Ceruchus luojishanensis Okuda, 2008

Huang, Hao, Imura, Yûki & Chen, Chang-Chin, 2011, Notes on the genus Ceruchus MacLeay from China, with the description of a new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Lucanidae), Zootaxa 2906, pp. 1-42 : 10-11

8. Ceruchus luojishanensis Okuda, 2008

( Figs. 19 , 30 , 52 , 211 , 257 , 260 )

Specimens examined. CHINA: Sichuan Province: 13 (holotype, CNO), Luojishan, 2900-3000m; 1Ƥ (paratype, CNO), Luojishan, 2900-3000m. External features examined, genitalia not examined.

Taxonomic notes. This species is very different from all other species, based on the following external characters: 1) pronotum very transverse in both sexes, 1.70 times as wide as long in male, 1.84 times as wide as long in female; 2) lateral margins of the pronotum strongly convex in both sexes; 3) male pronotum markedly wider than male head; 4) female mandible with double central teeth (not single central tooth as in all other Chinese species) on inner margin of mola; 5) female pronotum with three pairs of lateral depressions outside of the central transversal carina. The external characters of Ceruchus luojishanensis are summarized in Tables 1-2. In addition, the following genitalic characters were identified from the original illustrations ( Okuda 2008): 1) central split on caudal margin of the basal piece of the aedeagus obsolete, with two sides flat and not protruding posteriorly (different from Ceruchus minor , Ceruchus reginae , Ceruchus niger , Ceruchus yangi , and Ceruchus deuvei ); 2) penis in ventral view thinner than in Ceruchus sinensis and Ceruchus minor , wider than in Ceruchus katerinae ; 3) penis in ventral view slightly swollen near middle and gradually narrowed towards caudal end (different from Ceruchus sinensis ); 4) caudal end of penis in ventral view thinner than in Ceruchus minor , Ceruchus niger , and Ceruchus yangi , without posterolateral shoulders (which are well marked in Ceruchus niger and Ceruchus yangi ); 5) sclerotized part of the hemisternite in female genitalia with inner lateral margin slightly longer than distal margin of hemisternite (different from Ceruchus yangi and Ceruchus katerinae ); 6) stylus of the female genitalia nearly as long as wide (different from Ceruchus minor ), with outer lateral corner less protruding than in Ceruchus sinensis , Ceruchus yangi , or Ceruchus niger .

This species was based upon only one pair of specimens, with the unique male being a minor male. The following characters were also described in the original description and confirmed by our examination of the type specimens, but they need to be confirmed by an examination of more specimens in the future: 1) male antenna with 8 antennomeres (female antenna with 10 antennomeres, as usual); 2) protibiae of male markedly bent inwardly at 1/ 3 from base.

Distribution ( Fig. 293 ). Only known from Mt. Luojishan, southern Sichuan.

Figures

FIGURE 293. Distribution of Ceruchus species in China

FIGURES 10 – 24. Mandible and head of male in lateral view. 10 — Ceruchus lignarius lignarius (same specimen as Fig. 233); 11 — Ceruchus lignarius monticola (same specimen as Fig. 234); 12 — Ceruchus lignarius nodai (same specimen as Fig. 235); 13 — Ceruchus yangi (same specimen as Fig. 237, holotype); 14 — Ceruchus yangi (same specimen as Fig. 236, paratype); 15 — Ceruchus tabanai (holotype); 16 — Ceruchus sinensis (same specimen as Fig. 239); 17 — Ceruchus niger (same specimen as Fig. 240); 18 — Ceruchus niger (same specimen as Fig. 245); 19 — Ceruchus luojishanensis (holotype); 20 — Ceruchus minor (same specimen as Fig. 249); 21 — Ceruchus minor (specimen not figured elsewhere); 22 — Ceruchus minor (same specimen as Fig. 252); 23 — Ceruchus minor (same specimen as Fig. 250); 24 — Ceruchus katerinae (same specimen as Fig. 253). Scale bar 4 mm for all. Abbreviations: d = dorsal tooth; v = ventral tooth.

