Serica (s. l.) babaoshanensis Zhao & Ahrens, 2023

Zhao, Ming-Zhi & Ahrens, Dirk, 2023, New species of the tribe Sericini Kirby, 1837 from China, with further updates on their taxonomy and distribution (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericinae), Zootaxa 5361 (2), pp. 181-220 : 192-194

Serica (s. l.) babaoshanensis Zhao & Ahrens , new species

( Figs 5D–E , 7C )

Type material examined. Holotype. ♂ ( SCAU), “ CHINA: Guangdong, Shaoguan , Ruyuan Co., Nanling N. R., N 24°55′32″, E 113°1′19″, 1027 m, 26–28.V.2022 (at light), lgt. Ming-Zhi Zhao et al. ”. Paratypes. 4♂♂, 11♀♀ ( CZMZ, SCAU), same data as holotype ; 1♂, 1♀ ( SCAU), “ Guangdong, Nanling Nature Reserve , 2017-V-31 ” ; 2♀♀ ( SCAU), “ Guangdong, Nanling Nature Reserve, 2016-VI-29–31 ” ; 1♂ ( SCAU), “ CHINA: Fujian, Wuyishan, Longdu Village , 27.7286977°N, 117.7136053°E, 594 m, 9.V.2023 at light, Yu-Long Zhang leg.” ; 2♂♂ ( CZMZ, SCAU), “ CHINA: Fujian, Wuyishan, Mt. Xianfengling , 1040 m, 10.V.2023 at light, Yu-Long Zhang leg.” ; 7♂♂ ( CZMZ, SCAU), “ CHINA: Fujian, Wuyishan, Mt. Xianfengling , 1040 m, 16.V.2023 at light, Yu-Long Zhang leg.” ; 1♂ ( NMPC), “ CHINA: Fujian prov. Wuyishan Mts. NNR: Sangang vill. env., 24.v.-3.vi.2018 27°45.0′N, 117°40.7′E, 720 m, river valley, wet rock along road, J. Hájek, D. Král, J. Růžička & L. Serkerka lgt.”, 4♂♂ ( NMPC), “ CHINA: Fujian prov. Wuyishan Mts. NNR, Guadun vill. env., Hájek, Král, Růžička & Serkerka leg., 25.+ 29.v.2018 / 1075- 1250 m 27°44.0-2′N, 117°38.3-7′E, tea plantation-mixed forest + bamboo” ; 3♂♂, 8♀♀ ( NMPC), “ CHINA: Fujian prov. 1.vi.2018 Wuyishan Mts. NNR: Xianfeng Mt. , 27°42.7′N, 117°39.1′E, 1185 m, mixed forest + bamboo ; at light, Hájek, Král, Růžička & Serkerka lgt.” 1♂, 1♀ ( CZMZ), “ CHINA: Guangxi, Hechi, Huanjiang, Mt. Jiuwanshan 886 m 25.200407°N, 108.602204°E 2023.V.9 Xiao-Han Ye leg.” ; 1♂, 1♀ ( CZMZ), “ CHINA: Guangxi, Jinxiu, Mt. Dayaoshan 1184 m 25.200407°N, 108.602204°E 2023.V.18 Xiao-Han Ye leg.” .

Description of the holotype. General. Body shape ovoid, strongly convex, dark brown, body including mesofemur and metacoxa with greenish toment; reddish brown labroclypeus and legs, palpi and antennae yellowish brown, shiny. Setae yellow.

Head. Labroclypeus subtrapezoidal, widest at base, ratio of maximum length/ width: 1/ 1.76; lateral margins curved and weakly convergent anteriad, anterior angle broadly rounded, anterior margin widely and strongly emarginate; margins moderately reflexed; surface flat, with scattered and irregular punctures, some punctures bearing an erect short seta; frontoclypeal suture finely incised, curved medially; smooth area anterior to eye large and flat, approximately 1.6 times as wide as long; ocular canthus moderately long and slender (1/3 of ocular diameter), with a few minute punctures each bearing a minute setae, as well as a short terminal seta. Frons flat, with moderately dense and fine punctures each bearing an oblong seta, somewhat aggregated laterally, mixed with some short, erect setae. Eyes large, ratio diameter/ interocular width: 0.58. Antenna with ten antennomeres; antennomeres 4 and 5 slightly wider than long, antennomeres 3 to 5 tend to fuse, antennomere 7 transverse and short; club with three antennomeres, 1.5 times as long as remaining antennomeres combined and straight. Mentum strongly and transversely elevated anteriorly. Labrum moderately produced, widely and shallowly concave medially.

Pronotum subtrapezoidal, widest at base; lateral margins evenly curved and strongly convergent anteriad; anterior angle weakly produced, both anterior and posterior angles rounded at tip; hypomeron carinate at base but not produced ventrally; anterior margin with a fine marginal line; surface with moderately dense and small punctures, each puncture bearing an oblong or elliptical seta, with an impunctate area at posterior two third of midline, also a smaller, rounded and impunctate area on each side, anterior and lateral margins with sparse and moderately long, erect setae.

