Copelatus puzhelongi Jiang, Hájek & Jia, 2022

Jiang, Zhuo-Yin, Zhao, Shuang, Yang, Zhen-Yu, Jia, Feng-Long & Hájek, Jiří, 2022, A review of Copelatus Erichson, 1832 of Mainland China, with description of ten new species from the japonicus complex (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Zootaxa 5124 (3), pp. 251-295 : 267-268

Copelatus puzhelongi Jiang, Hájek & Jia sp. nov.

( Figs 17–18 , 53–54 )

Type locality. China, Yunnan Province, Pu’er City, Laiyanghe Nature Reserve , ca. 22°36.4′N 101°00.4′E .

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( SYSU), labelled: “ 云南Ḃ洱ǨÑ河保护区 / 2007.VII.29 / Āφ人：DZṂ AE // CHINA: Yunnan Province / Pu’er City / Laiyanghe Nature Reserve / 29.vii.2007, Fenglong Jia leg. [p] // HOLOTYPE / COPELATUS / puzhelongi sp. nov. / Jiang, Hájek & Jia det. 2021 [red label, p]” . Paratypes: 4 ♂, 4 ♀, same data as holotype ( NMPC, SYSU) ; 1 ♀, labelled: “ China: Yunnan Prov. / Nabanhe N. R. / Bengganghani / Shanshenmiao / N22.08.450 E100.35.289 [p] // Alt. 1750m / 12-XI-2008 / HU Jia-Yao & / TANG Liang leg. [p]” ( SNUC) ; 1 ♂, labelled: “ China: Yunnan Prov. / Nabanhe N. R. / Shanshenmiao / Bengganghani / alt. 1700m, 27-IV-2009 / Jia-Yao Hu & / Zi-Wei Yin leg. [p]” ( SNUC) ; 2 ♂, labelled: “ China: Yunnan Prov. / Nabanhe N. R. / Chuguohe / Bengganghani [p] // alt. 1750m, 28-IV-2009 / Jia-Yao Hu & / Zi-Wei Yin leg. [p]” ( NMPC, SNUC) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, labelled: “ CHINA: Yunnan Province / Lvchun County / Huanglianshan Reservoir / 22.8898N 102.2952E / 1717.3m, 30.iv.2021 / Z. Jiang, Z. Yang, Z. Mai & / B. Huang leg. [p]” ( SYSU) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, labelled: “NE LAOS, Hua Phan Prov. / BAN SALUEI, Phu Phan Mt. / 20°15′N 104°02′E, / 1500–2000 m, / J. Bezděk leg. 26.iv.-11.v.2001 [p]” ( NMPC) ; 2 ♂, labelled: “ LAOS –NE, Houa Phan prov. / 20°12′01-30″ N 104°00′ / 34-55″ E, 1750-1850 m, / PHOU PANE Mt. / 8.v.2008, Vít Kubáň lgt. [p]” ( NMPC) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, labelled: “LAOS-NE, Houa Phan prov. , / 20°12′01-30″N 104°00′34- / 55″E, 1750-1850m, / PHOU PANE Mt. 4.+ 10.vi. / 2009, Vít Kubáň lgt. [p]” ( NMPC) ; 1 ♂, labelled: “LAOS-NE, Xieng Khouan prov., / 19°38.20′N 103°20.20′E, / Phonsavan (30km NE), / Phou Sane Mt. , 10.-30.v.2009, / 1400-1600m, V. Kubáň leg. [p]” ( NMPC) . 1 ♂, 1 ♀ + 6 spec., labelled: “N-Vietnam – pass 8 km / NW Sa Pa , 22°21’10’’N / 103°46’01’’E, 2010 m, / second. forest, 12.VIII. / 2013, V. Assing [7b+2]” ( ZMHB) ; 1 ♂, labelled: “ Vietnam: Cao Bang Prov., Tinh / Tuc , Son Dong , Nui Pia Oac / Nature Reserve , 850-1300m, / 9-15.v.2014, 22°37′55″N / 105°52′98″E, A. Skale [p] // DNA / M. Balke / 6665 [p, green typing]” ( ZSMG) . All paratypes with the respective paratype label .

