Anthelephila akela, Kejval, 2017

Kejval, Zbyněk, 2017, Studies of the genus Anthelephila Hope (Coleoptera: Anthicidae) 14. Twenty-four new species from Asia and new records of A. fossicollis Kejval, Zootaxa 4306 (1), pp. 1-52 : 6-8

Anthelephila akela sp. nov. Figs 12–15

Description. Male (holotype). Body length 4.9 mm. Head and pronotum dark reddish; elytra brownish-black, with slight bluish reflection; legs and antennae reddish-brown, most antennomeres (XI entirely) darker, blackish apically, tarsi paler distally.

Head 1.1 times as long as wide, nearly smoothly merging with longer neck; tempora strongly narrowing posteriad, arcuate, posterior angles slightly indicated. Eyes large and rather convex. Dorsal surface glossy, distinctly punctate and partly distinctly corrugated (especially medially to eyes); punctures distinctly separated. Setation subdecumbent; numerous longer, more raised setae. Antennae slightly enlarged in terminal third; antennomere X 1.9 times, XI 3.1 times as long as wide.

Pronotum 1.6 times as long as wide, moderately narrower than head including eyes, nearly evenly rounded anteriorly, strongly narrowed and moderately impressed (constricted) postero-laterally in dorsal view; pronotal disc evenly convex. Surface rather glossy, minutely and sparsely punctate, nearly impunctate near procoxal cavities, with several transverse wrinkles dorsally shortly before base; postero-lateral impressions rather coarsely, longitudinally wrinkled, and with shallow, paired impressions dorso-laterally. Setation as on head.

Mesosternum with distinct, narrow median longitudinal bulge, rounded on margins, passing into median carina posteriorly, its outline nearly straight in lateral view. Metasternum moderately impressed and with pair of longitudinal, submedian carinae posteriorly.

Elytra 1.9 times as long as wide, conjointly rounded apically; humeri distinct; postscutellar impression absent. Surface glossy, distinctly punctate; punctation double, setiferous punctures rather widely separated. Setation nearly evenly developed, sparser in basal third/fourth, generally longer and more raised than on head, decumbent; numerous tactile setae.

Metathoracic wings fully developed.

Fore legs modified ( Fig. 12 ); profemora process conspicuous, apex simply rounded, longer setae along outer margin; protibiae nearly simple, moderately swollen and with inconspicuous carina and protrusion on inner side distally; penultimate tarsomere widened/flattened distally, with terminal tarsomere articulated dorsally near base in all tarsi. Setation normally developed; tibiae with two equal terminal spurs.

Abdominal sternum VII ( Fig. 13 ) moderately emarginate posteriorly, and with short median process, projecting from its margin. Tergum VII simple. Sternite VIII with robust prongs apically lobed ( Fig. 14 ). Tergite VIII with paired sclerites simply rounded apically, narrowly connected medially. Terminal sclerite of segment IX (spiculum) membranous, strongly narrowed and densely setose apically. Aedeagus ( Fig. 15 ); apical portion of tegmen 0.6 times as long as basal-piece, trilobed apically.

Female. Externally differing from male as follows: fore legs, metasternum and abdominal sternum VII simple; tergum VII subtrinagular, rounded apically.

Variation. Body length (♂ ♀) 4.0– 5.9 mm. The additionally examined male specimens are somewhat aberrant in having longer profemoral processes and rather arcuate protibiae, impressed on the inner side on margin facing process. They display also a bit different shape of the prongs of sternite VIII (more rounded apically), but their general morphology and setation is the same, as well as that of sternum VII.

Type material. Holotype, ♂: LAOS north, 5–11.V.1997, 20 km NW Louang Namtha, N 21°09.2, E 101°18.7, alt. 900± 100 m, E. Jendek & O. Šausa leg. [p] ( NMPC).

