Capreolucanus yanxui Qi & Zhou, 2024

Qi, Zhi-Hao, Zhou, Zheng, Su, Rong-Xiang, Duan, Lei, Zhang, Yi-Feng & Song, Hai-Tian, 2024, Capreolucanus yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species, the third species of the genus from Yunnan (China) based on morphological and molecular characters (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae), Zootaxa 5433 (3), pp. 301-320 : 303-313

Capreolucanus yanxui Qi & Zhou , new species

(Chinese common name: NJĸDzẅ)

Figs. 1A–C ; 2A–B ; 3A–C, 3G–I, 3M–O ; 4A–L ; 5A–C; 6A–I, 6S; 7A–C; 8A–B, 8G–H, 8M–N; 9A–J ; 10A–F; 11A–C; 12A–B

Capreolucanus sicardi Didier, 1928 : Huang & Chen 2017: 232, 1-1–1-3 (characters; distribution; illustrations) [misidentification, population from Daweishan].

Type locality. China, Yunnan Province, Pingbian County, Daweishan National Nature Reserve.

Type material. Holotype: ♂ ( IZAS: IOZ(E)211507), CHINA, Yunnan Province, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture , Pingbian County [Ƌú县], Daweishan National Nature Reserve [大围Ɯ国ẋãnṁ保 ae区], Shuiweicheng [AE围*], alt. 2000 m, 23–24. IV.2022, Xu Yan leg. (the third instar larva was collected from the rotting wood and brought back to indoor breeding, the adult in June after passing the eclosion and finished torpid period in August of the same year) . Paratypes: 2♂♂ ( CXY) , 2♀♀ (1♀ IZAS: IOZ(E)211508, 1♀ CXY), same data as holotype ; 1♂ ( CZHZ), same data as holotype but IV.2019 ; 1♂, 1♀ ( CXY), same data as holotype but II.2017 ; 1♂ ( CBW), same data as holotype but Daweishan National Nature Reserve [大围Ɯ国ẋãnṁ保ae区], alt. 2050 m, 17.VII.2023, Bin Wang leg. (adult, by light trap).

Description of the holotype. ♂ ( Fig. 1A–C ), body length 18.6 mm. Length of particular body parts: head (2.2 mm), mandible (3.7 mm), pronotum (3.2 mm), elytra (9.8 mm); width: head (5.2 mm), pronotum (5.8 mm), elytra (6.2 mm).

Habitus ( Fig. 1A–C ). Color black to brown, with slightly glossy; whole body densely tiny punctuated and generally glabrous without visible pubescence.

Head ( Fig. 2A ) wider than long, widest at eyes. Anterior margin with a wide deep concave at middle and with a pair of very large anterolateral angles on laterals, triangular, apex sharp, strongly protrudent and pointing to the anterolateral direction. Frontal carina slightly rise behind anterior margin, lateral carinae clearly defined at inside of the eyes. Clypeolabrum ( Fig. 3G ) trapezoidal, 1.3 times wider than long, dorsal surface covered with some setae apically. Mandible about 1.7 times as long as head, weakly incurved in apical part and moderately upcurved in middle part; inner margin with 6–8 continuous small teeth from behind the apex to the basal third, basal tooth well marked, with apex bifurcate slightly and horizontally, not connected to prebasal inner tooth, with a clear gap between the two; dorsal tooth well-developed, behind the apex and pointing dorsally; dorsal surface of mandible with a large and deep rounded depression behind basal tooth (red circle in Fig. 2A ); ventral surface of base with larger and denser punctations than other areas of mandible, and almost each puncture with a short yellow seta at middle. Eyes prominent. Canthus ( Fig. 3A ) dividing about 1/5 of the eye. Antennal club with 3 antennomeres; antennomere VI slightly extended inwards; antennomere VII strongly extended inwards; antennomeres VIII–X lamellate. Mentum ( Fig. 3M ) transverse and punctate, 1.8 times wider than long, anterior margin distinctly bisinuate, with a membranous marginal area along lateral and frontal margins.

Pronotum transverse, 1.8 times wider than long, widest at basal third. Anterior margin slightly protruding to the front at midline, anterior angles feebly acute and directed forwards. Lateral margins slightly curved, lateral angles weakly produced and acute. Posterior margin moderately bisinuate, posterior angles obtuse. Lateral margins brown from the anterior angle to the basal third of lateral margin.