FIGURES 29 – 45. Mentum of male in ventral view. 29 — Ceruchus lignarius lignarius (same specimen as Fig. 233); 30 — C. luojishanensis (holotype); 31 — C. tabanai (holotype); 32 — C. yangi, Leigongshan (same specimen as Fig. 236, paratype); 33 — C. yangi, Fanjingshan (same specimen as Fig. 237, holotype); 34 — C. yangi, Leigongshan (same specimen as Fig. 242, paratype); 35 — C. sinensis (same specimen as Fig. 238); 36 — C. sinensis (same specimen as Fig. 234); 37 — C. niger, Laojunshan (same specimen as Fig. 240); 38 — C. niger, Yulongxueshan (same specimen as Fig. 245); 39 — C. niger, Laojunshan (same specimen as Fig. 243); 40 — C. minor, Qinling (same specimen as Fig. 249); 41 — C. minor, Dabashan (corresponding to Fig. 250); 42 — C. minor, Diebu of Gansu (specimen not figured elsewhere); 43 — C. minor, Diebu of Gansu (same specimen as Fig. 252); 44 — C. minor, Zhouqu of Gansu (same specimen as Fig. 256); 45 — C. katerinae (same specimen as Fig. 253). Scale bar 3 mm for all.

FIGURES 46 – 53. Mesofemur and mesotibia in ventral view. 46 — Ceruchus katerinae; 47 — Ceruchus lignarius monticola; 48 — Ceruchus minor; 49 — Ceruchus niger; 50 — Ceruchus sinensis; 51 — Ceruchus yangi; 52 — Ceruchus luojishanensis; 53 — Ceruchus tabanai.

FIGURES 210 – 224. Detached structures of females, consisting of mandibles in dorsal view, mentum in ventral view, pronotum in dorsal view, protibia in dorsal view, and mesofemur in ventral view. 210 — Ceruchus lignarius lignarius (same specimen as Fig. 259); 211 — C. luojishanensis (paratype); 212 — C. tabanai (paratype); 213 — C. yangi (same specimen as Fig. 262); 214 — C. yangi (same specimen as Fig. 263); 215 — C. niger (same specimen as Fig. 264); 216 — C. niger (same specimen as Fig. 265); 217 — C. niger (same specimen as Fig. 266); 218 — C. niger (same specimen as Fig. 267); 219 — C. deuvei (same specimen as Fig. 268); 220 — C. minor (same specimen as Fig. 269); 221 — C. minor (same specimen as Fig. 270); 222 — C. minor (specimen not figured elsewhere); 223 — C. sinensis (same specimen as Fig. 272); 224 — C. katerinae (same specimen as Fig. 273). Abbreviations: md = mandibles; me = mentum; p = pronotum; pt = protibia; mf = mesofemur; l = lateral protuberance; n = no central tooth on mola; d = double central teeth on mola; s = single central tooth on mola; t = transversal carina; f = flattened marginal area of the pronotum.

FIGURES 249 – 258. Habitus of male Ceruchus in dorsal view. 249 — Ceruchus minor (Pingheliangding, Qinling, Shaanxi); 250 — Ceruchus minor (Dabashan, Chongqing); 251 — Ceruchus minor (Dabashan, Chongqing); 252 — Ceruchus minor (Diebu, Gansu); 253 — Ceruchus katerinae (Hailuogou, Sichuan); 254 — Ceruchus niger (Weixi, Yunnan); 255 — Ceruchus minor (Micangshan, Sichuan); 256 — Ceruchus minor (Zhouqu, Gansu); 257 — Ceruchus luojishanensis (holotype); 258 — Ceruchus minor (Diebu, Gansu). Scale bar 5 mm for all.

FIGURES 259 – 273. Habitus of female Ceruchus in dorsal view. 259 — Ceruchus lignarius lignarius (Hokkaido, Japan); 260 — Ceruchus luojishanensis (paratype); 261 — Ceruchus tabanai (paratype); 262 — Ceruchus yangi, paratype (Leigongshan, Guizhou); 263 — Ceruchus yangi, paratype (Leigongshan, Guizhou); 264 — Ceruchus niger (Laojunshan, Yunnan); 265 — Ceruchus niger (Yulongxueshan, Yunnan); 266 — Ceruchus niger (Weixi, Yunnan); 267 — Ceruchus niger (Muli, Sichuan); 268 — Ceruchus deuvei (Lixian, Sichuan); 269 — Ceruchus minor (Dabashan, Chongqing); 270 — Ceruchus minor (Diebu, Gansu); 271 — Ceruchus minor (Micangshan, Sichuan); 272 — Ceruchus sinensis (Yaojiaping, Lushui, Yunnan); 273 — Ceruchus katerinae (Hailuogou, Sichuan). Scale bar 5 mm for all.