Pterostichus (Wraseiellus) hemichlorus, Chen & Yin & Shi, 2024

Chen, Jia-Heng, Yin, Wen-Qi & Shi, Hong-Liang, 2024, On the Pterostichus subgenus Wraseiellus from China: descriptions of five new species and supplementary notes on taxonomy (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 5447 (4), pp. 451-472 : 464-467

Pterostichus (Wraseiellus) hemichlorus sp. nov.

Chinese vernacular name: fiffiaeữfflm

Figures 7– 8 , 9E , 13B, 13E

Type materials. Holotype: male, body length = 12.8 mm, ( IZAS), “ Xizang pref. Gyirong county, Gyirong town, Margar village , mixed forest N28.4384 E85.2531. 2934m ” // “ pitfall trap, 2019.VII.12. Shi HL, Yan WF & Zhu PZ lgt. Exp BJFU 2019” // “HOLOTYPE Pterostichus (Wraseiellus) hemichlorus sp. nov., det. Chen & Shi. 2024” [red label] ; Paratypes: 8 males and 11 females ( IZAS, CBFU), the same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. Frontal furrows shallow and short, exceeding level of anterior margin of eyes; vertex impunctate; temporae short (TL/EYL 0.25–0.31). Maximum width of pronotum before middle; posterior margin narrower than anterior margin; lateral margins nearly straight before posterior angles; posterior angles obtuse, without denticle; mid-basal area between basal foveae impunctate; basal foveae shallow, outer grooves obsolete. Elytra heterochromatic in different sexes: with distinct turquoise green metallic luster in males, entirely black with matt surface in females. Median lobe of aedeagus short, apical lamella evenly thin, apex not turned dorsally; ventral surface of median lobe slightly wrinkled longitudinally near middle ( Fig. 8A ); right paramere strongly elongated and bent, apical portion falcate ( Fig. 8C ).

Comparisons. This new species is different from all other species of this subgenus in: (1) males with distinct green metallic luster on elytra; (2) outer basal fovea groove almost completely absent; (3) right paramere very strongly elongated and bent.

Despite the particular characteristics mentioned above, P. hemichlorus sp. n. is inferred to be closest to P. kambaiti for the similarities in: (1) proepisterna and metaepisterna impunctate; (2) area between outer basal foveal groove and lateral margin of pronotum hardly convex; (3) lateral margin of pronotum not sinuate before posterior angle. But the new species can be readily distinguished from the latter species by: (1) tarsomere 5 setose beneath (versus glabrous in P. kambaiti ); (2) in lateral view, apical lamella of aedeagus not bent dorsally (versus apical lamella gradually bent to the dorsal side in P. kambaiti ); (3) in dorsal view, apical lamella much shorter and wider, AL/AW 1.05–1.10 (versus AL/AW approximately 1.5 in P. kambaiti ).

