Xenorthrius versicolor Gerstmeier & Eberle, 2010

Gerstmeier, Roland & Eberle, Jonas, 2010, Revision of the Indo-Australian checkered beetle genus Xenorthrius Gorham, 1892 (Coleoptera: Cleridae, Clerinae) 2584, Zootaxa 2584 (1), pp. 1-121 : 106-108

Xenorthrius versicolor Gerstmeier & Eberle, 2010 n. sp.

( Figures 61 and 71C )

Specimens examined: Holotype: Laos: Laos, Umg. Vientiane, III.–VI.1963 (♂, RGCM).

Paratypes: Laos: NE Laos, Houaphan Prov., Phu Pah (Mt.), 15–24. V. 2004, T. Mizusawa leg. ( KSCT) . Laos, Umg. Vientiane, III.–VI.1963 (2ex., ZSM, 2ex., RGCM) .

Measurements: (6 specimens measured) Average total length: 8.8mm, range: 7.9-9.6mm, average elytral length: 5.6mm, average elytral width: 2.7mm, average pronotal length: 2.4mm, average pronotal width: 2.2mm, average head width: 2.0mm.

Head: Black, cranium vested with longer yellow setae, punctation distinct, interstices one or two diameters of punctures; posterior part of clypeus black, with large punctation and a few long setae laterally, smooth centrally; ventral part dark red-brown to black, wrinkled, smooth centrally; antennae red-brown, antennomeres gradually decreasing in length from A3 towards A8, A9 to A11 forming a distinct club, A9 slightly separated from club, antennae reaching middle of pronotum when laid back; gular sutures diverging apically, gular process narrow.

Thorax: Average pronotal length:width ratio 1.1:1; pronotum black, especially laterally vested with yellowish setae, pronotal arch broad, punctation extremely fine dorsally, interstices about two diameters of punctures, lateral punctation denser, pronotum proper with coarse and dense punctation, punctation merging to longitudinal wrinkles; prosternum dark red-brown to black, smooth; mesosternum red-brown, vested with yellowish setae; metasternum yellow, vested with fine setae, punctation sparse and fine; transverse sulcus on anterior part of mesosternum and mesepisternum distinct; anterior metasternal process with two strongly sclerotized, ventrally projecting, edges; scutellum oval, distinctly darker than surrounding elytra.

Elytra: Average length:width ratio 2.1:1; basal third red, followed by a faded yellow fascia, postmedian fascia broad, black, apex yellow, subcutaneous structures visible through lighter areas, vested with short decumbent and longer erect setae, punctation relatively large, striae 1 and 2 obsolete behind basal quarter, striae 3 to 8 longer, crossing postmedian black fascia, striae 9 and 10 with slightly weaker punctation, interstices between striae one half or one diameter of punctures, interstices within striae smaller; punctation slightly rasp-like in humeral region, carinated in apical half along striae 3 to 7, especially distinct near striae 6 and 7.

Legs: Yellow, tarsal pulvilli yellowish-pale; metatibiae more or less straight, anterior and posterior face of each tibia carinate, carination red-brown, distinct, especially on metatibia.

Abdomen: Ventrites 1 to 3 red-brown, ventrites 4 to 6 yellow, punctation distinct, interstices about one diameter of punctures; male pygidium subtriangular, lateral margins strongly converging; male and female ventrite 5 slightly emarginate;male ventrite 6 with broad V-shaped emargination, lateral margins apically distinctly concave. Male genitalia (Fig: 61): Tegmen dilated apically, ventral sinus V-shaped, dorsal sinus deeper, U-shaped; spicular fork dividing into two branches after one fifth of length.

Distribution: Laos.

Seasonal occurrence: Collected from March to June.

Etymology: The specific epithet, versi-color, a Latin adjective meaning colored, refers to the colorful elytra.

Figures

FIGURE 61. Xenorthrius versicolor: (A) Tegmen in ventral view, (B) phallus in ventral view, (C) tip of aedeagus in lateral view, (D) spicular fork, (E) male pygidium, (F) male ventrite 6 and distribution map.

FIGURE 71. Habitus photographs: Xenorthrius umbratus (A), Xenorthrius umbratus var. simplicipennis (B), Xenorthrius versicolor n. sp. (C), Xenorthrius wallacei (D). Scale bars = 4mm.