Aristochroa nozari

Azadbakhsh, Saeed, 2017, A new species of the genus Aristochroa Tschitscherine, 1898 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Pterostichini) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 4286 (1), pp. 121-124 : 121-123

Aristochroa nozari sp. n ( Figs. 1, 2 )

Material examined. Holotype: Male, China, Yunnan, Deqen region , Hengduan Shan Mts. , Near DokerLa 7.VII.2016, 3800 m ( ZMUT) . Paratypes: 2 males, same locality as that of the holotype (SAc).

Diagnosis. BL 11.2–12 mm (holotype 11.2 mm), BW 4.4–4.9 (holotype 4.4 mm), PW 3.5–3.75 mm (holotype 3.5 mm), PL 2.54–2.7 mm (holotype 2.54 mm), EL 6.74–7.1 mm (holotype 6.74 mm).

Head and pronotum shiny green (holotype) to bronze (paratypes), antenna, labrum, mandibles, palpi, legs and ventral surface black. Head stout, smooth, smaller than pronotum, frontal furrows deep and distinct, divergent. Eyes moderately large and convex. Antennae extended slightly posterior to the base of pronotum, pubescent from antennomere IV. Terminal labial palpomere slightly dilated toward apex, apex truncate. Ligula quadrisetose at apex. Pronotum smooth, transverse, rather constricted, sides sinuate toward base, straight to basal angles, with shallow indentations, widest before the middle, apical angles round, moderately projected anteriorly, hind angles rectangular, basal foveae smooth, impunctate, more or less parallel to each other, external one just little shorter than internal one. Lateral bead narrow with three setae anterior to before the middle, and one in hind angles. Disk smooth, sparsely and transversely rugose, microsculpture absent. Medial longitudinal impression shallow, ending near apical and basal margins. Proepisternum and metepisternum impunctate.

Elytra shiny green, intervals 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8 with bronze tinge of variable intensity, elongate and ovate, widest after middle. Intervals 1, 3, 5 and 7 slightly convex. Interval 3 with three dorsal setiferous punctures, clearly wider than interval 4, the first setiferous puncture on apical half, the second and third after middle, apical pore adjoining stria 3, middle ones adjoining stria 2; stria 7 with one setiferous pore near apex. Scutellar punctures absent and parascutellar stria short. Humerus well marked, rounded, slightly tuberculate. Microsculpture almost distinct on all intervals. Elytron epipleuron gradually and narrowly tapered to merge with lateral margin. Umbilicate series composed of 20–21 pores.

Male genitalia as indicated in figure 6 and 7. The median lobe is rather long, expanded at apex, the apical lamella is short, asymmetric, inclined to left, apex rather rounded.

Differential diagnosis. Liang and Yu (2002), provided a key to species of Aristochroa , but since that year new species have been described from China ( Tian 2004; Kavanaugh and Liang, 2003, 2006). Using the key of Liang and Yu (2002), specimens of Aristochroa nozari sp. n, run to couplet 13, along with specimens of A. gratiosa Tschitscherine, 1898 ( Fig. 3 ), and A. militaris Sciaky et Wrase, 1997 , but it can be distinguished from the last two taxa according to shape and structure of pronotum, elytral setiferous punctures, structure of aedeagus and geographic distribution. The key could be amended to:

