution.— This species is distributed in the Crocker and Trus Madi mountain ranges of western Sabah, where it was found in lower montane forest, but also (Sugud) in lowland forest in the foot hills.

Remarks.— Based on aedeagal shape, P. similipes is closely related to P. caroli , from which it differs strongly in the habitus, which is very slender in P. caroli . It may also be related to P. coronatus from Palawan, which has a similar habitus. The undilated protarsi make females and males difficult to distinguish externally.

Etymology.— similipes , a Latin composite noun in apposition, meaning ‘identical feet’. The name refers to the fact that in this species males and females both have undilated tarsi. The name is based on a suggestion by Jan-Willem van Velzen, a visitor to an exhibition on Linnaean taxonomy in the National Museum of Natural History ‘Naturalis’, in which the naming of this new species was an exhibit feature.

Figures

Figs 16-25. 16, Ptomaphaginus anas spec. nov. holotype; aedeagus, dorsal view. 17, Ptomaphaginus anas spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, lateral view. 18, Ptomaphaginus similipes spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, dorsal view. 19, Ptomaphaginus similipes spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, lateral view. 20, Ptomaphaginus bryantioides spec. nov., paratype (from Kiansom); aedeagus, dorsal view. 21, Ptomaphaginus bryantioides spec. nov., paratype (from Kiansom); aedeagus, lateral view (basal part partly obscured by the genital segment). 22, Ptomaphaginus latimanus spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, ventral view. 23, Ptomaphaginus latimanus spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, lateral view. 24, Ptomaphaginus kinabaluensis spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, dorsal view. 25, Ptomaphaginus kinabaluensis spec. nov., holotype; aedeagus, lateral view.

Figs 26-30. 26, Ptomaphaginus caroli spec. nov., holotype; habitus, dorsal view. 27, Ptomaphaginus similipes spec. nov., female paratype (from Crocker Range); protarsus. 28, Ptomaphaginus similipes spec. nov., male paratype (from Trus Madi); protarsus. 29, Ptomaphaginus kinabaluensis spec. nov., female paratype (from Gunung Kinabalu); elytral apices. 30, Ptomaphaginus kinabaluensis spec. nov., holotype; elytral apices.