Clinterocera velutina Xu & Qiu, 2018

Xu, Hao, Qiu, Jian-Yue & Huang, Guo-Hua, 2018, Taxonomy and natural history of the myrmecophilous genus Clinterocera Motschulsky, 1858 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) from China and adjacent regions: revision of the C. jucunda species group, Zootaxa 4531 (3), pp. 301-352 : 337-338

Clinterocera velutina Xu & Qiu , new species

( Figs. 18–19 , 34 , 52–53 , 74–75 , 124–125 , 142 , 173–174 , 180 , 210–226 )

Clinterocera davidis: Ma 2002a: 343 (Hainan, China). (misapplication of the name, nec Fairmaire 1878)

Differential diagnosis. This new species is also similar to C. davidis and C. jucunda , but the body surface heavily tomentous ( Figs. 124–125 , 173–174 ); punctures on pronotum are sparser ( Fig. 18 ); punctures on elytral disc subcircular and larger ( Fig. 19 ); tarsi are slimmer ( Fig. 34 ); parameres have a different shape ( Fig. 74 ).

Holotype (Male). General: Body length 18.4 mm; width 6.9 mm. Body black, elytra largely orange-red. Body surface with numerous setiferous punctures; setae yellow, stubble like. Body surface heavily tomentous, covered with khaki tomentum ( Fig. 124 ). Head: Clypeus apical margin raised, frons evenly convex. Surface heavily tomentous; with dense, fine, setiferous punctures; punctures elliptic behind clypeal apex, rounded in frons; setae short. Antennal scapus strongly expanded, subflabellate; exterior surface tomentous, with dense, minute punctures; interior surface with many setiferous punctures in margins, setae slender. Mouthparts: Prementum extremely expanded, scutellate; exterior surface heavily tomentous, with dense, semicircular, setiferous punctures; setae short ( Fig. 125 ). Pronotum: Subcircular, margins slightly raised; anterior margin almost straight, slightly convex in medial in dorsal view; disc with sparse, minute, rounded arcuate-striolate, setiferous punctures; punctures denser in lateral portion; setae short ( Fig. 18 ). Surface tomentous, thicker in lateral portion and posterior portion. Scutellum: Subtriangular, heavily tomentous. Surface with sparse, fine, arcuate-striolate, setiferous punctures; setae short. Elytra: Subrectangular; disc largely orange-red, juxtascutellar area and elytral declivity black. Surface with abundant to sparse, fine, subcircular arcuate-striolae, setiferous punctures, denser in elytral declivity; setae short ( Fig. 19 ). Disc without tomentum; elytral declivity with wide, thick lateral tomentous band; posthumeral and lateral tomentous spots absent ( Fig. 124 ). Metepisternum and metepimeron: Surface heavily tomentous; with dense, arcuate-striolate, setiferous punctures; setae short. Sternum: Preprosternal apophysis robust, slightly reflexed, with cluster of long setae on the apex. Metasternum covered sparse tomentum; surface with dense, arcuate-striolate punctures. Abdomen: Shallow, longitudinal groove between abdominal sternites III–V. Abdominal sternites with dense, fine, arcuate-striolate, setiferous punctures, and sparse, fine, annulate-striolate, setiferous punctures; setae short. Surface covered with tomentum, thicker on lateral portion ( Fig. 125 ). Propygidium surface heavily tomentous, with dense, setiferous punctures; setae short; terminal spiracla distinctly protruding. Pygidium: Distinctly convex. Surface heavily tomentous, with fine, round, setiferous punctures; setae short. Legs: Surface with dense, fine, sinuous striolae and arcuate, setiferous punctures; setae short. Tibiae slender. Protibia with a small, external denticle in apical portion; a blunt protrusion near middle of outer margin; apical tooth of inferior ridge elongate, blunt, curved downwards ( Fig. 34 ). Mesotibia and metatibia with a small, acute protrusion near middle of outer margin; three distinct, acute protrusions in distal portion; two spurs slender, acute ( Fig. 52 ). Coxa, trochanter, anterior side of profemora, posterior side of mesofemora and metafemora, dorsal side of tibiae with tomentum ( Fig. 125 ). Tarsi with 4 tarsomeres, slender ( Figs. 34 , 52 ); propretarsi short, acute. Parameres: Elongate, outer margins convergent in medial, distal portion slightly expanded, apex obtuse in apical view; interparameral split widened ( Figs. 74–75 ).

