Xenorthrius cruralis Gerstmeier & Eberle, 2010

Gerstmeier, Roland & Eberle, Jonas, 2010, Revision of the Indo-Australian checkered beetle genus Xenorthrius Gorham, 1892 (Coleoptera: Cleridae, Clerinae) 2584, Zootaxa 2584 (1), pp. 1-121 : 28-29

Xenorthrius cruralis Gerstmeier & Eberle, 2010 n. sp.

( Figures 11B, 19 and 64B )

Specimens examined: Holotype: Nepal: Basantapur , 2300m, 30.V.–2.VI.85; E-Nepal, Koshi, M. Brancucci (♂, NHMB).

Paratypes: Nepal: 412 Sankhua Sabha Distr., Arun Valley betw. Mure and Hurure, mixed, broad-leaved forest, 2050–2150m, 9–17 June88 Martens & Schawaller leg.; Nepal-Expeditionen Jochen Martens (SMNS). Basantapur, 2300m, 30.V–2.VI.85; E-Nepal, Koshi, M. Brancucci (3ex., NHMB). Chichila, 31.5.83 1950m ;; E-Nepal, Arun V., M. Brancucci (3ex., NHMB). E-Nepal, Arun Valley, Bhotebas-Sakurate 1750– 2000m 6.6.1988, leg. Lebisch & Probst (RGCM). E-Nepal, Arun Valley, Chichila-Tumlingtar, 2000– 1000m 9.6.1988, leg. Lebisch & Probst (RGCM). E-Nepal, Arun Valley, Mure (2050m)-Chichila (2050m), 7.6.1992, leg. J. Probst (RGCM). E-Nepal, Arun Valley, Mure-Chichila 2050m, 8.6.1988, leg. Lebisch & Probst (2ex., RGCM). E-Nepal, Arun Valley, Sakurate-Mure 2000m, 7.6.1988, leg. Lebisch & Probst (RGCM). Gorza- 2100- Dobban 700m, 6.VI.1985; E-Nepal, Mechi, M. Brancucci (NHMB). Gufa-Gorza, 2800- 2100m, 4.VI.1985; Nepal, Koshi, M. Brancucci (2ex., NHMB). Mure 2000- Num 1550m, 4-7.VI.1983; E-Nepal, Arun V., M. Brancucci (2ex., NHMB). Mure 2000m, 2–8.VI.1983; E-Nepal, Arun V., M. Brancucci (2 ex., SDEI, 2ex., NHMB)i. Mure-Num, 2000– 1550m, 4.– 7.6.1983; E-Nepal, Arun V., M. Brancucci (1 ex., BMNH, 3ex., NHMB). Mutidhunga- Chitre 2200-, 28.V.85 2400m; E-Nepal, Koshi, M. Brancucci (2ex., NHMB). Num 1550m, 5–6.VI.1983; E-Nepal, Arun V., M. Brancucci. Waku-Sakranti-Thaklung 10.VI.85, 1600-2200- 1500m; E-Nepal, Koshi, M. Brancucci. Kali-G.-Khola, Kalopani 25/ 2800m, 21–25.VI.1986; W- Nepal, Kali Gandaki, C. Holzschuh. Kopchepani, 1500–1600m, 21.V.1984; W-Nepal, Kali Gandaki, Khola C.J. Rai. Bhutan: West- Bhutan, Paro Distr., Gedu, 17.–26.VI.1988, 2100m, leg. C. Holzschuh. India: Sanco (27 mi), Church compound, 14.–18.XI.84 150m; Indien, Darjeeling D., Ch. J. Rai (NHMB).

Measurements: (34 specimens measured) Average total length: 8.6mm, range: 7.9–9.7mm, average elytral length: 6.0mm, average elytral width: 2.5mm, average pronotal length: 1.6mm, average pronotal width: 1.6mm, average head width: 1.6mm.

Head: Brown, cranium vested with yellowish setae, with distinct punctation, interstices larger than diameter of punctures; posterior part of clypeus brown, margins darkened, with large punctation and a few long setae laterally, smooth centrally; ventral part brown to black, smooth, except wrinkles behind the eyes; antennae red-brown, A9 to A11 forming a club, A9 separated from A10 and A11, male antennae reaching base of pronotum when laid back; gular sutures parallel, gular process broad.

Thorax: Average pronotal length:width ratio 1.0:1; pronotum brown, vested with yellowish setae, pronotal arch with irregular punctation, wrinkled laterally, pronotum proper strongly structured, punctation irregular, not very dense; mesepimeron not smooth in ventral half, surface coarsely punctured to wrinkled, transverse sulcus on anterior part of mesosternum and mesepisternum small, especially weakly developed on mesosternum; prosternum brown, smooth; mesosternum brown, margins darkened, vested with yellowish setae, surface only slightly wrinkled; metasternum brown, vested with fine setae, punctation fine and very sparse; scutellum round, brown.

Elytra: Average length:width ratio 2.4:1; uniformly brown, sometimes darker in basal half, one of the observed specimens with yellowish spots in basal darker half, sometimes subcutaneous lines visible, vested with short decumbent and longer erect setae, punctation relatively small, punctation of interstices within striae becoming smaller to apex, finally merging to a furrow, striae 1 to 3 often obsolete behind basal third of elytra, striae 5 and 6 and 4 and 7 merging before apex, punctation varies in examined specimens, interstices between and within striae smaller than one diameter of punctures, punctation never rasp-like, carination absent.

Legs: Brown, tarsal pulvilli pale, procoxae large, legs relatively long; metatibiae more or less straight, tibial carination absent.

Abdomen: Ventrites brown, punctation sparse and fine; posterior margin of male pygidium slightly concave; male ventrite 6 with broad U-shaped deep emargination. Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ): Dorsal sinus broadly U-shaped, ventral sinus broadly V-shaped, lateral margins of tegmen distinctly concave, ventrally broadened in apical half; phallus strongly asymmetric, in apical third with stronger sclerotization at the right side; spicular fork dividing into two branches at first quarter.

Distribution: Nepal, Bhutan, India.

Seasonal occurrence: Collected in May and June.

Etymology: The specific epithet, cruralis , a Latin adjective meaning belonging to longer leg, refers to the long legs.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Xenorthrius cruralis: (A) Tegmen in ventral view, (B) phallus in ventral view, (C) tip of aedeagus in lateral view, (D) spicular fork, (E) male pygidium, (F) male ventrite 6 and distribution map.

FIGURE 64. Habitus photographs: Xenorthrius consimilis n. sp. (A), Xenorthrius cruralis n. sp. (B), Xenorthrius decoratus n. sp. (C), Xenorthrius disjunctus (D), Xenorthrius dissipatus n. sp. (E) and Xenorthrius doliaris n. sp. (F). Scale bars = 4mm.