Termitodiellus hainanensis, Jiang & Wang, 2020

Jiang, Ri-Xin & Wang, Shuo, 2020, Discovery of the genus Termitodiellus Nakane, 1961 in China, with description of Termitodiellus hainanensis Jiang & Wang, new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Zootaxa 4743 (2), pp. 289-294 : 289-292

Termitodiellus hainanensis sp. nov. Jiang & Wang, new species ( Figs. 1–3A, C )

Type material (2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀). Holotype, ♂, labeled “ China: Hainan, Ledong County (mṛu), Jianfengling National Forest Park (ṪṞKOiẎŵẇẌẘ), Mingfenggu ( Ḃṃỡ ), 18°44′43″N, 108°50′20″E, H: 956–1048m, 20–21.IV.2018, in rotten wood, Jiang Ri-Xin leg.” ( QUST) . Paratypes, 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, same data as for the holotype (1 ♂, 1 ♀ in MYNU; 1 ♀ in QUST) .

Description of holotype, male ( Figs. 1A, B ; 2 A–C, E–H; 3A, C). Small, dark brown, dorsal surface obviously carinated.

Head traverse, about twice as wide as long, widest near middle. Dorsal surface crude, sparsely punctuated, most punctures with minute setae. Paramedian costae and discolateral costae longitudinal and interrupted, submarginal costae long and uninterrupted. Compound eyes not visible from above, anterior margin obviously sinuated on each side. Antenna of nine antennomeres, club trimerous. Antennomere I elongated and expanded, about twice as long as II; antennomere II expanded and short; antennomere III–VI similar, much short and traverse; antennomere VII–IX strongly expanded, antennomere VI and VIII traverse and near trapezoidal, antennomere IX with round apex. Frontodiscal costae long and interrupted, frontolateral costae short.

Pronotum ( Fig. 3A ) wider than long, with six longitudinal costae, all costae interrupted by transverse depression across middle area. Anterior part of costae shorter than posterior part, strongly elevated. All costae with small punctures at both sides, the area between the inner two costae with strong and big punctures. All punctures on pronotum with minute setae. Lateral margin with three lobes, anterior lobe big and strong, intermediate lobe bisected to two small lobes, and located at middle of pronotum, all lobes with round apex.

Elytra ( Fig. 3C ) widest at basal 1/3, gradually attenuated apically. Each elytron with three strongly elevated, narrow longitudinal costae, all three costae with double row of fine setae along summit, postdiscal bulbs strong and rounded, apex covered with long setae. Each posterior portion of humeral and marginal costae with single row of setae. Area between costae with two rows of big punctures. Caudal bulb with three protrusions, internal and external protrusion small, median protrusion much bigger, all protrusions covered with short setae.

All legs sturdy. Profemora ( Fig. 2B ) strongly expanded, widest near basal 1/3, ventral surface with a tuft of long setae at about basal 1/3. Apex of protibiae ( Fig. 2B ) with three small teeth, the lateral one larger than other two. Mesofemora and mesotibia ( Fig. 2C ) expanded, apex of mesotibia with a large projection and a small tooth. Metafemora ( Fig. 2E ) slender than mesofemora, metatibia expanded and with a small tooth at apex. Surface of mesotibia, metatibia and apex of mesofemora and metafemora covered with small punctuations and triangular short setae.

Scutellum weakly visible.

Aedeagus ( Figs 2 F–H), slender and simple, finely curved at lateral view, parameres is shorter than phallobase.

Measurements: BL: 3.62–3.64 mm; HL: 0.46–0.47 mm, HW: 1.06–1.08 mm; PL: 0.86–0.87 mm, PW: 1.40–1.41 mm; EL: 2.29–2.31 mm, EW: 1.37–1.39 mm; AL: 0.75 mm.

Female ( Fig. 2D ): similar to the male, the projection of apex of mesotibia much weaker than that of male. Measurements: BL: 3.61–3.63 mm; HL: 0.47–0.51 mm, HW: 1.07–1.08 mm; PL: 0.77–0.86 mm, PW: 0.84–0.86 mm; EL: 2.26–2.30 mm, EW: 1.36–1.38 mm.

Differential diagnosis. Termitodiellus hainanensis new species can be readily distinguished to other Termitodiellus species by the intermediate lobe bisected to two similar small lobes. However, the new species highly resembles Termitodiellus besucheti ( Paulian, 1983) ( Figs. 3B, D ) in general appearance, but the latter species with a strong posterior lobe on pronotum, and also different in the form of protrusions on elytra apex.

Distribution. China: Hainan.

Biology. All adults were collected from rotten wood ( Figs 4 A–C), and living in the internal gap which may caused by termites, ants or larvae of other beetles, but no termites or ants living in the same rotten wood.

Etymology. The new species is named after its type locality: Hainan Province, China.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Termitodiellus hainanensis Jiang & Wang, new species, holotype, male. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Diagnostic features of Termitodiellus hainanensis Jiang & Wang, new species. A, habitus, lateral view; B, profemur and protibia, male; C, mesofemur and mesotibia male; D, mesofemur and mesotibia, female; E, metafemur and metatibia, male; F, aedeagus, ventral view; G, aedeagus, lateral view; H, aedeagus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Termitodiellus hainanensis Jiang & Wang, new species, holotype (A, C) and Termitodiellus besucheti (Paulian, 1983) (B, D). A, B, pronotum, dorsal view; C, D, apex of elytra. Figs. B, D, were taken by Mr. Showtaro Kakizoe, specimen from Malaysia: Selangor, deposited in Showtaro Kakizoe private collection (Fukuoka, Japan).

FIGURE 4. Habitat of Termitodiellus hainanensis Jiang & Wang, new species. A, type locality: Jianfengling National Forest Park (Hainan, China); B, the environment of the forest; C, microbiotop of the type locality (rotten wood in the forest).