Scutellum triangular, apex somewhat rounded, weakly longitudinally convex; basomedially and apically impunctate, otherwise with sparse, small punctures each bearing a small and oblong seta.

Elytra oval, widest shortly after middle. Striae indistinctly impressed, strial punctures dense and fine; intervals rather weakly convex, with moderately dense and small punctures each bearing a lanceolate seta, some setae randomly relatively large and upright, some irregular and large areas impunctate, including humeral and apical umbones, a single semi-erect long setae situated near base. Epipleura ending at moderately curved external apical angle of elytron, with a row of moderately dense, semi-erect long setae, and a row of minute setae appressed to lower epipleural margin; apical margin with a very fine membranous rim composed of microtrichomes.

Ventral thoracic surface. Ventral thoracic surface including metacoxae with moderately dense and small punctures each bearing a short seta, posterior half of metasternum glabrous, metacoxae evenly covering minute and recumbent setae, mesepimeron, metepisternum, metasternum laterally and metacoxa anterolaterally bearing some oblong setae. Mesosternum between mesocoxae slightly narrower than width of the mesofemur. Ratio of length of metepisternum/ metacoxa: 1/ 1.4.

Abdomen. Abdominal ventrites with moderately dense and small punctures, punctures at medial portions each bearing a short erect seta, otherwise sparsely setose, each ventrite with a transverse row of spiniform setae, penultimate ventrite bearing several moderately long setae medially, ultimate ventrite with long, erect setae at anterior margin, medially with a tuft of moderately long setae, each side of posterior margin bearing some scaly setae. Ultimate ventrite medially twice as long as penultimate one. Pygidium strongly convex, with impunctate midline, posterior margin laterally strongly reflexed; surface with moderately dense and small punctures each bearing an oblong seta, some scale-like setae on disc larger and elliptical, some moderately short to long setae laterally and somewhat aggregated preapically.

Femora. Profemur dull at dorsal third, with a row of moderately long setae near dorsal margin. Meso- and metafemur dull, two longitudinal rows of moderately dense punctures each bearing a short seta. Anterior margin of metafemur sharp, ventral posterior margin serrate at apical third, dorsal posterior margin completely serrate, a few minute to short setae situate between the latter two margins.

Tibiae. Protibia moderately long, bidentate, external teeth acute, mesial lateral margin weakly convex. Metatibia widest at apex, ratio of width/ length: 1/ 3.15; dorsal margin sharply carinate; lateral face impunctate, dorsally with two groups of spiniform setae not touching the dorsal carina, basal group shortly before middle, distal group at four fifths of metatibial length, base with several smaller setae; ventral margin serrate except for basal two fifths, with two widely distant spiniform setae, basal third with several smaller setae; medial face impunctate; apex interiorly serrate, near tarsal articulation nearly truncate.

Tarsi. Protarsomeres short, pro- and mesotarsomeres with moderately dense and minute setae ventrally. Meso- and metatarsomeres serrate ventrally. Metatarsomeres carinate dorsally and laterally, first metatarsomere as long as following two tarsomeres combined and twice as long as dorsal tibial spur. Protarsal claws asymmetric, the basal tooth of inner claw lobiform and oriented distally, slightly concave at its lower margin, the basal tooth of outer claw normally developed.

Male genitalia. Fig. 7C .

Variation. Female. Antennal club length equal to remaining antennomeres combined; eyes as large as male; protarsal claws symmetric, similar to outer protarsal claw of male.

Measurements. Length: 7.7–8.5 mm in males (holotype 8.0 mm), 7.7–8.3 mm in females; length of elytra: 5.5–5.9 mm in males (holotype 5.6 mm), 5.5–6.0 mm in females; width: 4.0– 4.4 mm in males (holotype 4.2 mm), 4.1–4.6 mm in females.

Diagnosis. Serica babaoshanensis Zhao & Ahrens , new species is very similar to S. werneri Ahrens, 2007 in both external and genital features. The left paramere of the new species is narrower, its base is at the middle produced backward, while it is not produced in S. werneri .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the name of the collecting site within Nanling, viz. Babaoshan Preserve Station in Nanling Nature Reserve (adjective in nominative singular case).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Habitus in dorsal view. A, Serica (s.l.) caiyiyiae Zhao & Ahrens, new species, holotype; B, S. (s. l.) caiyiyiae, female paratype; C, S. (s. l.) jindrai Ahrens, 2007, male (Guizhou); D, S. (s. l.) babaoshanensis Zhao & Ahrens, new species, holotype; E, S. (s. l.) babaoshanensis, female paratype (Guangdong). Scale bar = 5 mm.

FIGURE 7. Aedeagus. A, Serica (s. l.) caiyiyiae Zhao & Ahrens, new species, holotype; B, S. (s. l.) jindrai Ahrens, 2007, male (Guizhou); C, S. (s. l.) babaoshanensis Zhao & Ahrens, new species, holotype; D, S. (s. l.) zhangyaonani Zhao & Ahrens, new species, holotype; E, S. (s. l.) jicaiyanae Zhao & Ahrens, new species, holotype. a, aedeagus in left lateral view; b, parameres in dorsal view; c, aedeagus in right lateral view. Scale bar = 1 mm.