Allotype (female). Body length 20.3 mm; width 7.7 mm. Similar to holotype ( Fig. 173 ).

Other paratypes. Body length 19.0–21.7 mm; width 7.1–8.1 mm. Body size and shape of juxtascutellar marking with a little variation, other characters are quite stable ( Fig. 174 ).

Type material. Holotype : ♂ (HUNAU), Baishuiling , Mount Diaoluoshan Nature Reserve , Lingshui County, Hainan Island , CHINA, 260 m, Jian-Yue QIU // 3 rd instar larva in rotten wood 24.V.2014, adult emerged VII.2014. Paratypes (22♂♂, 14♀♀): CHINA: Hainan : 1♀ (Allotype, QCCC), Baishuiling , Mount Diaoluoshan Nature Reserve , Lingshui County, Hainan Island , CHINA, 260 m, Jian-Yue QIU // 3 rd instar larva in rotten wood 24.V.2014, adult emerged VII.2014 ; 17♂♂, 8♀♀ ( QCCC) , 1♂, 1♀ ( KSJC) , 1♂ ( MNHN) , 1♂ ( LQCL), Baishuiling , Mount Diaoluoshan Nature Reserve , Lingshui County, Hainan Island , CHINA, 260 m, Jian-Yue QIU / / 3 rd instar larvae in rotten wood 24.V.2014, adults emerged VII.2014 ; 1♂ ( QCCC), 17.IV.2016, Panjia , Danzhou, 220 m, Jian-Yue QIU // in ant nest ; 1♀ ( QCCC), 6.IV.2008, Dongyi Management Station , Mount Bawangling Nature Reserve, 650 m, Geng-Ping ZHU ; 1♀ ( LQCL), 25.IV.2015, Mount Jianfengling Nature Reserve , Mingfenggu , Ledong County, Lu QIU ; 1♀ ( QCCC), 10.IV.2015, Ganshixiacun , Sandao , Baoting County, Lu QIU/ / in rotten wood . 1♂ ( SYSM), 12.IV.2014, Mount Bawangling Nature Reserve , Changjiang County, Wei LIN ; 1♀ ( BMNH), Fan inst Biol Peiping / Hainan Kwangtung / Chi HO leg. / 1.IX.1934 // IOZ(E) 901084 // BMNH{E} / 2008-19 / Ming Bai // 161 // Clinterocera jucunda (Westwood) / J. Ph. Legrand det. VII-2008 .

Etymology. The species epithet comes from the Latin word for velvety in reference to the dense tomentum on the body.

Distribution. China: Hainan.

Natural history. In May 2014, several third instars, pupae and a fresh adult in cell were found in the rotten root of a large standing tree where there were large colonies of Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857) and Nylanderia ( Hymenoptera : Formicidae ) ( Figs. 211–217 ). The adults emerged two months later in the laboratory ( Figs. 224–226 ). Adults are also found under stones ( Figs. 218–219 ), and rotten wood with Crematogaster ants ( Figs. 220–223 ).

Remarks. All similar specimens from Hainan we examined are the new species C. velutina , which bear uniform character of heavily tomentous body without posthumeral and lateral tomentous spots. The record of C. davidis from Hainan in Ma (2002a) was based on a C. velutina specimen based on the two voucher specimens preserved in the IZAS, and another one from the BMNH.

Figures

FIGURE 180. Known distribution of the Clinterocera jucunda species group (inset map shows the distribution of C. heinrichi). Some records and collecting sites are not shown because there is no precise geographical information.

FIGURES 6–27. Setiferous punctures on the pronotum and elytron of Clinterocera. 6–7, Clinterocera brevifasciata new species (holotype); 8–9, C. davidis; 10–11, C. donckieri; 12–13, C. jucunda; 14–15, C. krikkeni new species (holotype); 16–17, C. nigra; 18–19, C. velutina new species (holotype); 20–21, C. vietnamensis new species (holotype); 22–23, C. yunnana; 24– 25, C. raui; 26–27, C. sinensis new species (holotype).

