Kuatunia matthiasi Tshernyshev, 2015

Tshernyshev, Sergei E., 2015, A new species of soft-winged flower beetles of the genus Kuatunia Evers, 1945 – 48 (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Malachiidae) from Nepal, Zootaxa 3941 (2), pp. 255-260 : 255-257

Kuatunia matthiasi Tshernyshev, 2015 sp. n.

( Figs. 1–8 )

Type material. Holotype, male: NEPAL: “Seti Province, Bajura District, 19 km W Simikot, Kuwadi Khola, h~ 3500 m a.s.l., 29°53'14˝N–81°38'40˝E, riverbank, coniferous-birch forest, 04–05.VII.2001, A. Kopetz leg.”—printed label on white paper ( NMEG), “ Holotypus Kuatunia matthiasi Tshernyshev , sp.n. ”—printed label on red paper. Paratypes, Nepal: “Karnali zone, Khari Lagna, 35–3700 m, N-Jumla, 23/24.6, 4.7.95, lg. Ahrens & Pommeranz”— 1 ♂ ( NMEG); “Karnali zone, Chauta Sinja, Khola, 26–2800 m, 25.6.95, lg. Ahrens & Pommeranz”—1 ♀ ( NMEG); “Karnali/Humla, 13 km S Simkot, NE Malikasthan 38–3400 m, 29°51'N, 81°51'E; 08.VII.2001, leg. A. Weigel, KL, coniferous-oak-forest”—1 ♀ ( NMEG); “Prov. Karnali, distr. Jumla, N Khari Lagna, Bachtal, 3280 m NN; 29°22'14˝N, 82°09'17˝E; 21.VI.1999, leg. A. Weigel, KL/KF”—2 ♀ (SCH), 1 ♀ ( NMEG); “ 35–3200 m, 10 km NNW Jumla, Bachtal N Khari La, 29°22'N, 82°09'E, 20.VI.1999, leg. A. Weigel, KL/KF”— 1 ♂ (SCH); “ 3280 m, ü.NN 12 km N Jumla, Bachtal N Khari La, 29°29'14˝N, 82°09'17˝E, 21.VI.1999, leg. A. Weigel, KL/KF”— 1 ♂ ( NMEG); Distr.Jumla Talphi, NE, Maharigaun, 3300 m, 20.VI.1997, leg. A. Weigel, GSB”—1 ♀ ( NMEG), Distr.Jumla Rimi-Chaurikot, 2350 m NN - 2800 m NN, 05.VI.1997, leg. A. Kopetz, #11”—1 ♀ ( NMEG); “P: Gandaki; D: Gorkha, Prok Bazar, W, env., 3280 m, ü.NN 12 km N Jumla, Bachtal N Khari La, 28°31'19˝N, 84°50'07˝E, 21.VI.1999, leg. A. Weigel, KL/KF”— 1 ♂ ( NMEG).

Description. Male. Body elongate, parallel.

Head black but the clypeus distal margin narrowly yellow. Antennae dark, with ventral sides of segments 1–3 yellow. Pronotum entirely yellow. Scutellum black; elytra completely black. Body underside dark with partly yellow prothorax; legs yellow except tarsi—which are black, basal half of femora, coxae and trochanters, all dark (but the intermediate and posterior trochanters, yellow). Surface evenly covered with dense, fine, depressed and pale pubescence, lacking erect dark setae. Vesicles yellow; thoracic mesepimera black.

Head narrower than pronotum, eyes protruding, small, front slightly impressed; genae short and straight; clypeus narrow, transverse, straight; labrum short, transverse; palpi simple with cylindrical apical segment; head surface bright, sparsely and finely punctured, lacking microsculpture, covered with dense, long and depressed pubescence.

Antennae filiform, 1.7 mm long, reaching the elytral middle; 1st segment long, clubbed, 2nd–4th triangular; all remaining cylindrical, 11th longer than 10th and 1.5 times shorter than 1st, evenly sinuate at apex; antennal surface evenly covered with short, pale, erect pubescence.

Pronotum transverse, anterior margin strongly convex; posterior straight; lateral sides sinuate before the middle, anterior angles evenly rounded; surface densely punctured, with indistinct microsculpture, bright, with fine depressed pale pubescence.

Scutellum small, rectangular, transverse, almost completely hidden below pronotum, densely punctured and covered with sparse pubescence, bright.

Elytra elongate, subparallel, very slightly widened posteriorly, at base somewhat wider than pronotum; humeri distinct (not protruding); apices sinuate and stretched, showing dorsally an elaborate structure wich includes a lamellar, pellucid appendage close and above the suture ( Figs 2, 3 ); surface moderately-bright, densely punctured, with indistinct microsculpture, covered with dense, short, fine and depressed pubescence.

Wings normally developed.

Legs moderate in length, thin and elongate; posterior femora not reaching elytral apices; tibiae thin, straight; femora slightly compressed, posterior ones slightly curved, showing a narrow longitudinal carina along tibia not reaching the base; all tarsi narrow, 2nd segment in anterior tarsi fitted with a small comb expanding over the 3rd; claw-segment longer than all others, 1.5 times longer than 1st in anterior and posterior tarsi, as long as 1st and 2nd taken together in intermediate ones; claws narrow and sharp, slightly elongate, with a very small basal membrane.

Body ventral surface densely punctured, with distinct microsculpture, evenly covered with thin, depressed pubescence; apical tergite of the pygidium wide, elongate, evenly sinuate just behind the base, evenly rounded and slightly emarginated on distal side; its maximum width is slightly behind the base ( Fig. 4 ); apical sternite wide, transversal, showing apically a deep notch in the middle ( Fig. 5 ); median lobe simple, elongate, very narrow and dorsally curved, with a small lamella, internal sac free from spines or denticles ( Fig. 7 ); tegmen elongate, wide at base and with parameres apices extended in length ( Fig. 6 ).

Length 2.9 mm, width (at elytral base) 0.9 mm.

Female. Differs from male by somewhat shorter and slender antennae, absence of comb in anterior tarsi, elytra more strongly widened posteriorly; length 2.9 mm, width (at elytral base) 0.9 mm.

Etymology. This species name recalls Dr. Matthias Hartmann, director of the Natural History Museum of Erfurt, Germany, enthusiastic coordinator of the expedition to Nepal.

Habitat. Beetles were collected on the banks of river near a coniferous-birch mixed forest. Kuatunia wolongensis Tshernyshev was also found on a tree in the same forest, probably suggesting that at least some Kuatunia species mainly live in forested areas. On the other hand many species belonging to several genera in the tribe Ebaeini are often found on vegetation near small rivers and the present finding confirms this same habitat for some Kuatunia also.

Distribution. Nepal, Seti Province ( Fig. 8 , circle).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution map for Kuatunia matthiasi Tshernyshev, 2015 sp. n. (circle).

FIGURES 1 – 7. Kuatunia matthiasi Tshernyshev, 2015 sp. n., holotype, male, habitus (1); apices of elytra (2); apex of right elytra (3); apical tergite (4); apical sternite (5); tegmen (6); aedeagus, lateral (7). Scale bar 0.5 mm.