Pseudopyrochroa grzymalae Young, 2019

Young, Daniel K., 2019, A new Pseudopyrochroa Pic, 1906 from Yunnan, China with a key to adult Pseudopyrochroa males from the Province and correction on type repository for Frontodendroidopsis pennyi Young (Coleoptera: Pyrochroidae: Pyrochroinae), Zootaxa 4695 (2), pp. 182-188 : 183-187

Pseudopyrochroa grzymalae Young , new species

Fig. 1–7

Types. Holotype (♂: IOZB): CASENT // 8079159; {2 nd label}: CHINA, Yunnan, Fugong // County , Lumadeng Township , // Lao Shibali Yakou , 3270 m, // N27.06429° / E098.75123°, {3 rd label}: // 13 August 2005, // Stop # DHK-2005-079, // D. H. Kavanaugh, H. B. Liang, // D. Z. Dong, & G. Tang collectors {4 th label; pink card stock}: Auto-Montaged // digital image(s) // per D. K. Young; {5 th label; pink card stock}: HOLOTYPE: // Pseudopyrochroa // grzymalae ♂ // Young . Allotype (♀: IOZB): { All label data identical to holotype except} CASENT // 8079158 {5 th label}: ALLOTYPE: // Pseudopyrochroa // grzymalae ♀ // Young . Paratypes. Three, as follows: 1 (♀: CASC): CASENT // 8079049; {2 nd label}: CHINA, Yunnan, Fugong // County , Lishadi Township , // 8.5 km above Shibali // on Shibali Road , north bank // of North Fork of Yamu He , {3 rd label}: N27.18416° / E098.72026°, // 3100 m, 8 August 2005 // Stop # DHK-2005-067A, // D. H. Kavanaugh, H. B. Liang, // D. Z. Dong, & J. F. Zhang // collectors {4 th label; pink card stock}: PARATYPE: // Pseudopyrochroa // grzymalae ♀ // Young ; 1 (♀: CASC): CASENT // 6004504; {2 nd label}: CHINA, Yunnan, Fugong // County , Lishadi Township , // 10 km W of Shibali // on Shibali Road , 3221 m, // N27.20055° / E098.71399°, {3 rd label}: // 5-16 August 2005, // pitfall traps, // Stop # DHK-2005-061 // D. H. Kavanaugh, P. Paquin, // & H. B. Liang collectors {4 th label; pink card stock}: PARATYPE: // Pseudopyrochroa // grzymalae ♀ // Young ; 1 (♀: DYCC): CASENT // 8079146; {2 nd label}: CHINA, Yunnan, Fugong // County , Lishadi Township , // 9.5 to 10.0 km W of Shibali // on Shibali Road , N27.19438°/ // E098.71486° to N27.19980°/ {3 rd label}: E098.71375°, 3195-3200 m // 12 August 2005, // Stop # DHK-2005-078, // D. H. Kavanaugh, H. B. Liang, // & D. Z. Dong collectors {4 th label; pink card stock}: PARATYPE: // Pseudopyrochroa // grzymalae ♀ // Young .

Diagnosis. While considerably outdated, Blair’s (1914) key to Pseudopyrochroa species remains a useful starting point. The combination of a largely unicolorous orange to reddish-orange head, pronotum, scutellum and elytra, pectinate antennae and pronotal shape (sides subquadrate not widest sub-basally) ( Figs. 1 , 5 ) takes P. grzymalae to P. cardoni (Fairmaire) and possibly some color morphs of P. basalis (Pic) . Pseudopyrochroa inthanonensis Young (2014) needs to be added to the discussion, as well. Males of both P. basalis and P. cardoni have the antennal pedicel conspicuously acuminate along the outer apical angle ( Figs. 8–9 ), a condition not seen in either P. grzymalae ( Fig. 2 ) or P. inthanonensis ( Fig. 10 ). The cranial apparatus of P. grzymalae ( Fig. 2 ) has a well-developed median carina, dividing the region into two distinct cranial pits; the pits are confluent in P. inthanonensis ( Fig. 10 ). Pronotal shape also readily separates P. grzymalae (pronotal sides subparallel) from P. inthanonensis (pronotal sides rounded); the 5 th abdominal ventrite of P. grzymalae is also far more deeply emarginate than that of P. inthanonensis .

Description. Adult Male. Length (L) = 13.4 mm; humeral width (HW) = 3.1 mm; maximal elytral width (W) = 4.5 mm [n= 1]. Antennae, dorsal cranium anterad cranial apparatus, venter, including cranium (excluding gular region), thorax and abdomen black; ventral-most portions of hypomera, gula and distal tarsomeres rufopiceous; apices of tarsi, pretarsus and labium yellowish to testaceous; cranial pits and dorsoposterior cranium, pronotum, scutellum and elytra orange to reddish-orange.

