Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914

Jiang, Ri-Xin, Wang, Ji-Shen, Li, Bo-Yan, Lin, Ye-Jie, Liu, Ling & Wang, Shuo, 2019, Discovery of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles in China (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 59 (1), pp. 341-349 : 346

Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914

( Figs 31–37 , 41 )

Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914: 484 , pl. VI. Type locality: Kuraru, Ako District, Formosa [=Sheding (ḦLj), Hengchun Town (DZĦffi), Pingdong County (Ñḵǥ), Taiwan, China].

Material examined (33 exs). CHINA: GUANGDONG: 8 ♁♁ 9 ♀♀, labeled: ‘China: Guangdong Prov., Shenzhen City (ứNjṁ), Shenzhen Institute of Technology (ứNjHNJỸḣ), Light trap, H: 30 m, 2018.03.29, Xiao Ye-Di leg’ (4 ♁♁ 4 ♀♀ MHBU, 4 ♁♁ 5 ♀♀ QUST); 5 exs, labeled: ‘Guangdong, Shaoguan City (DZẊṁ), Shixing County (AEṈǥ), 2018. 08.29, Lu Rui-Hua leg., in fungus garden of Odontotermes sp.’ ( GUGC); 2 exs, labeled: ‘China: Guangdong Prov, Shenzhen City (ứNjṁ), Getian Village (Kϖ‼), 2019.05.15, Zhao-Yang Tang & Bao-Ping Huang leg., Light trap’ ( TZYC). GUANGXI: 1 ex., labeled: ‘China, Guangxi A.R., Shiwandashan National Forest Park, (forested river valley; at light), 21°54.4’N, 107°54.2’E, 290–360 m, 5.–9. iv.2013, M. Fikáček, J. Hájek & J. Růžička leg.’( NMPC). YUNNAN: 6 exs, labeled: ‘Yunnan, Chuxiong (IJẘ), Yong’ren (AEḺ), 2018.07.09, collect by attractant reagent’ ( YAOF). JIANGSU: 1 ex., labeled ‘China: Jiangsu, Zhenjiang City (ffiỮṁ), Jingkou District (ǙmLJ), Jiangsu University (ỮḢkỸ), H: 10 m, 2-X-2018, Quan-Yu Ji leg.’ ( JQYC). TAIWAN: 1 ex., labeled: ‘China: Taiwan, Pingdong County (Ñḵǥ), Wutai Township (ṞŌø), Wu tai (ṞŌ), H: 1000 m, 6-VI-2019, Wen I Chou leg., Light trap’ ( CWIC).

Supplementary description. Male. Habitus and aedeagus as shown in Figs 31‒35 .

Female. Similar to males, without obvious sexual dimorphism. Sternite VIII ( Fig. 36 ) semicircular, deeply split medially at posterior margin, with dense, long setae. Spiculum ( Fig. 36 ) tortuous in middle. Apex of ovipositor ( Fig. 37 ) with one long hair.

Measurements. BL 7.28–8.31 mm, HL 0.74–0.83, HW 0.98–1.07 mm, PL 1.54–1.81 mm, PW 1.55–1.85 mm, EL 5.00– 5.67 mm, EW 2.17–2.22 mm, Anl 2.84–2.89 mm.

Biology. Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914 lives in the nest of the termite Odontotermes sp. and was found in the fungus garden of Odontotermes sp. ( Fig. 41 ). The adults can also be caught by the light trap.

Distribution. China: Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian, Jiangsu and Taiwan ( Fig. 46 ).

Comments. Ziaelas formosanus was originally described from Taiwan and Mazu Island (Fujian Province), China, and is herein newly recorded from mainland China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Jiangsu Provinces). The extrenal morphology and genitalia of the above specimens correspond with those of Z. formosanus as illustrated by MATSUMOTO et al. (2016), and we hence consider the specimens from the mainland conspecific.

Figures

Figs 31–37. Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914 (31–35 – male, 36–37 – female). 31 – habitus, dorsal view; 32 – head and prothorax, dorsal view; 33 – antenna, lateral view; 34–35 – aedeagus, dorsal and lateral views, respectively; 36 – sternite VIII and spiculum, ventral view; 37 – ovipositor, ventral view. Scale bars: 2.0 mm in 31, 1.0 mm in 32–33; and 0.5 mm in 34–37.

Figs 38–42. Habitat of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles. 38–39 – fungus garden of Odontotermes sp., 30 – male of Nepaloplonyx yunnanensis sp. nov. on fungus garden; 41 – male of Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914 on fungus garden; 42 – female of Xenotermes sp. trapped at light.

Fig. 46 Distribution of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles known from China.