Description. BL 12.6–13.5 mm; head and pronotum black, elytra heterochromatic in different sexes: entirely black with matt surface in females, with distinct turquoise green metallic luster in males ( Fig. 7 ). Head. Frons impunctate, frontal furrows shallow and short, exceeding level of anterior margin of eyes, apex of frontal furrows Vshaped, furcating backward, sometimes jointed to additional wrinkles on vertex; vertex impunctate; temporae short (TL/EYL 0.25–0.31), not swollen behind eyes; paraocular grooves deep, impunctate and nearly straight, reaching posterior margin of eyes; antennomere 3 without accessory setae. Pronotum sub-circular (PW/PL 1.33–1.37); anterior margin almost straight, posterior margin shallowly emarginate at middle, lateral margins evenly curved from anterior angles to posterior third, nearly straight before posterior angles; anterior margin slightly wider than posterior margin; anterior angles obtusely rounded, not projected; posterior angles obtuse-rounded, apex indistinct, not forming denticle; discal area with weak transverse wrinkles; basal foveae shallow and wide, areal punctate, outer grooves vestigial, area between inner and outer basal foveal grooves weakly rugose and depressed, mid-basal area between two basal foveae sparsely and finely punctate; one mid-lateral seta and one basal-lateral seta present on each side. Elytra oblong (EL/EW 1.43–1.49), lateral margins subparallel in males, more expanded behind middle in females; humerus narrow, humeral teeth indistinct; intervals shallowly convex; striae shallow, without puncture; parascutellar stria joined to striae 1, angular base of stria 1 absent or vestigial; umbilicate series on interval 9 composed of approximately 15–17 pores, sparse in middle and dense in anterior and posterior areas; males with shallow isodiametric microsculpture on elytra, females with very strong and granular microsculpture giving matt surface. Ventral side. Proepisterna and metaepisterna impunctate, smooth or with faint wrinkles; sternite VII of males without sexual structure. Legs. Tarsomere 5 with two to four pairs of setae beneath. Male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ). Median lobe of aedeagus relatively stout; in lateral view, ventral margin slightly sinuate in middle, strongly curved ventrally at apical third, apical orifice large, slightly turned to the left side, apical lamella evenly thin, apex not thickened or turned dorsally; in dorsal view, apical lamella rounded-triangular (AL/AW 1.05–1.10), gradually narrowed to apex, apex rounded, distinctly bent to left; ventral margin of median lobe finely wrinkled longitudinally near middle, ventral surface of apical lamella simple. Right paramere strongly elongate and bent, apical portion falcate, apex slightly widened and rounded. Endophallus ( Fig. 8D, E ) bent to ventral side across left side of aedeagus, major parts of endophallus located on ventral side of aedeagus (in lateral view); gonopore (gp) opened to ventral-basal direction of aedeagus; surface with coarse scales near gonopore, without coarse setae; pre-apical lobe (pa) digitiform, apical surface scaled, invisible in right lateral view. Female genitalia ( Figs 13B, E ). Spermatheca with seminal canal about ten times long as receptaculum; seminal canal inserted at base of common oviduct; base of seminal canal sclerotized. Gonocoxite 2 very short, with two or three ensiform setae at outer margin, without ensiform setae at inner margin.

Etymology. The scientific name of the new species derived from a Greek root “ hemi -” meaning half, and “ chlor- ” meaning green, referring that only males of the new species have green metallic luster on elytra.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality in Gyirong (Jilong) county, Xigaze (Rikaze) City in Xizang Autonomous Region.

Habitat. All specimens of the new species were collected by pitfall traps in a mixed forest on the roadside in Gyirong county, at an elevation of approximately 3000 m, with Quercus spp. (5–8 m tall) the main canopy.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Habitus of Pterostichus hemichlorus sp. nov. (A) holotype; (B) Paratype, female. Scale bar = 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 8. Male genitalia of Pterostichus hemichlorus sp. nov., holotype. (A) median lobe of aedeagus, left lateral view; (B) median lobe of aedeagus, dorsal view; (C) right paramere; (D) endophallus, right lateral view; (E) endophallus, left lateral view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm. Abbreviations: pa pre-apical lobe; gp gonopore.

FIGURE 9. Pronotum posterior angle and basal area of Pterostichus (Wraseiellus) spp. (A) P. pseudandrewesi sp. nov.; (B) P. leishanensis sp. nov.; (C) P. strumatus sp. nov.; (D) P. idiopterus sp. nov.; (E) P. hemichlorus sp. nov..

FIGURE 13. Female genitalia of Pterostichus (Wraseiellus) spp. (A–B) female internal reproductive tracts; (C–E) gonocoxites of ovipositor, ventral view (left) and dorsal view (right, gonocoxite 2 only). (A, D) P. idiopterus sp. nov.; (B, E.) P. hemichlorus sp. nov.; (C) P. leishanensis sp. nov. Scale bars = 1.0 mm for A–B; = 0.5 mm for C–E. Abbreviations: bc bursa copulatrix; co common oviduct; sc seminal canal; rc receptaculum; g1 gonocoxite 1; g2 gonocoxite 2; es ensiform setae; ns nematiform setae.