Metahelotella semifulva ( Ritsema, 1881 )

Huang, Yu-Zhou & Gu, Tian-Xuan, 2025, Taxonomic notes on the little-known genus Metahelotella Kirejtshuk (Coleoptera, Cucujoidea, Helotidae) from southwestern China, with description of a new species and two new records, ZooKeys 1258, pp. 189-198 : 189-198

Metahelotella semifulva ( Ritsema, 1881)

Figs 3 A – C , 4 A, B

Helota semifulva Ritsema, 1881: 80 ( type locality: Indonesia, Java); Wegrzynowicz 2000: 403.

Metahelotella semifulva : Kirejtshuk 2000: 30; Lee 2009 b: 786.

Helota fulvitarsis Ritsema, 1889: 107; Wegrzynowicz 2000: 397; synonymized by Lee 2009 b: 786.

Metahelotella fulvitarsis : Kirejtshuk 2000: 30.

Helota difficilis Ritsema, 1891: 896; Wegrzynowicz 2000: 396; synonymized by Lee 2009 b: 786.

Metahelotella difficilis : Kirejtshuk 2000: 30.

Material examined.

China • 1 ♀; Guangxi, Chongzuo City, Longzhou County, Binqiao Village , 22.2810 ° N, 106.7215 ° E; 2025. V. 2; local collector leg.; CYZH . • 1 ♂; Yunnan, Dehong Prefecture, Yingjiang County, Mangyun Village ; 2025. V; Gui-Chang Liu leg.; CYZH . • 1 ♂; Xizang, Linzhi City , Medog County; 29.26578 ° N, 95.15769 ° E; alt. 1423.92 m; 2024. VII. 4; Hong-Bin Liang leg.; IZCAS . India • 1 ♂; Pedong ; 1934; collector unknown; CYZH .

Diagnosis.

Body (Fig. 3 A – C ) flat, surfaces shiny, sides nearly parallel. Head metallic green; pronotum and basal three-fifths of elytra yellowish brown, remaining dorsal surface greenish blue; apices of femora and bases of tibiae greenish bronze. Protibiae curved in male, inner side notched. Pronotum trapezoidal, with weak crenulations on lateral margins; elytra oblong, widest at basal one-third.

Distribution.

China (new country record): Guangxi, Xizang, Yunnan (Fig. 5 ); India; Indonesia; Laos; Myanmar; Thailand.

Remarks.

This species widely occurs in the Oriental region and is reported from China for the first time. In addition, we received an observation record of M. semifulva ( Ritsema, 1881) from Nonggang Natural Reserve, Guangxi, China (Fig. 4 A, B ).

Figures

Figure 3. Habitus of Metahelotella spp. A. M. semifulva from Guangxi, ♀, dorsal view; B. Ditto, ventral view; C. M. semifulva from Yunnan, ♂, dorsal view; D. M. immaculata from Yunnan, ♂, dorsal view; E. Ditto, ventral view. Scale bars: 2 mm.

Figure 4. Observation record of Metahelotella semifulva (Ritsema, 1881), ♀ A, B. Habitus (Guangxi, Chongzuo, Nonggang Natural Reserve; 2025. III. 27; photographed by Yong-Wang Miao).

Figure 5. Distribution map of Metahelotella spp. in Indochina and southwestern China.