Scutellum subtriangular, punctate, 1.3 times wider than long.

Legs. Protibia with 10–11 continuous small teeth along outer margin, apex bifurcate with sharp branches at tip, one ventral spine near apex and one spur at apex. Outer margin of mesotibia without lateral spines, one obvious terminal spine and two spurs at apex. Metatibia without lateral and terminal spines, two spurs at apex.

Elytra elongate, 1.5 times longer than wide, anterior margin of elytra wider than posterior margin of pronotum, with two small and rounded humeral angles protruding to the outward.

Abdomen and aedeagus. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite VII truncate. Abdominal tergite VIII ( Fig. 4A ) semicircular, lateral corners absent; abdominal ventrite VIII ( Fig. 4B ) with a small transverse indistinct membranous area in the middle of base, apical margin membranous near the middle. Ventral plate of the abdominal segment IX ( Fig. 4C ) with a transverse short membranous area along apical margin, stalk of sternite slightly widened near base. Aedeagus in ventral view about 2.7 times longer than wide. Basal piece obviously constricted in basal part, about 1.5 times as long as parameres, with a pair of sclerotized dorsal plates ( Fig. 6B ); ventral plate ( Fig. 6A ) at apical end of basal piece membranous; a Y-shaped sclerotized area present behind membranous apex. Paramere without basal process ( Fig. 6B ), subtriangular in lateral view ( Fig. 6C ). Penis ( Fig. 6A ) wide and incurved at apex, distinctly shorter than parameres. Flagellum ( Fig. 5A ) long, about 24.0 times as long as parameres and 9.8 times as long as aedeagus, with simple apex not enlarged ( Fig. 6S ).

Male paratypes. Body length 14.2–19.0 mm (n=5).

Variation (n=2). In medium ( Fig. 11A ) and small ( Fig. 11B ) sized males, anterolateral angles of head smaller. Frontal carina and lateral carinae almost absent. The number of inner teeth in mandible 8–11, basal tooth smaller or weak marked, and connected to other inner teeth; dorsal tooth smaller, dorsal surface behind basal tooth of mandible with rounded depression smaller and shallower than the holotype (red circle in Fig. 2B ). Anterior margin of mentum with varying sizes notch at middle. Outer margin of protibia with 8–13 small teeth. Variation of abdominal segment VIII and abdominal segment IX see Fig. 4A–L . Variation of male genitalia see Figs. 5A–C ; 6A–I .

Female paratypes. Body length 17.6–20.0 mm (n=3).

Habitus ( Figs. 7A–C ; 11C ). Color black to brown, matt; whole body densely tiny punctuated and generally glabrous without visible pubescence.

Head wider than long, widest at eyes. Anterior margin with a pair of distinct rounded anterolateral angles. Frontal and lateral carinae almost absent. Clypeolabrum ( Fig. 8G–H ) trapezoidal, 1.1–1.4 times wider than long, apical margin rounded and with dense long setae. Mandible subtriangular, about 1.2–1.3 times as long as head, weakly incurved in apical part and slightly outcurved in middle part, apex sharp; inner margin almost smooth only with an indistinct rounded basal tooth; the ventral surface of base with larger and denser punctations than other areas of mandible, and almost each puncture with a short yellow seta at middle. Eyes prominent. Canthus ( Fig. 8A–B ) wide, dividing 1/4–2/7 of the eye. Antennal club with three antennomeres; antennomere VI moderately extended inwards; antennomere VII strongly extended inwards; antennomeres VIII–X lamellate. Mentum ( Fig. 8M–N ) transverse and punctate, 1.5–1.6 times wider than long, anterior margin with a small concavity at middle, and with a membranous marginal area along lateral and frontal margins.

Pronotum transverse, 1.8–1.9 times wider than long, widest at basal third. Anterior margin slightly protruding to the front at midline, anterior angles rounded and directed forwards. Lateral margins slightly curved, lateral angles weakly produced and obtuse. Posterior margin slightly bisinuate, posterior angles obtuse. Lateral margins brown from the anterior angle to the basal third of lateral margin.

Scutellum subtriangular, punctate, 1.4–1.5 times wider than long.

