Gnaptorina nigera Shi, Ren & Merkl, 2007

Ji, Bao-Yue, Guo, Tong-Yang, Gu, Mei-Chang, Ren, Guo-Dong & Li, Xiu-Min, 2024, Description of five larvae of the genus Gnaptorina Reitter, 1887 from Xizang, China (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Blaptinae), with molecular species delimitation and diagnoses, ZooKeys 1209, pp. 295-314 : 295-314

Gnaptorina nigera Shi, Ren & Merkl, 2007

Examined materials.

Larvae. 3 exx. ( MHBU): Damxung County , Xizang / 30 ° 16.05 ’ N, 90 ° 42.60 ’ E / Alt. 4480 m / 2023 - VII- 9 / Xiu-Min Li, Tong-Yang Guo leg. ; 20 exx. ( MHBU): Damxung County , Xizang / 30 ° 20.78 ’ N, 91 ° 03.58 ’ E / Alt. 4150 m / 2019 - VIII- 8 / Xiu-Min Li leg. ; 31 exx. ( MHBU): Yangbajain Township , Damxung County, Xizang / 2014 - VII- 23 / Guo-Dong Ren, Xing-Long Bai, Jun-Sheng Shan leg. ; 4 exx. ( MHBU): Damxung County , Xizang / 30 ° 32.32 ’ N, 91 ° 06.42 ’ E / Alt. 4350 m / 2019 - VIII- 9 / Xiu-Min Li leg. ; 11 exx. ( MHBU): Chamda Township , Nagarzê County, Xizang / 29 ° 00.48 ’ N, 91 ° 04.87 ’ E / Alt. 4540 m / 2019 - VIII- 8 / Xiu-Min Li leg. ; 11 exx. ( MHBU): Comai County , Xizang / 28 ° 50.92 ′ N, 91 ° 22.57 ′ E / Alt. 4490 m / 2023 - VII- 8 / Xiu-Min Li leg. ; 6 exx. ( MHBU): Daglung Township , Nagarzê County, Xizang / 28 ° 39.48 ′ N, 90 ° 28.10 ′ E / Alt. 4615 m / 2014 - VIII- 6 / Guo-Dong Ren, Xing-Long Bai, Jun-Sheng Shan leg.

Description.

Body (Fig. 3 A – C ). Larvae length 17.2–17.5 mm, width 2.1–2.5 mm. Body subcylindrical; last segment conical; body brownish yellow, shiny, body wall ossified; median line obvious on thorax dorsally; pairs of setae grow on each tergum.

Head (Fig. 3 E, D – G ). Prognathous, slightly narrower than width of prothorax; labrum transverse; apical part with six setae; anterior margin with two discal and six slender lateral marginal setae; epipharynx with sparse setae on lateral margin, with two basal spines on central area, between the basal spines with four mastoids, with six mastoids above the basal spines (Fig. 3 G ); mandible left-right unsymmetrical, membranous elevation with two setae; clypeus transverse, trapezoidal, dark brown, with two pairs of setae at apex and margin respectively (Fig. 3 D, F ). Epicranial stem Y or V-shaped; frons convex, dark brown throughout, with sparse long setae on lateral margins, with four pairs of setae at apex (a pair on anterior margin, a pair on middle margin, two pairs on posterior margin) (Fig. 3 D, F ). Ocelli evident, two parallel rows arranged transversely (Fig. 3 B ). Maxillary palpi (Fig. 3 E ) three-segmented, cylindrical, and conical at apex; I widest, II longest, I as long as III. Labial palps two-segmented, short; II conical; prementum with two setae on anterior margin, apex with two long setae, lateral sides with four or five long setae; mentum convex, hexagonal, base of mentum straight; mentum more slender than prementum, lateral margins with four or five long setae, posterior margin with four setae; submentum with six setae on mid-posterior part (three on left, three on right). Antennae three-segmented, cylindrical at apex; I longest, as wide as II; III shortest and narrowest (Fig. 3 B, D – F ).

Thorax (Fig. 3 A ). Thoracic segments parallel-sided, with transverse plicae. Pronotum and mesonotum with two pairs of elongate setae on anterior and posterior margin. Metanotum with two pairs of setae on anterior margin and a pair of setae on posterior margin. Anterior and posterior border of pronotum with brown longitudinal stripes, with pair of irregular brown spots on tergum, posterior border of mesonotum and metanotum with a brown longitudinal stripe. Pronotum longest, 2.40 × as long as mesonotum, 1.70 × as long as metanotum, mesonotum shortest.

Legs (Fig. 3 H, I ). Protarsungulus strongly sclerotised, sharp, claw-like; protarsungulus with a strong, long seta on inner side and a strong, short spine on outer side at base. Profemora and protibiae gradually narrowing towards apex; inner margin setal formula of prothoracic leg 4 (3): 6 (3): 2 (2); outer margin of tibiae with two setae; outer margin of femora with two setae; trochanter with two setae (Fig. 3 G ). Mesotarsus with a strong, long seta on inner side and a strong, short spine on outer side at base; inner margin setal formula of mesothoracic leg 3–4 (2–3): 4 (2): 2 (2); outer margin of tibiae with two spines; outer margin of femora with two spines; outer margin of trochanters with two spines. Metatarsus with two short, broad spines at base, inner margin setal formula of metathoracic leg 3 (2): 4 (2): 2 (2), outer margin of tibiae with two short spines, outer margin of femora with two spines, outer margin of trochanters with two spines. Meso- and metathoracic legs shorter than prothoracic one, meso- and metathoracic legs tarsungulus highly ossified, hooked, with dense setae (Fig. 3 I ).

Abdomen (Fig. 3 C, J – L ). Approximately 3.10 × as long as thorax; abdominal segments I – VIII subcylindrical, with transverses plicae; ventral side of abdominal segment I with six pairs of setae on each side (five pairs of setae near anterior and a pair of setae near posterior) and 14 setae on anterior margins, ventral side of abdominal segments II – VIII with three pairs of setae on anterior, middle, and posterior margin of lateral margins, respectively (Fig. 3 C ). Last segment conical, 0.91 × as long as VIII, distinctly narrower than VIII; surface of convex disc with sparse long setae in ventral view, with a row of short spines on each side (six spines on left, seven spines on right); last segment dorsally flattened; urogomphi inconspicuous and apex truncated, with two short spines (Fig. 3 J – L ).

Spiracles (Fig. 3 C ). Lateral margins of abdominal segments I – VIII and mesothorax each with a pair of spiracles, mesothoracic spiracles much larger than abdominal one, lateral margins of abdominal segments I – VIII with almost equal-sized spiracles, rounded.

Figures

Figure 3. Larva of Gnaptorina nigera Shi, Ren & Merkl, 2007 A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C habitus, ventral view D head, dorsal view E head, ventral view F head, vertex view G epipharynx H prothoracic leg I legs J pygopods, dorsal view K pygopods, ventral view L pygopods, lateral view. Scale bars: 2 mm (A – C); 1 mm (D – F, J – L); 0.5 mm (G, H, I).