Paratypes: 4 ♂♂, same data as holotype ( ZKDC, NMPC) ; 4 ♂♂ 1 ♀, same data, except: M. Štrba & R. Hergovits leg. ( ZKDC, DCDC) ; 1 ♀, same data, except: 24–30.v.1997 ( ZKDC) ; 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀, LAOS north, 13– 24.v.1997, 15 km NW Louang Namtha, N 21°07.5, E 101°21.0, alt. 750± 100 m, E. Jendek & O. Šausa leg. [p] ( ZKDC) ; 3 ♂♂ 1 ♀, LAOS, Oudomxai Prov., 17 km NEE Oudom Xai 20°45′N 102°09′E, ca. 1100 m, 1.–9.v.2002, V. Kubáň lgt. [p] ( BMNH, ZKDC) ; 1 ♂, LAOS-N (Oudomxai) 1–9.v.2002, ~ 1100m, 20°45N 102°09E, OUDOM XAI (17 km NEE), Vít Kubáň leg. [p] ( ZKDC) ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀, LAOS, Luang Prabang Prov., 13°34′N / 102°13′E, Ban Kiukacham env., 1400–1450 m, 19.vi.2009, M. Geiser & D. Hauck leg. [p] // NHMB Basel, NMPC Prague Laos 2009 Expedition: M. Brancucci, M. Geiser, Z. Kraus, D. Hauck, V. Kubáň [p] ( NHMB) ; 1 ♂, LAOS-NE, Xieng Khouang prov., 19°37–8′N 103°20–1′E, 30 km NE Phonsavan: Ban Na Lam + Phou Sane Mt. , 1300–1700 m, 10.–30.v.2009, M.Geiser leg. [p] // NHMB Basel, NMPC Prague Laos 2009 Expedition: M. Brancucci, M. Geiser, Z. Kraus, D. Hauck, V. Kubáň [p] ( NHMB) ; 1 ♂, THAILAND PROV . NAN, BO KHUA [sic!, probably Bo Klua ], 19.4.– 7.5. 2004, MORAVEC PETR [lgt; p] ( ZKDC) ; 1 ♂, N-Thailand, Nan prov., BO KLUA, 19°08′N 101°10′E, 700 m, 22–26.iv.1999, D. Hauck lgt. [p] ( ZKDC) ; 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀, NE Thailand, Nan Prov., Khun Nan NP, 6.v.2004, P. Viktora leg. [p] ( ZKDC) ; 1 ♂, CHINA: S-YUNNAN (Xishuangbanna) 26 km W Jinghong vic. Meng Song ( NNNR) [p] // N22 0 4.65, E100 33.98 14–1600m, 03.VI.2008 leg. A.Weigel KF blossom Castanopsis at tea plant. [p] ( NKME) .

Additional specimens. Laos : 3 ♂♂, LAOS, 1–9.v.1999, Louangphrabang pr., 20°33–4′ N 102°14′ E, BanSongCha (5km W), 1200m, Vít Kubáň leg. [p] ( NHMB) ; 4 ♂♂, same data, except: 10.–16.v.1999 ( NHMB) ; 1 ♂, Phongsaly prov. , 21°41–2′N 102°06–8′E, 28.v.–20.vi.2003, Phongsaly env., ~ 1500 m, Brancucci leg. ( NHMB) ; 1 ♂ 2 ♀♀, same data, except: P. Pacholátko leg. ( ZKDC) ; 1 ♂, Phongsaly prov. , 21°41′N 102°6′E, Phongsaly env., 6–17.v.2004, ~ 1500 m, V. Kubáň leg. ( ZKDC) ; 1 ♀, Phongsaly prov., Phongsaly env., Phu Fa , 1450–1600 m, 25.vii.2006, M. Geiser leg. ( NHMB) ; 6 ♂♂ 1 ♀, Houa Phan prov., Ban Saleui, Phou Pan ( Mt. ), 20°12′N 104°01′E, 1300–1900 m, 11.iv.–15.v.2012, C. Holzschuh leg. ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂, Houa Phan prov., 20°12–13.5′ N 103°59.5 – 104°01′E, Ban Saleuy + Phou Pane Mt. , 1340–1870 m, 2.–22.vi.2011, Vít Kubáň leg. ( NMPC) .

Differential diagnosis. Anthelephila akela sp. nov. may be close to members of the A. fossicollis speciesgroup, as suggested by the similarity of some male characters (sternite VIII, trilobed tegmen), but differs by its larger size, longer neck, rather minutely and sparsely punctate pronotal disc, distinct median longitudinal bulge of mesosternum and paired submedian carinae of the metasternum. It shares these character with the externally similar A. wanika sp. nov., differing by the much narrower median process of the male sternum VII, and by the comparatively simple paired prongs of sternite VIII (cf. Figs 14 versus 104).

Etymology. Species name is a Laotian girl name, Akela (noble), refering to its conspicuous appearance (larger, long-necked species). It should be treated as noun in apposition.

Distribution. China (Yunnan), Laos, Thailand.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 15. Anthelephila akela sp. nov. (holotype ♂). Profemur and tibia (12); abdominal sternum VII (13); sternite VIII, dorsal view (14); apical portion of aedeagus (15). Scale (0.5 mm): A—Fig. 12; (0.3 mm): B—Figs 13, 15, C—Fig. 14.