Head. Dorsal cranial surface ( Fig. 2 ), exclusive of frontoclypeal region, shallowly, densely punctate; cranium moderately densely clothed with coppery-orange setae, vestiture of posterior cranial apparatus region denser, conspicuously longer, antrorsely directed, partially concealing posterior face of interocular excavations. Compound eyes somewhat protruding, finely faceted dorsally and posteriorly, anterior and lateral ommatidia larger; intrafacetal setae lacking. Each antenna with scape and pedicel shallowly, coarsely, moderately densely punctate; scape and pedicel somewhat shining, sparsely clothed with black setae; scape elongate, somewhat enlarged distally, subconical, approximately 2.9X length of the pedicel; antennal pedicel short, broadest distally ( Figs. 2–3 ). Flagellum densely setose, strongly, delicately pectinate ( Figs. 1, 3 ), setae of flagellomeres erect to decumbent; setae of rami erect, pale yellowish. Interocular cranial apparatus ( Fig. 2 ) broadly and somewhat shallowly excavate between dorso-anterior margins of eyes; frons slightly swollen anterad cranial apparatus, forming a broad, anterior face of the cranial apparatus, produced into a distinct mesal carina posteriorly, thus forming a complete septum defining paired, shallow cranial pits. Posterior face of cranial apparatus with dense fringe of antrorsely directed, copperyorange setae partially obscuring excavation between eyes; anterior, lateral, and mesal margins of cranial pits sharply defined.

Thorax. Pronotum subquadrate, moderately densely, shallowly punctate, with well-developed basal pronotal bead; pronotal vestiture consisting of dense, short to moderately elongate, erect and decumbent coppery-orange setae. Lateral margins subparallel, anterior and posterior margins very slightly rounded, nearly straight, maximal width 1.2X basal width. Scutellum ( Fig. 1 ) shield-shaped, slightly longer than wide, apex rounded, densely clothed with retrorsely decumbent coppery setae. Elytra elongate, covering abdomen, subparallel for much of length, slightly wider distally; maximal width (W) 1.46X humeral width (HW); longitudinal elytral costae distinct. Elytral vestiture consisting of short, dense, erect to somewhat decumbent coppery-orange setae; elytral surface appears moderately striped longitudinally by virtue of costae and distinctly “ribbed” matting of vestiture.

Abdomen. Six visible ventrites; abdominal ventrite 5 with sides subparallel, apical margin broadly, relatively deeply emarginate; ventrite 6 with sides tapering distally, apical margin narrowly, conspicuously emarginate. Genitalia ( Fig. 4 ) with parameres long, narrow, fused proximally and for much of their length, separate and subparallel distally, with apices each bearing a well-developed, recurved, dentate process; penis elongate, dorsoventrally flattened, sides subparallel, tapering subapically, swollen apically as a bluntly rounded knob.

Adult Female. Length (L) = 13.4–17.7 mm (mean = 16.9 mm); humeral width (HW) = 3.9–4.5 mm (mean = 4.3 mm); maximal elytral width (W) = 5.2–5.9 mm (mean = 5.6 mm) [n= 4]. Color and vestiture ( Fig. 5 ) similar to male. Head ( Fig. 6 ) lacking cranial apparatus, eyes slightly smaller, less protruding than those of male; antennae ( Fig. 7 ) with flagellar rami much shorter, thicker than those of male. Elytra with mean maximal width 1.30X mean humeral width; longitudinal elytral costae ( Fig. 5 ) more sharply defined.

Larva. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet, grzymalae , is a matronym based on the family name, “Grzymala.” I am pleased to name this species in honor of fellow heteromerist and specialist on Aderidae, Traci Grzymala , in recognition of her work on the “puppet beetles”.

Discussion. As detailed above, the single male and four females of P. grzymalae were collected 5-16 August 2005 on Shibali Road along the border of Kachin, Myanmar and Yunnan Province, China, at an elevational range of 3100–3270 meters (= 10171–10728 feet). The locality is in Fugong County on the eastern slope and crest of the northcentral aspect of the Gaoligong Shan, in western Yunnan Province, China.

The region is detailed in Deuve et al. (2016) and paratype #1 of P. grzymalae was taken at the type locality (Stop # DHK-2005-067A) of the carabid, Trechus (Trechus) shibalicus Deuve and Kavanaugh. The specific habitat ( Deuve et al. 2016: 403–407; Fig. 24C) was described as, “in rocky open areas cleared by snow avalanches but shaded by 3 meter high herbaceous cover (3100 m).” Interestingly, larvae of all known pyrochroines are saproxylic and associated exclusively with course woody debris, subcortically or in decaying woody tissues partially buried in the soil ( Young 2002). Thus, the habitat would seem unsuitable for larvae and perhaps not where one would generally expect to find adults.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Pseudopyrochroa grzymalae, sp. nov., adult male. 1) Habitus, dorsal view. 2) Head (cranial apparatus), dorsal view. 3) Left antenna. 4) Abdominal apex and genitalia (distal parameres & penis), ventral view.

FIGURES 5–7. Pseudopyrochroa grzymalae, sp. nov., adult female. 1) Habitus, dorsal view. 2) Head, dorsal view. 3) Left antenna.

FIGURES 8–11. Heads of adult, males of Pseudopyrochroa species, dorsal view. 8) P. basalis (Pic). 9) P. cardoni (Fairmaire). 10) P. inthanonensis Young. 11) P. lineaticollis Pic.