Pterostichus (Circinatus) ailaoicus, Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2015

Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2015, The genus Pterostichus in China II: the subgenus Circinatus Sciaky, a species revision and phylogeny (Carabidae, Pterostichini), ZooKeys 536, pp. 1-92 : 9-11

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

Pterostichus (Circinatus) ailaoicus sp. n. Figures 11, 29, 97

Type locality.

Yunnan: Xinping County, Jinshan pass in Ailao mountain (= Ailaoshan) (N23.947°, E101.499°), altitude 2351 m.

Type material.

Holotype (IZAS): male, body length = 10.9 mm, board mounted, genitalia dissected and glued on plastic film pinned under specimen, "CHINA, Yunnan, Xinping / county, Jinshan pass in Ailao / mount range, 2010.IX.14 / YANG Xiaodong lgt. / B10y5006, C.C.C.C."; " N23°56.849' / E101°29.993' 2351 m / daytime, mixed forest, in or on dead log"; "HOLOTYPE ♂/ Pterostichus (Circinatus) / ailaoicus new species / des. SHI H.L. 2015" [red label].

Diagnosis.

Pronotum with single mid-lateral seta; posterior seta located almost at hind angle; hind angle forming indistinct obtuse angle, lateral margin straight before hind angle; elytral microsculpture almost invisible; elytral shoulder angle distinct; males with two large tubercles on terminal sternum; tubercles close to each other, distance between tubercles less than distance between setae on penultimate sternum; fifth tarsomeres glabrous beneath. Apical lamella of aedeagus long, its length approx 2.1 times basal width, apex widened, with a small tooth on right margin. Comparisons between similar species are given in Table 1 under Pterostichus maitreya sp. n.

This new species is similar to Pterostichus baenningeri in body size and form, pronotal shape, and male terminal sternum. Despite the significant differences in male genitalia (shape of apical lamella, see Figs 29B and 40B), they also differ in: (1) Pterostichus ailaoicus sp. n. have the fifth tarsomeres glabrous beneath, but these are setose in Pterostichus baenningeri ; (2) Pterostichus ailaoicus sp. n. have the two tubercles on the male terminal sternum close to each other, distance between tubercles less than the distance between setae on penultimate sternum; but in Pterostichus baenningeri , distance between tubercles on terminal sternum is greater than the distance between setae on penultimate sternum.

Description.

Body form fairly elongate, body length 10.9 mm; dorsal side almost black, moderately shining, elytron with faint iridescent shine; mouthparts, antenna, tarsus, tibia, and apex of femur reddish brown; ventral side blackish. Elytral microsculpture weak, barely visible, linear. Head. Frons without punctures; antenna reaching elytron basal sixth; gena shorter than length of eye, briefly tumid behind eye. Pronotum round, lateral margin curved in middle, nearly straight before hind angle, widest at approx anterior two fifths; posterior margin a little narrower than anterior margin; PW/PL = 1.10; one mid-lateral seta present, located a little before greatest width; posterior seta close to but a little anterior to hind angle; hind angle forming indistinct obtuse angle; basal fovea shallow, faintly defined; inner groove subparallel to median line, not reaching posterior margin; outer groove completely vanished; outer area of inner groove flat; basal foveal area finely punctate along inner groove. Elytron oviform, with basal ridge almost straight; elytral shoulder moderately widened, shoulder angle between basal ridge and lateral margin forming obtuse angle, humeral tooth very small, not jutting out; intervals feebly convex; striae moderately deep, without punctures; scutellar stria short, apex free; third interval with two setigerous pores adjacent to second stria; umbilical pore series on ninth interval sparse in middle, composed of 16-17 pores (6, 1, 9-10). Ventral side. Proepisternum without punctures, mesepisternum and metepisternum finely punctate; penultimate sternum not modified; terminal sternum with two large tubercles vaguely defined, approx one third length of terminal sternum; tubercles located a little before middle of sternum, distance between tubercles less than distance between two setae on penultimate sternum; region between tubercles not depressed. Legs. Fifth tarsomeres glabrous beneath; males with apical half of mesotibia slightly widened, inner margin crenulate; first metatarsomere with distinct carina on outer surface, such carina superficial on full length of second metatarsomere. Male genitalia. Median lobe of male genitalia bent approx 90 degrees, apex gradually bent ventrally (Fig. 29A); ventral margin slightly curved in middle, weakly sinuate before apex; dorsal margin gradually curved; apical orifice large, slightly turned to left side, opened on ventral side; in lateral view, apical lamella very long, laminate with base slightly thickened, sinuate before apex, apex pointing apical-ventrally, its length approx one third length of apical orifice; in dorsal view, apical lamella located on right side of aedeagal apex, its base not grooved on dorsal surface; apical lamella long with rounded apex, length approx 2.1 times basal width, distinctly widened at approx apical third, with a small tooth on right margin (Fig. 29B). Right paramere straight and stout, apical half fusiform, slightly enlarged and then narrowed to apex, inner margin evenly curved before apex; length approx three times greatest width; apex obtuse (Fig. 29C). Endophallus not studied. Female genitalia unknown.

Distribution.

This species is known only from the holotype collected from Ailaoshan Mt. in Yunnan Province (Map 1). The altitude is 2351 m.

Etymology.

This new species is named for its type locality, Ailao Mountain.

Affinities.

Pterostichus ailaoicus sp. n. is close to Pterostichus baenningeri , Pterostichus maitreya sp. n., Pterostichus miao sp. n., and Pterostichus yan sp. n. in their similarities of male terminal sternum and male genitalia.