Description of male holotype. Habitus ( Fig. 17 ) oblong-oval, with continuous outline, broadest in anterior 1/3 of elytral length, slightly convex. Dorsal surface shiny.

Colouration. Head dark brown, clypeus and two oval spots on vertex orange; pronotum dark brown, laterally broadly orange, anterior and posterior margin orange translucent; elytra orange-brown, base and lateral sides indistinctly paler, orange; appendages orange; ventral side dark brown.

Head. Moderately broad, ca. 0.62× width of pronotum, semicircular. Anterior margin of clypeus indistinctly concave. Antenna with antennomeres long and slender. Reticulation consisting of moderately deeply impressed polygonal isodiametric meshes. Punctation double, consisting of coarse setigerous punctures, and fine punctures spread sparsely on surface; row of coarse punctures present alongside inner margin of eyes, several punctures present at frontal level of eyes, and antero-laterally to eyes in fronto-clypeal depressions; fine punctures smaller and sparser on clypeus, becoming larger and more dense posteriorly.

Pronotum. Transverse (width/length ratio = 2.92), broadest between posterior angles, lateral margins moderately curved. Lateral sides with beading very thin but distinct except for anterior angles. Reticulation similar to that of head. Punctation similar to that of head; rows of coarse setigerous punctures present along anterior margin, laterally close to sides, several punctures present also in shallow baso-lateral depressions along basal margin. Pronotum baso-laterally and especially laterally with several, irregularly distributed short longitudinal strioles. Centre of disc with shallowly impressed medial longitudinal groove.

Elytra. Base of elytra as broad as pronotal base; lateral margins of elytra slightly diverging in basal third, then distinctly narrowing to apex. Six discal and one submarginal longitudinal striae present on each elytron: striae 1–4 beginning at base, striae 5–6 beginning slightly posteriorly to base; stria 1 longest, ending close to apex; striae 2–5 somewhat shorter, ending subapically, even striae generally shorter than odd striae; stria 6 ending at apical fourth; submarginal stria long, beginning before elytral mid-length and ending at apical fourth. Reticulation similar to that of head and pronotum. Punctation consisting of coarse setigerous punctures and very fine sparse punctures; coarse punctures present along elytral striae and lateral margins of elytra.

Legs. Protibia modified, angled near base, distinctly broadened anteriorly, club shaped. Pro- and mesotarsomeres 1–3 distinctly broadened, with four rows of adhesive setae on their ventral side; claws simple.

Ventral side. Prosternum sinuate anteriorly, obtusely keeled medially. Prosternal process shortly lanceolate, in cross-section convex, apex obtuse; process distinctly bordered laterally; reticulation imperceptible. Metaventrite with microsculpture consisting of polygonal meshes; lateral parts of metaventrite (“metasternal wings”) tongueshaped, slender. Metacoxal lines nearly complete, absent only close to metaventrite. Metacoxal plates covered with short, longitudinal strioles and some transverse wrinkles; reticulation consisting of elongate, longitudinal and oblique polygonal meshes. Metacoxal processes rounded at posterior margin. Abdominal ventrites I–II with longitudinal strioles; ventrites III–IV with oblique strioles laterally. Tuft of setae present antero-medially on ventrites III–V; ventrite VI with setigerous punctures laterally on either side. Abdominal reticulation consisting of elongate polygonal meshes, longitudinal on ventrites I–II, oblique on ventrite III and transverse on ventrites IV–VI. Punctation consisting of fine, sparsely distributed punctures.

Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view simple, sickle-shaped; in middle part almost straight on ventral side, regularly curved to bluntly pointed apex ( Fig. 53 ). Parameres moderately broad, ‘C’-shaped; apex short and broad; apical lobes long, club-shaped ( Fig. 54 ).

