Pericalus (s. str.) obtusipennis Fedorenko, 2017

Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2018, Revision of genus Pericalus from China, with descriptions of four new species (Carabidae, Lebiini, Pericalina), ZooKeys 758, pp. 19-54 : 37-39

Pericalus (s. str.) obtusipennis Fedorenko, 2017 Figs 15, 27, 35, 49, 50, 60

Fedorenko 2017: 308 (type locality: Vietnam [Lao Cai]; holotype in ZMMU).

Material examined

(7 ex.). 1 male (IZAS), "China, Yunnan prov., Nujiang, Lushui county, Pianma town, Gangfang vill., Xiaobadi; 2051 m, 2015.VI.9, light trap, Yang X.D. lgt."; 2 males (IZAS), "China, Yunnan prov., Lushui county, Pianma township, 1900m". 1 male (IZAS), "CHINA, Yunnan Prov., Lushui Co., Pianma, Ganheluo, riverside, 26.06210N, 98.61966E, 2100 m, 2005.V.13 day, Liang H.B. collector". 1 male (IZAS), "CHINA, Yunnan Prov., Tengchong Co., Wuhe, Zhengding Forest station, 24.85458N, 98.73743E "; 1828 m, 2005.V.26 N, Liang H.B. collector". 1 female (IZAS), "CHINA, Yunnan Prov., Longling Co., Longjiang, Xiaoheishan, riverside, 24.82888N, 98.76001E, 2020 m, 2005.V.26 N, Kavanaugh D. collector". 1 female (IZAS), "Yunnan, Yingjiang county, Famuchang, 1770 m, 1980.IV.16, Li Hongxing leg".

Diagnosis.

Medium body size, length 8.8-10.8 mm; dorsal surface black, elytra with faint cupreous hue; anterior patch zigzag, three to five intervals in width; when widest, occupying the third to seventh intervals; posterior patch separated, composed of four small spots, in intervals 2-3, 4-5, 6, and 7-8 respectively. Pronotum transverse, PW/PL 1.55-1.60; lateral margins sinuate before posterior angles; disc with very fine wrinkles. Elytra flat; apex slightly curved; outer apical angles rounded; sutural angles blunt; third interval with three setigerous pores, the middle one at approximately anterior three-fifth; eighth and ninth intervals with sparse fine setae. Median lobe of aedeagus strongly dilated, total length / greatest width approximately 3.7 (Fig. 35).

Comparison.

This species is most similar with P. obscuratus sp. n. in the genus. For comparisons between them, see Comparison section of that new species. Pericalus obtusipennis is also very similar to P. distinctus from India and Myanmar. Detailed discussions on these two species are provided below.

Pericalus obtusipennis might be confused with P. ornatus or P. acutidens due to their similar elytra pattern and sympatric distribution. But P. obtusipennis is different from the latter two species in several external characters: (1) elytral outer apical angles rounded in P. obtusipennis ; acuminate, acute or obtuse in other two species; (2) elytral anterior patch zigzag in P. obtusipennis , always very narrow and strongly transverse (similar to that in P. acutidens ); but rounded or nearly rounded in P. ornatus , rarely somewhat zigzag, but wider; (3) in P. obtusipennis , elytral posterior patches always with a separate small spot on the sixth interval, placed much beyond to that in the fourth and fifth intervals (Fig. 15); in the other two species, spot in sixth interval usually absent (Figs 9, 10); if present, adjacent to the larger spot in the fourth and fifth interval (Figs 11, 12); (4) all three species with very faint metallic hue on elytra, but cupreous in P. obtusipennis and cyan in the other two species. Moreover, P. obtusipennis has the median lobe of the aedeagus strongly dilated, very different from those of all other known species.

From the elytral pattern and outer angle, P. obtusipennis is also similar to P. amplus with which it is sympatric with in Yunnan and N. Vietnam. These two species can be distinguished by: (1) P. obtusipennis with three setigerous pores in elytral third interval; P. amplus with four pores; (2) wrinkles along inner margin of eyes a little coarser and sparser in P. obtusipennis , with 7-8 wrinkles on each side; a little finer and denser in P. amplus , with 9-10 wrinkles on each side; (3) elytra a little more convex in P. amplus ; (4) male genitalia very different (Figs 35, 40).

Supplemental description.

Male genitalia (Fig. 35). Median lobe of aedeagus rather stout, total length / greatest width approximately 3.7 (in lateral view), strongly dilated after basal bend, and abruptly narrowed before apical lamella; ventral margin nearly straight in the middle, dorsal margin evenly curved; apical orifice large, reaching one third length of the median lobe, opened to the left; apical lamella small, digitiform, length approximately 1.5 times as basal width; endophallus with fine scales all through length, without spines. Female genitalia. Internal reproductive system (Fig. 50): spermatheca pedunculate, inserted on the joint of common oviduct and bursa copulatrix; spermathecal body fusiform, longer than the pedicel; spermathecal gland inserted on the joint of spermathecal pedicel, apex shortly dilated. Gonocoxite 2 of ovipositor (Fig. 49) scimitar-shaped, abruptly bent to the outer side at apical fourth; length approximately six times as basal width; outer margin with four dorsolateral ensiform setae, the basal one much finer than the other three; inner margin with one doromedial ensiform seta near apex.

Distribution.

Vietnam (Lao Cai), China (Yunnan) (Fig. 60). This species is sympatric with P. acutidens sp. n. in west Yunnan, but seems to prefer a higher elevation (1700-2000 m) and is much rarer.

Remarks.

The little known species P. distinctus Dupuis, recorded from India and Myanmar, is very similar to P. obtusipennis . From the very brief original description ( Dupuis 1913) and comments added later ( Andrewes 1937), diagnostic characters of P. distinctus can be summarized as follows: elytral outer apical angles rounded or obtuse; elytral anterior patch composed of a transverse band, in intervals third to sixth, slightly obliquely backwards on each side; posterior patch similar to that of P. ornatus ; third interval with three setigerous pores; legs and antennae pale reddish brown, much lighter than P. ornatus . Most of these characters agree with those of P. obtusipennis , except for pale legs and antennae. We did not examine any confirmed material of P. distinctus in the present study and cannot compare it with P. obtusipennis further. But, with the very distinctive male genitalia, our examined specimens from Yunnan can be readily identified as P. obtusipennis .