Legs. Protibia with 8–10 small teeth along outer margin, apex not bifurcate, with a single long and sharp spine at tip, one ventral spine near apex and one spur at apex. Outer margin of mesotibia without lateral spines, one obvious terminal spine and two spurs at apex. Metatibia without lateral and terminal spines, two spurs at apex.

Elytra elongate, 1.5–1.6 times longer than wide, anterior margin of elytra wider than posterior margin of pronotum, with two very small and rounded humeral angles protruding to the outward.

Abdomen and female genitalia. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite VII truncate. Abdominal tergite VIII ( Fig. 9A, F ) semicircular, lateral corners absent; abdominal ventrite VIII ( Fig. 9B, G ) with a longitudinal distinct membranous stripe from basal margin to apical margin along the midline, apical margin membranous near the middle. Hemisternite ( Fig. 9D, I ) moderately incurved at half the length and slightly outcurved apically, with inner lateral margin of sclerotized part short, apex rounded. Spermatheca ( Fig. 9E, J ) teardrop-shaped, not sclerotized. Spermathecal duct ( Fig. 9C, H ) long, 5.2–6.7 times as long as hemisternite. Spermathecal gland ( Fig. 9E, J ) oval, significantly smaller than spermatheca, insertion point at basal third of spermatheca.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is most closely to Capreolucanus sicardi , but the following set of characters will help to recognize this new species precisely from C. sicardi : 1) head of males with large triangular anterolateral angles ( Fig. 2A–B ), instead of rounded anterolateral angles ( Fig. 2C–D ); 2) males when dorsal tooth present, mandible only with one dorsal tooth behind the apex ( Fig. 2A–B ), rather than with two dorsal teeth, smaller one subapical and larger one near dorsal base ( Fig. 2C ); 3) dorsal surface of clypeolabrum in males covered with some setae apically ( Fig. 3G–I ), rather than dorsal surface not covered with setae apically ( Fig. 3J–L ); 4) canthus of both sexes more developed usually dividing about 1/5 of the eye in males ( Fig. 3A–C ) and 1/ 4 in females ( Fig. 8A–B ), rather than less developed usually dividing about 1/8 of the eye in males ( Fig. 3D–F ) and 1/ 6 in females ( Fig. 8C–F ); 5) mentum of males with anterior margin distinct notched ( Fig. 3M–O ), rather than not notched ( Fig. 3P–R ); mentum of females subtrapezoidal ( Fig. 8M–N ), rather than with rounded apex ( Fig. 8O–R ); 6) flagellum usually about 10.0 times as long as aedeagus ( Fig. 5A–C ), rather than usually about 6.0 times as long as aedeagus ( Fig. 5D–F ); 7) outer margin of hemisternite sclerotized at middle, base of the outer margin not thickening and extension obviously ( Fig. 9D, I ), rather than outer margin of hemisternite membranous at middle, base of the outer margin thickening of sclerotization and extension backward obviously ( Fig. 9N, S ); 8) spermathecal duct usually 5.0–7.0 times as long as hemisternite ( Fig. 9C, H ), rather than usually no more than 5.0 times as long as the hemisternite ( Fig. 9M, R ).

Etymology. The new species is named after Mr. Xu Yan (NJẽ) (Yunnan, China), who collected and provided most of the type specimens for our research.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Biological notes. Different life stages of the new species were showed in Fig. 10 . The larval stage is about 20 months, phototaxis of the adult weak (recorded by Xu Yan). The natural habitat in the mountains of Daweishan National Nature Reserve, Pingbian County, Yunnan is shown in Fig. 14A .

Material examined for comparison:

Figures

FIGURE 1. Male habitus of Capreolucanus species. A–C, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species (holotype, 18.6 mm, Pingbian, Yunnan, China); D–F, C. sicardi Didier, 1928 (18.9 mm, Lushui, Yunnan, China); G–I, C. zhuchuangi Wang, 2020 (15.0 mm, Bo Kluea, Nan, Thailand, Photo by Wuttipon Pathomwattananurak). A, D, G, dorsal view; B, E, H, lateral view; C, F, I, ventral view. Scale bar = 10.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Male head details of Capreolucanus species in dorsolateral view. A–B, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species; A, holotype; B, paratype; C–D, C. sicardi Didier, 1928; A, C, large sized; B, D, small sized.

