Plotina octomaculata Wang et Ren

Wang, Xingmin, Ren, Shunxiang & Chen, Xiaosheng, 2011, The genus Plotina Lewis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with descriptions of four new species from China, Zootaxa 2801, pp. 57-68 : 60-61

Plotina octomaculata Wang et Ren , sp. nov.

( Figs. 18–20 , 36–38 )

Diagnosis. This is a very distinctive species having eight large white spots on the elytra ( Fig. 18 ). The male and female genitalia are also diagnostic ( Figs. 36–38 ).

Description. TL: 2.42mm, TW: 1.83mm, TH: 1.08mm, TL/TW: 1.32; PL/PW: 0.46; EL/EW: 1.07.

Head and pronotum yellow brown. Scutellum dark brown. Ground color of elytra deep yellow brown; each elytron with four large white round spots arranged in 2–2; each spot surrounded by black ( Fig. 18 ). Underside yellowish brown.

Body medium, broadly oval, moderately convex and glabrous ( Figs. 18–20 ). Head comparatively small, width 0.41X elytral width (HW/EW=1: 2.43); punctures on frons moderately large, separated by 0.3–1.0X their diameter; eyes small, longitudinally oval, widest interocular distance 0.63X width of head ( Fig. 20 ). Pronotum 0.73X elytral width (PW/EW=1: 1.38), pronotal punctures fine, smaller than those on head, separated by 1.0–1.5X their diameter. Surface of elytra with irregular punctures, larger than those on head, separated by 1.0–1.5X their diameter. Surface of prosternum smooth. Mesosternum with minute, rather sparse punctures. Surface of metasternum glabrous, with moderately large punctures along median sulcus, separated by 1.0–3.0X their diameter, with short setae in punctures, becoming longer and denser in lateral margins.

Male genitalia: Penis long, slender, penis capsule with a distinctly outer process and a inner one, apex simple, pointed ( Fig. 36 ); penis guide in lateral view slender, basally somewhat thicker with dense setae, apex arcuate, pointed ( Fig. 37 ); parameres slender, sparsely setose at apex and base, slightly longer than penis guide; penis guide in ventral view elongate oval, with dense setae at basal 2/5, apex rounded ( Fig. 38 ).

Female genitalia: Not known.

Specimens examined. Holotype: 1 male, China, Tibet: Xiachayu, Chayu, 1800m, 14.x.2007, Wang XM leg.

Distribution. China (Tibet).

Etymology. The species epithet is in reference to the elytra with eight white spots.

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 20. Plotina octomaculata Wang et Ren, sp. nov. (18) dorsal view; (19) lateral view; (20) frontal view. 21 – 23: Plotina menghaiensis Wang, Ren et Chen, sp. nov. (21) dorsal view; (22) lateral view; (23) frontal view. 24 – 26: Plotina versicolor Lewis (24) dorsal view; (25) lateral view; (26) frontal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 36 – 38. Plotina octomaculata Wang et Ren, sp. nov. (36 – 38) male genitalia: (36) penis; (37) tegmen, lateral view; (38) tegmen, ventral view. 39 – 44: Plotina menghaiensis Wang, Ren et Chen, sp. nov. (39 – 41) male genitalia: (39) penis; (40) apex of penis; (41) tegmen, lateral view; (42) tegmen, ventral view; (43 – 44) female genitalia: (43) spermatheca; (44) ovipositor. 45 – 49: Plotina versicolor Lewis. (45 – 47) male genitalia: (45) penis; (46) tegmen, lateral view; (47) tegmen, ventral view; (48 – 49) female genitalia: (48) spermatheca; (49) ovipositor. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.