Pseudolathra bipectinata, Assing, 2013

Assing, V., 2013, A revision of Pseudolathra of the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions. II. Six new species and additional records, with notes on some New World species, Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (1), pp. 205-227 : 205-227

Pseudolathra bipectinata nov.sp. (Figs 17-23, Map 3)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 3: " Laos, 24-29.iv.2001, Khammouan prov., 18°07'N 104°29'E, Ban Khoun Ngeun, ~ 200 m, Vít KubáĖ leg. / Holotypus 3 Pseudolathra bipectinata sp. n., det. V. Assing 2013" ( NHMB) . Paratypes: 13: "Laos-NE, Xieng Khouang prov., 19°37-8'N 103°20-1'E, 30 km NE Phonsavan: Ban Na Lam + Phou Sane Mt. , 1300-1700 m, 10.-30.v.2009, M. Geiser leg. / NHMB Basel, NMPC Prague, Laos 2009 Expedition: M. Brancucci, M. Geiser, Z. Kraus, D. Hauck, V. KubáĖ" ( NHMB) ; 233, 1♀: "Laos-N (Louangphrabang), 11-21.v.2002, 19°35'N 101°58'E, Thong Khan, ~ 750 m, Vít KubáĖ leg." ( NHMB, cAss) .

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet (Latin adjective: with two combs) alludes to the distinctive pair of combs of palisade setae at the posterior margin of the male sternite VII.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 5.5-7.0 mm; length of forebody 3.2-3.7 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 20. Coloration: body black; legs and antennae reddish.

Head (Fig. 21) transverse, 1.15-1.20 times as broad as long, broadest across eyes; posterior angles moderately marked; dorsal surface impunctate, except for a few coarse punctures near dorsal margin of eye, on frons, and at posterior margin; microsculpture absent. Eyes large and bulging, approximately twice as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Antennae approximately 2.0 mm long and slender.

Pronotum (Fig. 21) approximately 1.05 times as long as broad and about 1.05 times as broad as head; lateral margins subparallel in anterior two-thirds in dorsal view; posterior angles weakly marked; dorsal series composed of 1+5 (exceptionally 4) coarse punctures; laterad of dorsal series with few coarse punctures on either side, plus additional punctures at lateral margin.

Elytra (Fig. 21) 0.90-0.95 times as long as pronotum; humeral angles marked; dorsal surface with three series of punctures (one at suture, one along middle, and one laterally), each composed of 8-12 moderately coarse punctures. Hind wings fully developed. Metatarsomere I slightly shorter than II.

Abdomen narrower than elytra; punctation dense and coarse on tergite III, gradually becoming finer and sparser towards abdominal apex, moderately sparse and moderately fine on tergite VII; interstices glossy, microsculpture nearly obsolete, noticeable only on tergite VII; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe; posterior margin of tergite VIII strongly convex.

3: sternite VII (Figs 17-18) with broad and distinct posterior excision, posterior margin with a long comb of approximately 20 palisade setae on either side of middle, these palisade setae gradually increasing in length laterad; sternite VIII (Fig. 19) distinctly oblong, posterior excision narrow and very deep, approximately half as long as sternite; aedeagus approximately 0.93 mm long and shaped as in Figs 22-23.

Figs 20-23: Pseudolathra bipectinata nov.sp.: (20) habitus; (21) forebody; (22-23) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view. Scale bars: 20-21: 1.0 mm; 22-23: 0.5 mm.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Like P. transversiceps , P. bipectinata belongs to the P. nigerrima group (see ASSING 2012a), as can be inferred from the similar external (punctation of forebody and abdomen; broad body with a short and broad pronotum; coloration) and the similar male sexual characters. It is distinguished from the species of this group by smaller body size, the reddish legs and antennae, the distinctive shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VII, the distinctly oblong male sternite VIII with a conspicuously deep posterior excision, and by the shape of the aedeagus.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Thespecies was discovered in three localities in Laos (Map 3); the altitudes range from 200 to above 1300 m.