FIGURES 28–38. Protibia and protarsi of Clinterocera (male). 28, Clinterocera brevifasciata new species (holotype); 29, C. davidis; 30, C. donckieri; 31, C. jucunda; 32, C. krikkeni new species (holotype); 33, C. nigra; 34, C. velutina new species (holotype); 35, C. vietnamensis new species (holotype); 36, C. yunnana; 37, C. raui; 38, C. sinensis new species (holotype).

FIGURES 39–61. Metatibia and metatarsi of Clinterocera (male and female). 39. Clinterocera bicolor; 40–41, C. brevifasciata new species (holotype and paratype); 42–43, C. davidis. 44–45; C. donckieri; 46–47, C. jucunda; 48–49, C. krikkeni new species (holotype and paratype); 50–51, C. nigra; 52–53, C. velutina new species (holotype and paratype); 54– 55, C. vietnamensis new species (holotype and paratype); 56–57, C. yunnana; 58–59, C. raui; 60–61, C. sinensis new species (holotype and paratype).

FIGURES 62–83. Male genitalia of Clinterocera (apical and lateral view). 62–63, Clinterocera brevifasciata new species (holotype); 64–65, C. davidis; 66–67, C. donckieri; 68–69, C. jucunda; 70–71, C. krikkeni new species (holotype); 72–73, C. nigra; 74–75, C. velutina new species (holotype); 76–77, C. vietnamensis new species (holotype); 78–79, C. yunnana; 80–81, C. raui; 82–83, C. sinensis new species (holotype).

FIGURES 112–135. Male habitus of Clinterocera (typical form), dorsal and ventral view. 112–113, Clinterocera brevifasciata new species (holotype); 114–115, C. davidis (Fujian, China); 116–117, C. donckieri (Guizhou, China); 118–119, C. jucunda (Chiang Rai, Thailand); 120–121, C. krikkeni new species (holotype); 122–123, C. nigra (Taiwan); 124–125, C. velutina new species (holotype); 126–127, C. vietnamensis new species (holotype); 128–129, C. yunnana (Yunnan, China); 130–131, C. ishikawai (paratype); 132–133, C. raui (Hua Phan, Laos); 134–135, C. sinensis new species (holotype).

FIGURES 136–147. Male habitus of Clinterocera (typical form), oblique view. 136, Clinterocera brevifasciata new species (holotype); 137, C. davidis (Fujian, China); 138, C. donckieri (Guizhou, China); 139, C. jucunda (Chiang Rai, Thailand); 140, C. krikkeni new species (holotype); 141, C. nigra (Taiwan); 142, C. velutina new species (holotype); 143, C. vietnamensis new species (holotype); 144, C. yunnana (Yunnan, China); 145, C. ishikawai (Ryukyu, Japan, paratype); 146, C. raui (Hua Phan, Laos); 147, C. sinensis new species (holotype).

FIGURES 165–179. Habitus of Clinterocera (variation). 165–166, Clinterocera krikkeni new species (Guizhou, paratypes); 167–172, C. nigra (Taiwan, 169–171 photograph by Yi-Chia Qiu, greasy); 173–174, C. velutina new species (Hainan, China, allotype and paratype); 175, C. vietnamensis new species (Nha Trang, Vietnam, allotype); 176, C. yunnana (Yunnan, China); 177, C. yunnana (Guizhou, China); 179, C. yunnana (Hubei, China); 179, C. sinensis new species (Zhejiang, China, paratype).

FIGURES 210–217. Habitat and different stages of Clinterocera velutina new species. 210, Forest in Mount Diaoluoshan, Hainan, China (photograph by Xin-Ran Li); 211, a closer view of habitat in rotten root colonized by ants (photograph by Xin- Ran Li); 212–215, larvae, pupal cell, pupa, and adult excavated from the rotten root; 216, Anoplolepis gracilipes ant; 217, Nylanderia ant.

FIGURES 218–226. Habitat and different stages of Clinterocera velutina new species. 218–219, Adult in ant nest and Anoplolepis gracilipes ant (Mount Diaoluoshan, Hainan, China). 220–223, habitat, ant nest, adult in the ant nest, and Crematogaster ant (Danzhou, Hainan, China); 224–226, larva, pupa, and adult in artificial conditions (from Mount Diaoluoshan, Hainan, China).