Asiopsectra mirifica, Alexey V. Kovaleva & Alexander G. Kirejtshuk, 2016

Alexey V. Kovaleva & Alexander G. Kirejtshuk, 2016, siopsectra gen. n., a second genus of the family Brachypsectridae (Coleoptera, Elateroidea) from the Palaearctic Region, Insect Systematics & Evolution 47, pp. 195-208 : 202-204

Asiopsectra mirifica sp. n. ( Figs 8–15 , 17–19 )

Holotype, ♂ with labels “Кондара, 1100 м, д. Варзоза, Тадж., Гуссаковский, 26.VIII. 945” ( Tajikistan, valley of Varzoz (apparently Varzob) River, Kondara Gorge, Gussakovskij, 26.viii.1945) ( ZIN). The holotype is without left mesotibia and mesotarsus, right mesotarsomeres 2–5 and left posterior leg; also, its left antenna is broken with missing last two antennomeres and the right antenna is represented by only antennomeres 1 and 2.

Diagnosis

See the diagnosis of the previous species.

Description

Body length 6.65 mm, width 2.55 mm.

Head and pronotum dull, elytra feebly shiny; body colouration brownish black; antennae and femora dark brown, knees somewhat paler; tibiae brown at base, gradually becoming brownish yellow to apex, tarsi and mouthparts brownish yellow.

Dorsum with subuniform short, inconspicuous brownish hairs. Underside with fine and recumbent brownish hairs.

Head large, about as wide as distance between anterior angles of pronotum. Eyes large, hemispherical ( Fig. 12 ). Supra-antennal carinae strongly protruded, nearly contiguous from frontal view; convex above antennal insertions from dorsal view. Mandibular sinuses very large, saucer-like.

Pronotum distinctly transverse, about 1.8 times as wide as long along middle, trapezoidal, subrectilinearly narrowing to apex; posterior angles acute and narrowly rounded at tip, distance between them 2.15 times greater than that between anterior angles; disc moderately convex, with a weak median groove, a pair of large and distinctly impressed round paramedian fossae before middle, and a pair of smaller and less distinct paramedian impressions posteriolaterally of the former pair.

Elytra combined about twice as long as wide behind the middle and 3.87 times as long as pronotum; humeri well developed, prominent; sides somewhat constricted in anterior third and slightly arcuately widening behind and from middle narrowing to rounded apices forming a joint arc; sutural edges more or less straight; disc subflattened, with four clear and more or less rectilinear longitudinal costae (? odd-numbered interstriae) with a row of “window” punctures at each side of every costa; intervals between adcostal rows of “window” punctures with less regular double rows of “window” punctures. Elytral integument more or less rough due to deep irregular and partly confluent depressions bearing oval “window” punctures in bottom of depressions; convex interspaces between punctures finely rugose and slightly shiny (nearly dull). Last abdominal ventrite with large patch of very dense, dark excretory hairs along subtruncate apical edge ( Fig. 15 ).

Aedeagus as in Fig. 19 .

Etymology

The epithet of the new species in Latin means “wonderful” “amazing”.

Figures

Figs 8 – 15 Asiopsectra mirifica gen. et sp. n., holotype. (8) Body, dorsal view. (9) Outline of body. (10) Labial palp. (11) Maxillary palp. (12) Head, frontal view. (13) Head and thorax, ventral view. (14) Hindwing. (15) Abdominal apex, ventral view. Length of specimen 6.65 mm. Length of hindwing 5.4 mm. This figure is published in colour in the online edition of this journal, which can be accessed via http: // booksandjournals. brillonline. com / content / journals / 1876312 x.

Figs 16 – 22 Brachypsectridae, male genitalia and pregenital sclerites. (16) Asiopsectra luculenta gen. et sp. n., aedeagus. (17 – 19) Asiopsectra mirifica gen. et sp. n.: (17) sternite 8; (18) sternite 9 with tergite 9 (or 9 + 10); (19) aedeagus. (20 – 22) Brachypsectra fulva LeConte, 1874: (20) sternite 8; (21) sternite 9 with base of tergite 9; (22) tergites 9 and 10. Abbreviations: S 9, sternite 9; T 9, tergite 9; T 10, tergite 10. Scale bars: a, 0.5 mm for figs 16 – 19; b, 0.5 mm for figs 20 – 22.