Female. Identical to male in habitus. Protibia simple, not angled basally and only slightly broadened distally; pro- and mesotarsomeres not broadened, without adhesive setae. Females dimorphic; smooth form differs from male in more developed striolation presenting laterally on pronotum; striolate form matt, one female from Pu’er with long strioles on elytra except for apical fourth ( Fig. 18 ), females from Laos additionally with long strioles covering whole surface of pronotum.

Variability. All specimens of the type series are rather uniform. There is only slight variability in dorsal surface colouration – the pale base of elytra is not perceptible in some specimens and elytra are uniformly orange-brown; some specimens are somewhat darker with elytra brown. Minor variability can be seen also in number and length of strioles presenting laterally on pronotum.

Measurements. TL: 4.8–5.8 mm (mean value: 5.3 ± 0.2 mm); holotype: 5.4 mm. TL-h: 4.4–5.3 mm (mean value: 4.8 ± 0.2 mm); holotype: 4.9 mm. MW: 2.2–2.9 mm (mean value: 2.6 ± 0.1 mm); holotype: 2.7 mm.

Differential diagnosis. Based on the presence of six dorsal striae and a submarginal stria on each elytron, the new species can be classified within Copelatus irinus species group. Elongate habitus, complete elytral striation and male median lobe without distinct process place C. puzhelongi sp. nov. in the C. japonicus complex. Within the complex, the new species can be undoubtedly recognised only based on the shape of male genitalia: with the shape of simple slender arc, the median lobe of the new species is very similar to that of C. malaisei , however, the arc is shallower and in middle part almost straight on ventral side (see Figs 41 and 53 ).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to the late Dr. Zhelong Pu (SYSU), the founder of aquatic beetle taxonomy in China. The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive singular.

Distribution. This species is so far known from the border area between China (southern Yunnan) ( Fig. 82 ), Laos (Houaphanh and Xiangkhouang provinces) and Vietnam (Lao Cai province).

Figures

FIGURE 82. Map of distribution of Copelatus in China Mainland.

FIGURES 17–20. Habitus of Copelatus in China. 17. C. puzhelongi sp. nov. (holotype ♂; Pu’er, Yunnan); 18. C. puzhelongi sp. nov. (paratype ♀; Pu’er, Yunnan); 19. C. rimosus (♂; Dali, Yunnan); 20. C. rosulae (paratype ♂; Pianma, Yunnan). Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 51–62. Male genitalia of Copelatus. 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61. median lobe in lateral view; 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62. paramere. 51–52. C. parallelus (Yushuwan, Hunan); 53. C. puzhelongi sp. nov. (a. holotype, Pu’er, Yunnan; b. Huanglianshan, Yunnan; c. Houaphanh, Laos); 54. C. puzhelongi sp. nov. (holotype, Pu’er, Yunnan); 55–56. C. rimosus (Dali, Yunnan); 57. C. rosulae sp. nov. (a. holotype, Pianma, Yunnan; b. Kongshu, Yunnan); 58. C. rosulae sp. nov. (Kongshu, Yunnan); 59–60. C. sociennus (Hengqin Island, Guangdong); 61–62. C. tenebrosus (Hengqin Island, Guangdong). Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 39–50. Male genitalia of Copelatus. 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49. median lobe in lateral view; 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50. paramere. 39–40. C. japonicus (Shanghai); 41. C. malaisei (a. Gaoligongshan, Yunnan; b. Renjiafen, Yunnan); 42. C. malaisei (Renjiafen, Yunnan); 43–44. C. miaowangi sp. nov. (paratype, Liupanshui, Guizhou); 45–46. C. mopanshanensis sp. nov. (holotype, Mopanshan, Yunnan); 47–48. C. nanlingensis sp. nov. (holotype, Dadongshan, Guangdong); 49–50. C. oblitus (Macao). Scale bar 0.5 mm.