Paromalus tibetanus Zhang & Zhou

Zhang, Ye-Jun & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2007, Taxonomy of the tribe Paromalini Reitter (Coleoptera: Histeridae, Dendrophilinae) from China, Zootaxa 1544, pp. 1-40 : 34-36

Paromalus tibetanus Zhang & Zhou , n. sp.

(Figs. 192–206)

Type material. Holotype. China: Xizang: male, Linzhi town, 3100 m, dead pine, 2005. VIII.18, Jie Wu coll.; Paratypes. CHINA: Xizang: 4 males, 4 females, same data as holotype.

Description. Body length 1.81–2.04 mm, body width 1.06–1.21 mm. Body elongate, nearly cylindrical, slightly convex, black or dark brown, glossy, legs and funicles of antennae brown, clubs of antennae fulvous.

Head surface (Fig. 192) finely punctate, punctures relatively sparse, becoming larger posteriorly. Frontal stria conspicuous and complete.

Pronotum (Fig. 193) with sides arcuate and convergent anteriad, particularly in anterior 1/5; anterior margin broadly emarginate and feebly bisinuate behind head. Marginal pronotal stria complete, lateral marginal stria carinate, anterior marginal stria fine and rather close to anterior margin. Surface with punctures a little larger than those of frons, relatively dense and intermingled with fine punctures, punctures near posterior margin larger.

Scutellum not visible in dorsal view.

Elytra (Fig. 193) with sides slightly arcuate. Dorsal striae absent, only an oblique rudiment left in middle of elytral basal 1/3; oblique humeral striae feeble. Surface of elytra coarsely punctate, punctures relatively dense, becoming smaller laterally, intermingled with fine punctures; narrow band along basal margin smooth and impunctate, narrow band along apical margin finely and sparsely punctate, narrow band along elytral suture slightly elevated and with a row of fine punctures. Epipleura smooth, finely and sparsely punctate; marginal epipleural stria fine and complete; marginal elytral stria conspicuous and complete, its apical end extending along apical margin of elytra, attaining sutural angle and curved anteriad.

Propygidium (Fig. 193) with scattered punctures, similar to those of frons; narrow band along anterior margin impunctate; interspace with alutaceous microsculptures. Pygidium with punctation denser and finer than that of propygidium; pygidium of female (Fig. 194) with sparse and short riffle-like sculptures.

Prosternal lobe (Fig. 195) with anterior margin broadly rounded; marginal stria absent; surface with scattered fine punctures, sometimes denser and larger anteriorly; interspace with alutaceous microsculptures. Prosternal keel (Fig. 195) as long as prosternal lobe, lacking carinal striae; punctation similar to that of prosternal lobe. Lateral prosternal stria short and strongly carinate.

Mesoventrite (Fig. 195) with anterior margin strongly emarginated medially. Marginal mesoventral stria complete laterally, broadly and shallowly impressed, its anterior end not curved inward and posterior end connected with lateral metaventral stria. Surface sparsely and finely punctate. Transverse stria with two angles, median part of the stria a little shorter than total length of lateral parts, parallel to anterior margin, lateral parts curved. Meso-metaventral suture feeble and medially arcuate anteriad.

Intercoxal disk of metaventrite (Fig. 195) with punctures slightly oblong, coarse and dense laterally, becoming smaller and sparser medially, longitudinal median area smooth, with scattered microscopic punctures. Metaventral longitudinal suture rather feeble, but distinctly impressed near posterior margin. Lateral metaventral stria strongly carinate, impressed with coarse punctures, extending postero-laterally through anterior 2/3. Lateral disk slightly depressed, sparsely and finely punctate, interspace with alutaceous microsculptures. Post-mesocoxal stria running along posterior margin of mesocoxa, and then bending posteriad and extending rather far.

Intercoxal disk of the first visible abdominal sternum (Fig. 195) with punctures similar to those of intercoxal disk of metaventrite, sparse and large laterally, becoming sparser and finer medially. Lateral stria present in posterior 2/3, strongly carinate and impressed with coarse punctures.

Protibia (Fig. 196) dilated, its outer margin with four denticles. Outer margin of mesotibia with four spinules and apical two spinules close to each other. Metatibia slender, its outer margin with two spinules near apex.

FIGURES 192–206. Paromalus tibetanus Zhang & Zhou , n. sp. 192. Head, frontal view; 193. Pronotum, elytra and propygidium; 194. Female pygidium; 195. Prosternum, meso- and metaventrite, and the first visible abdominal sternum; 196. Protibia, dorsal view; 197–198. Aedeagus, lateral and dorsal views; 199. Apex of aedeagus, ventral view; 200–201. Male 8th tergite, dorsal and lateral views; 202–203. Male 9th and 10th tergites, lateral and dorsal views; 204–205. Male 8th sternum, ventral and lateral views; 206. Male 9th sternum, ventral view. Scale bars: 193, 195 = 0.5 mm; 192, 194, 196– 206 = 0.25 mm.

Male genitalia as in Figs. 197–206.

Remarks. This new species is very similar to P. picturatus , but in P. tibetanus the body size is smaller; the body punctation is not as coarse; the basal part of prosternal keel is conspicuously flat; the median part of the transverse stria of the mesoventrite is shorter; the meso-metaventral suture is not as distinct; and the postmesocoxal stria has rather long posterior part after the bending point.

Distribution. China (Xizang).

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the name of the type locality, Tibet (Xizang).