Asiopsectra luculenta, Alexey V. Kovaleva & Alexander G. Kirejtshuk, 2016

Alexey V. Kovaleva & Alexander G. Kirejtshuk, 2016, siopsectra gen. n., a second genus of the family Brachypsectridae (Coleoptera, Elateroidea) from the Palaearctic Region, Insect Systematics & Evolution 47, pp. 195-208 : 200-202

Asiopsectra luculenta sp. n. ( Figs 1–7 , 16 )

Holotyp e, ♂ with labels “ IRAN, prov. Fars, Zagros, 5 km above Thangebolhayat (to Shiraz), 1750 m, 6–7.x.2002, leg. P. Gyulai & A. Garai” ( HNHM). The left mid leg of the holotype is lost.

Diagnosis

This new species differs from the second congener (below) in the smaller body size, the much larger eyes making the head wider than the anterior prothoracic foramen, the smaller mandibular sinuses, the less transverse pronotum with less projecting and rounded posterior angles, the shorter elytra with coarser sculpture and with the less raised longitudinal costae. The male genitalia of this new species ( Fig. 16 ) are rather similar to those in another congener ( Fig. 19 ) and differences in this organ between both species can be defined after a further study of additional material.

Description

Body length 5.30 mm, width 2.25 mm.

Head and pronotum dull, elytra slightly shiny; body colouration brownish black, antennae dark brown; femora brown with lighter apices; tibiae, tarsi and mouthparts brownish yellow. Dorsum with subuniform short, semirecumbent, inconspicuous brownish hairs. Underside with fine recumbent brownish hairs.

Head large, about 1.1 times as wide as distance between anterior angles of pronotum. Eyes very large, globular ( Figs 3, 4 ). Supra-antennal carinae sharp, nearly contiguous from frontal view, slightly concave above antennal insertions from dorsal view. Mandibular sinuses moderately large.

Pronotum transverse, about 1.65 times as wide as long along middle, trapezoidal, narrowing anteriorly, posterior angles rounded at apex, distance between them 1.8 times that between anterior angles; disc moderately convex and with pair of nearly indistinct paramedial impressions in anterior half and with scarcely conspicuous median impression.

Elytra about 1.65 times as long as wide combined behind middle, and about 3.2 times as long as pronotum; humeri well expressed, sides behind them gently arcuate to apices; sutural edges slightly emarginate; disc subflattened, with irregular rows of “window” punctures of different size and two more or less expressed longitudinal costae on disc (?odd-numbered interstriae). Elytral integument very rough due to deep irregular and partly confluent depressions bearing oval “window” punctures in bottom of depressions, convex interspaces between punctures more or less obliterated and somewhat shiny.

Abdomen convex; last abdominal ventrite with small, transverse patch of dense, dark excretory hairs in median part before broadly rounded apical edge ( Fig. 7 ).

Aedeagus as in Fig. 16 .

Etymology

The epithet of the new species in Latin means “striking”, “distinguished”, “excellent”.

Figures

Figs 1 – 7 Asiopsectra luculenta gen. et sp. n., holotype. (1) Body, dorsal view (wp, “ window ” punctures). (2) Outline of body. (3) Head, frontal view. (4) Head, frontolateral view. (5) Apex of antenna with needlelike setae on lamellae, ventral view. (6) Antenna, lateral view. (7) Abdominal apex, ventral view. Length of specimen 5.3 mm. This figure is published in colour in the online edition of this journal, which can be accessed via http: // booksandjournals. brillonline. com / content / journals / 1876312 x.

Figs 16 – 22 Brachypsectridae, male genitalia and pregenital sclerites. (16) Asiopsectra luculenta gen. et sp. n., aedeagus. (17 – 19) Asiopsectra mirifica gen. et sp. n.: (17) sternite 8; (18) sternite 9 with tergite 9 (or 9 + 10); (19) aedeagus. (20 – 22) Brachypsectra fulva LeConte, 1874: (20) sternite 8; (21) sternite 9 with base of tergite 9; (22) tergites 9 and 10. Abbreviations: S 9, sternite 9; T 9, tergite 9; T 10, tergite 10. Scale bars: a, 0.5 mm for figs 16 – 19; b, 0.5 mm for figs 20 – 22.