13 (12’) Sichuan; Body shorter (length 11–12.3 mm); Pronotum with three to five lateral setae anterior to the middle; Third Elytral interval with 3 (seldom one or two of them obliterated) setiferous punctures ...................................................................... 14 13’ Shaanxi; Body longer (length 13.7–14.1 mm); pronotum with three lateral setae anterior to the middle; Third Elytral interval with 1 setiferous puncture .................................................................................................. A. militaris Sciaky et Wrase, 1997 14 (13) Lateral margin of pronotum sinuate well before posterior angle, lateral bead almost smooth or with gentle crenulation; Apical lamella short, asymmetric, inclined to the left, and rather rounded at apex ( Figs. 6, 7 ) .............................. A. nozari sp. n. 14’ Lateral margin of pronotum not sinuated (or almost so) before posterior angle, lateral bead strongly crenulate especially at basal part; Apical lamella symmetric and comparatively pointed at apex ( Figs. 8, 9 ) .......... A. gratiosa Tschitscherine, 1898 The new species also is similar to A. sciakyi Zamotajlov & Fedorenko, 2000 from Sichuan, based on the shape of pronotum, but differs from it on the structure of elytra and aedeagus. Comparisons of Aristochroa nozari sp. n, with species described from Yunnan by Tian (2004) and Kavanaugh and Liang (2003; 2006) shows that Aristochroa nozari sp. n., is different from A. abrupta Kavanaugh and Liang, 2003 , A. lanpingensis Tian, 2004 , A. mosuo Tian, 2004 , A. yuae Kavanaugh and Liang, 2006 , A. exochopleurae Kavanaugh and Liang, 2006 , A. splendida Kavanaugh and Liang, 2006 in the shape and structure of pronotum, elytra and aedeagus, as follows:

Pronotum. Lateral margin is sinuate well before posterior angle in A. nozari sp. n., and sides are more or less parallel close to it, while in A. gratiosa and A. militaris the pronotum is not sinuate (or almost so) before posterior angle, and sides margins are not parallel. Lateral bead of pronotum is strongly crenulate in A. gratiosa especially at basal part, while in new species it is almost smooth or with gentle crenulation. In A. nozari sp. n., the lateral bead of pronotum shows three setae in the anterior half, while A. gratiosa shows three to five setae and the last one is in the middle ( Figs 4, 5 ), and A. sciakyi shows only two setae. In addition, A. nozari sp. n., shows an external basal fovea slightly shorter than the internal one, while in A. sciakyi the external fovea is usually twice shorter than the internal one.

Elytra. In A. nozari sp. n., the elytra have three setiferous punctures on third interval, and interval 7 has just one subapical pore, while A. gratiosa has three setiferous punctures on third interval but sometimes 1, 2 or all are obliterated, A. militaris has just one setiferous puncture on third interval and A. sciakyi has two setiferous punctures on third interval (rarely three setiferous punctures) and interval 7 has two subapical pores. Given the variability of elytron punctures in Aristochroa it is necessary to check this character in a large series of specimens to evaluate its taxonomical importance.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 6, 7 ). In the new species, the apical lamella is short, asymmetric, inclined to the left, and rather rounded at apex, while in A. gratiosa is symmetric and comparatively pointed at apex ( Figs. 8, 9 ). The median lobe in A. nozari sp. n is longer and straight and the apical lamella is less inclined to the left, while in A. sciakyi is short and bent downward at apex; the apical lamella is strongly inclined to the left. In A. abrupta , A. lanpingensis , A. mosuo , A. yuae , A. exochopleurae , A. splendida the median lobe of the aedeagus is curved down at apex but not in A. nozari sp. n.

Etymology. The specific epithet nozari is given in honour of Dr. Jamasb Nozari the chief of Zoology Museum of Tehran University (Karaj).

Distribution. The species is only known from type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Dorsal habitus: 1. Aristochroa nozari sp. n (holotype); 2. Aristochroa nozari sp. n (paratype); 3. Aristochroa gratiosa Tschitscherine, 1898 (locality: same as in Aristochroa nozari sp. n).

FIGURES 6 – 9. Aedeagus structure: 6. Aristochroa nozari sp. n (lateral view); 7. Aristochroa nozari sp. n (dorsal view); 8. Aristochroa gratiosa Tschitscherine, 1898 (lateral view); 9. Aristochroa gratiosa Tschitscherine, 1898 (dorsal view).

FIGURES 4 – 5. Pronotum structure: 4. Aristochroa nozari sp. n; 5. Aristochroa gratiosa Tschitscherine, 1898.