Xenotermes, Wasmann, 1896

Jiang, Ri-Xin, Wang, Ji-Shen, Li, Bo-Yan, Lin, Ye-Jie, Liu, Ling & Wang, Shuo, 2019, Discovery of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles in China (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 59 (1), pp. 341-349 : 346

Xenotermes sp.

( Figs 22–30 , 42 )

Material examined (1 ex.). ♀, labeled: ‘ China: Yunnan Prov., Lincang City (Oiḿṁ), Yongde County (AEaeǥ), Yalian Township (dzfiø), 24°14′03″N, 99°56′49″E, 2015.VIII.22, 1410 m, Light trap, Wang Ji-Shen leg.’ ( LYJC).

Description. Female ( Figs 22–23 ). Body reddish brown, dorsal surface weakly flattened.

Head ( Figs 24–26 ) strongly wider than long, vertex punctured behind compound eyes. Head capsule deeply concave before compound eyes and around base of antennae, and forming raised Y-shaped ridge frontally. Compound eyes longitudinally short, separated dorsally. Clypeus ( Fig. 26 ) relatively large and vertical, unobservable in dorsal view, smooth, and slightly emarginate at apical margin. Labrum ( Fig. 26 ) narrower than clypeus, smooth, nearly rectangular, covered with short bristles on apical portion. Antennae ( Fig. 27 ) short, antennomeres strongly expanded and asymmetrical, with 10 antennomeres. Antennomere I longest, slightly longer than wide; II shortest, wider than long; III‒IX strongly expanded and asymmetrical, with dorsal portion nearly twice as wide as ventral; X markedly narrower than IX, with rounded apex.

Pronotum ( Figs 24–25 ) slightly wider than long, trapezoidal, surface rough and covered with sparse short setae. Lateral margin wavy, widest at base, strongly pointed at hind corners. Pronotum with two pairs of strong ridges; inner ridges straight, equal to approximately 3/4 of pronotal length and not extending to hind border of pronotum; outer ridges discontinuous in middle, extending from hind border of pronotum to nearly anterior border; Elytra elongate, sides subparallel; interval IV shortest, approximately 4/5 of elytral length; III approximately 6/7 of elytral length. Legs simple, tibiae slightly tapering towards apex.

Sternite VIII ( Fig. 28 ) semicircular, deeply split medially at posterior margin with dense long setae. Spiculum ( Fig. 28 ) tortuous in middle. Apex of ovipositor ( Figs 29–30 ) with two long setae.

Measurements. BL 6.67 mm, HL 0.57 mm, HW 0.94 mm, AnL 2.63 mm, PL 1.54 mm, PW 1.78 mm, EL 4.56 mm, EW 2.28 mm. Ratio of AnL for each antennomere from basal to apical: 0.44, 0.20, 0.22, 0.24, 0.24, 0.24, 0.24, 0.24, 0.24, 0.28.

Male. Unknown.

Comparative notes. The specimen in this study resembles Xenotermes feai Wasmann, 1896 from Myanmar and Thailand in the general appearance, but has different shape of the pronotum, especially the strongly pointed hind corners. However, due to the male being unknown, we herein report this female specimen as Xenotermes sp.

Biology. The female specimen was collected by the light trap ( Fig. 42 ). Discovery of its termitophilous habit is highly expected in future works.

Distribution. China: Yunnan ( Fig. 46 ).

Figures

Figs 22–30. Diagnostic features of female of Xenotermes sp. from Lincang City, Yunnan. 22 – habitus, dorsal view; 23 – habitus, ventral view; 24–25 – head and prothorax, dorsal and ventral views, respectively; 26 – head, frontal view; 27 – antenna, lateral view; 28 – sternite VIII and spiculum, ventral and lateral views, respectively; 29–30 – apex of ovipostor, ventral view. Scale bars: 2 mm in Figs 22–23; 0.5 mm in Figs 24–27; 0.2 mm in Figs 28–29; and 0.1 mm in Fig. 30.

Figs 38–42. Habitat of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles. 38–39 – fungus garden of Odontotermes sp., 30 – male of Nepaloplonyx yunnanensis sp. nov. on fungus garden; 41 – male of Ziaelas formosanus Hozawa, 1914 on fungus garden; 42 – female of Xenotermes sp. trapped at light.

Fig. 46 Distribution of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles known from China.