FIGURE 3. Male canthus (A–F), clypeolabrum (G–L) and mentum (M–R) of Capreolucanus species. A–C, G–I, M–O, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species; A, G, M, holotype; B–C, H–I, N–O, paratypes; D–F, J–L, P–R, C. sicardi Didier, 1928. A–L, dorsal view; M–R, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 4. Male abdominal tergite VIII (A, E, I, M, Q, U), abdominal ventrite VIII (B, F, J, N, R, V) and abdominal segment IX (C–D, G–H, K–L, O–P, S–T, W–X) of Capreolucanus species. A–L, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species; A–D, holotype; E–L, paratypes; M–X, C. sicardi Didier, 1928. A, D–E, H–I, L–M, P–Q, T–U, X, dorsal view; B–C, F–G, J–K, N–O, R–S, V–W, ventral view. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 5. Aedeagus of Capreolucanus species in ventral view. A–C, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species. A, holotype; B–C, paratypes; D–F, C. sicardi Didier, 1928. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 6. Aedeagus details of Capreolucanus species. A–I, S, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species. A–C, S, holotype; D–I, paratypes; J–R, T, C. sicardi Didier, 1928; A–R, aedeagus (flagellum not included); S–T, apex of flagellum. B, E, H, K, N, Q, dorsal view; C, F, I, L, O, R, lateral view; A, D, G, J, M, P, ventral view. Scale bar for A–R = 1.0 mm, for S–T = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 7. Female habitus of Capreolucanus species. A–C, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species (paratype, 19.4 mm, Pingbian, Yunnan, China); D–F, C. sicardi Didier, 1928 (19.0 mm, Yingjiang, Yunnan, China); G–I, C. zhuchuangi Wang, 2020 (16.8 mm, Bo Kluea, Nan, Thailand, photo by Wuttipon Pathomwattananurak). A, D, G, dorsal view; B, E, H, lateral view; C, F, I, ventral view. Scale bar = 10.0 mm.

FIGURE 8. Female canthus (A–F), clypeolabrum (G–L), and mentum (M–R) of Capreolucanus species. A–B, G–H, M–N, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species (paratypes); C–F, I–L, O–R, C. sicardi Didier, 1928. A–L, dorsal view; M–R, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 9. Female abdominal tergite VIII (A, F, K, P), abdominal ventrite VIII (B, G, L, Q) and genitalia (C, H, M, R) including details of hemisternite (D, I, N, S), spermatheca and spermathecal gland (E, J, O, T) of Capreolucanus species. A–J, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species (paratypes); K–T, C. sicardi Didier, 1928. A, F, K, P, dorsal view; B–E, G–J, L–O, Q–T, ventral view. Scale bar for E, J, O, T = 0.2 mm, for the others = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 10. The different life stages of Capreolucanus yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species. A, the egg (photo by Xu Yan); B, the second instar larva (photo by Xu Yan); C, the third instar larva (photo by Xu Yan); D, the pupa (photo by Yun-Chuan Xu); E, the male large-sized adult after eclosion (photo by Xu Yan); F, the unexpectedly death male large-sized adult after eclosion (photo by Yun-Chuan Xu).

FIGURE 11. Habitus of Capreolucanus species in dorsal view. A–C, C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species (paratypes); A, male, 17.4 mm, Pingbian, Yunnan; B, male, 16.1 mm, Pingbian, Yunnan; C, female, 17.6 mm, Pingbian, Yunnan; D–H, C. sicardi Didier, 1928; D, male, 20.1 mm, Longchuan, Yunnan; E, male, 14.6 mm, Yingjiang, Yunnan; F, female, 16.6 mm, Yingjiang, Yunnan; G, female, 17.7 mm, Yingjiang, Yunnan; H, female, 17.8 mm, Lushui, Yunnan. Scale bar = 10.0 mm.

FIGURE 14. Natural habitats of Capreolucanus species. A, Daweishan National Nature Reserve, Pingbian County, Yunnan, the natural habitat of C. yanxui Qi & Zhou, new species; B, the mountains of Longchuan County, Yunnan, the natural habitat of C. sicardi Didier, 1928.