Itagonia cordiformis, Shi, Ai-Min & Ren, Guo-Dong, 2007

Shi, Ai-Min & Ren, Guo-Dong, 2007, Two new species of Itagonia Reitter (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae: Blaptini) from Tibet, China, Zootaxa 1483, pp. 33-39 : 34-36

Itagonia cordiformis sp. nov.

( Figs 1–11 , 26–27 )

Type material. Holotype: male, CHINA: Tibet, Markam, 29º38' N, 98º41' E, 3800–4000 m, 12 Jun. 2004, collected by Ai-min Shi and Yi-bin Ba ( MHBU). Paratypes: 8 males and 10 females, same data as the holotype ( MHBU).

Diagnosis. The new species resembles Itagonia mera Medvedev, 1998 , with the following differences: antennae short, when posteriorly extended, reaching posterior 1/3–1/4 of pronotum; outer margin of epipleura visible from above in anterior 2/5–1/2; upper edge of inner surface of profemur with obtuse-angled prominence near apex; ventral surface of protarsomeres 1 and 2 with small hair brushes or apical tuft of pale hairs; aedeagus slender, 4.70 times as long as wide, parameres with outer margins sinuate in basal 1/4.

Etymology. Named after the cordiform pronotum.

Description. Body black, indistinctly shining; antennae, apex of tibiae and tarsi pitchy brown.

Male ( Figs 1–8 ). Anterior margin of clypeus sinuate. Lateral margin of head with obtuse-angled shallow incision above antennal base. Outer genal margin arcuately converging to clypeal base. Vertex with fine punctures. Frontoclypeal suture distinct. Antennae ( Fig. 1 ) short, when posteriorly extended, reaching posterior 1/ 3–1/4 of pronotum. Length (width) ratio of antennomeres 2 to 11 as follows: 10 (8): 16(9): 9(9): 9(9): 9(9): 10(9): 10(13): 9(14): 9(15): 15(14).

Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ) cordiform, 1.25–1.37 (1.31, on average, n=9) times as wide as long, widest immediately before the middle, 1.72–1.89 (1.82, on average, n=9) times as wide as head. Ratio of pronotal width at anterior margin to its maximum width and width at base (n=9) 0.63: 1.00: 0.87, on average. Lateral margins of pronotum strongly arcuately protruding in anterior 2/3, sinuate in basal 1/4, weakly bordered along entire length. Anterior margin of pronotum sinuate and base straight, both not bordered. Anterior angles of pronotum obtuse, slightly protruding; posterior ones rectangular, rounded apically. Pronotal surface between lateral margins convex, punctures fine, median depression obscure. Propleura weakly concave, with longitudinal wrinkles and granules. Prosternum in front of procoxae oblique to the horizontal plane; intercoxal process of prosternum with shallow median depression, steeply sloping behind procoxae.

Elytra elongate-oval, 1.41–1.52 (1.42, on average, n=9) times as long as wide, widest before the middle, 1.12–1.24 (1.18, on average, n=9) times as wide as pronotum. Outer margin of epipleura visible from above in anterior 2/5–1/2. Elytral surface between outer margin of epipleura and sutural margin slightly convex, with fine punctures and irregular wrinkles. Epipleura surface smooth, with fine wrinkles and very sparsely granules. Visible abdominal sternites with punctures and brown setae, 1 to 3 visible abdominal sternites with longitudinal wrinkles.

Legs rather robust, length (width) ratio of pro-, meso- and metafemora 76(26): 87(22): 100(24); that of corresponding tibiae: 69(10): 71(11): 95(14). Upper edge of inner surface of profemur ( Fig. 3 ) with obtuseangled prominence near apex. Protibiae with massive upper spur at apical margin longer than protarsomere 1, lower spur narrow and pointed. Ventral surface of protarsomeres 1 and 2 with small hair brushes or apical tuft of pale hairs. Ventral surface of mesotarsomeres 1 and 2 with apical tuft of pale hairs. Metatibiae weakly incurved. Length (width) ratio of metatarsomeres 1 to 4 as follows: 24(6.5): 12(6.0): 11(6.0): 23(6.0).

Aedeagus ( Figs 4–6 ): length 2.21 mm, width 0.47 mm. Parameres 0.68 mm long and 0.34 mm wide, with outer margins sinuate in basal 1/4, and apical part regularly narrowing towards apex. Spiculum gastrale as in Fig. 7 . Apical margin of abdominal sternite 8 sinuate ( Fig. 8 ).

Female ( Figs 9–11 ). Body wider. Upper spur of protibiae long and wide, and basal part somewhat narrower than protibiae; lower spur missing. Ventral surface of pro- and mesotarsomeres without hair brushes or apical tuft of pale hairs. Ovipositor as in Figs 9–10 . Spiculum ventrale as in Fig. 11 .

Measurements. Male body length 8.9–9.8 mm, width 4.6–5.0 mm; female body length 8.7–10.5 mm, width 4.9–5.7 mm.

Distribution. China: Tibet (Markam).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 11. Itagonia cordiformis, sp. nov. 1. antenna; 2. pronotum; 3. profemur and protibiae; 4 – 5. apical part of aedeagus in dorsal and ventral views; 6. aedeagus in lateral view; 7. spiculum gastrale; 8. abdominal sternite 8 of male; 9 – 10. ovipositor in dorsal and ventral views; 11. spiculum ventrale.

FIGURES 26 – 29. 26 – 27. Itagonia cordiformis, sp. nov.: 27. male, length 9.5 mm; 28. female, length 10.1 mm; 28 – 29. I. zayica, sp. nov.: 28. male, length 11.7 mm; 29. female, length 12.8 mm.