Celebesa, Telnov & Ruzzier, 2024

Telnov, Dmitry & Ruzzier, Enrico, 2024, A redefinition of Gauromaia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Stenochiinae), Zootaxa 5551 (3), pp. 531-555 : 533-535

Morphological features common in Gauromaia s. str., subgenera Celebesa stat. nov. and Falsogauromaia

External morphology of the type species of their respective genera and additional material hitherto attributed to Gauromaia , Celebesa , and Falsogauromaia were evaluated (the new rank for Celebesa and new combinations for its species are made in the following subsection and mentioned here in the morphological assessment). The following morphological characters were found to be specific for each of the three taxa:

i. General appearance. Body with metallic reflection or slightly subopaque ( G. dives , G. (C.) elongata ) / body black and subopaque ( G. (F.) annulipes );

ii.i. Head: tempus. Strongly bulged ( G. dives ) / not or moderately bulged ( G. (C.) elongata ) / not bulged ( G. (F.) annulipes );

ii.ii. Head: dorsal microsculpture. Dense isodiametric microsculpture ( G. dives , G. (F.) annulipes ) / isodiametric microsculpture not present or indistinct ( G. (C.) elongata ) or present but not dense ( G. (C.) angustior );

ii.iii. Mentum ( Figs 2E , 3C , 5C ): with deep lateral fovea on each side of the convex median portion ( G. dives ) / more or less flat, without distinct foveae ( G. (C.) elongata , G. (F.) annulipes ) / more or less flat with lateral foveae, impressions or deep pits ( G. (C.) angustior , G. (C.) latipennis , G. (C.) striata ) / more or less flat, irregularly rugose ( G. (F.) annulipes );

iii.i. Pronotum: shape in dorsal view. Wider than long, sub-rectangular in dorsal view ( G. dives , G. (C.) elongata ) / approximately as long as wide, subcylindrical in dorsal view ( G. (F.) annulipes );

iii.ii. Pronotum: lateral edge in dorsal view ( Figs 2A , 3A, B , 5A ) is fully margined, margin is visible in dorsal view ( G. dives , G. (C.) elongata ) / not margined, not visible in dorsal view or partially visible in the vicinity of the base of the pronotum ( G. (F.) annulipes );

iii.iii. Pronotum: transition of pronotal disc to hypomeron ( Figs 2B , 3D , 5B ). Distinct: transition area strongly carinate ( G. dives , G. (C.) elongata ) / indistinct: transition area with weak carina ( G. (F.) annulipes );

iv. Elytra: macrosculpture ( Figs 1 , 4 , 6–10 ). Distinct rows of punctures ( G. dives , G. (F.) annulipes ) / distinct impunctured striae ( G. (C.) elongata );

v.i. Prothorax: prosternal intercoxal process ( Figs 2F , 3E , 5D ). Surpassing posterior margin of prosternum; nearly straight in lateral aspect (flattened in ventral aspect); constricted apicad ( G. dives ) / surpassing posterior margin of prosternum but not straight, step-like shaped at posterior extent of procoxal cavity in lateral view, widened apically or not ( G. (C.) elongata ) / surpassing posterior margin of procoxal cavity and prosternum ( G. dives ) or not so ( G. (C.) elongata ); convex in lateral view between procoxa, step-like shaped at posterior extent of procoxal cavity, widened apically ( G. (F.) annulipes ); with ( G. (C.) impressa , G. (C.) striata ) or without ( G. dives , G. (C.) elongata , G. (C.) angustior ) variably strong hump;

v.ii. Pterothorax: mesoventrite ( Figs 2F , 3E , 5D ). Strongly V-shapely impressed between mesocoxa to accommodate apical portion of prosternal intercoxal process ( G. dives ) / not or indistinctly impressed ( G. (C.) elongata ) / moderately impressed between mesocoxa to accommodate the apical portion of prosternal intercoxal process ( G. (F.) annulipes );

v.iii . Pterothorax: metathoracic wings. Present ( G. dives , G. (F.) annulipes ) / absent (apterous species) ( G. (C.) elongata and other G. ( Celebesa ) species);

vi.i. Abdomen: female morphological sternite IX (spiculum ventrale). Fused to morphological sternite VIII, nearly T-shaped, apical arms short ( G. dives , G. (C.) angustior (terminalia of the type species of Celebesa were not available for the study), G. (F.) annulipes );

vi.ii. Abdomen: female ovipositor ( Figs 11A–C ). Strongly elongate, coxite lobes not fused, coxite not or slightly widened apically, reinforced and sclerotized, gonostyli subterminal, not reduced ( Fig. 11 ), paraproct baculi long and slender ( G. dives , G. (C.) angustior , G. (C.) sp. (female genitalia of the type species of Celebesa were not available for the study), G. (F.) annulipes );

vii. Legs: femur. Not clavate ( G. dives , G. (C.) elongata ) / slightly clavate ( G. (F.) annulipes ).

Most of the afore assessed features of Gauromaia , Falsogauromaia and Celebesa , if not identical in all three taxa, are of dubious phylogenetic/systematic genus-rank value. Therefore, we conclude that Gauromaia and Celebesa are congeneric and propose a new status for Celebesa to become a subgenus of Gauromaia geographically restricted to the western Wallacea (Sulawesi and adjacent islands): Gauromaia subgenus Celebesa stat. nov. We also confirm the subgeneric rank of Falsogauromaia as stated by Ando (1989). See the key to the subgenera of Gauromaia below for valid distinguishing features of the subgroups.

The following new combinations are proposed for the taxa hitherto attributed to Celebesa : Gauromaia (Celebesa) angustior ( Pic, 1921) comb. nov., Gauromaia (Celebesa) elongata ( Pic, 1921) comb. nov., Gauromaia (Celebesa) impressa (Pic, 1923) comb. nov., Gauromaia (Celebesa) latipennis ( Pic, 1921) comb. nov., Gauromaia (Celebesa) purpurea ( Pic, 1921) comb. nov., Gauromaia (Celebesa) striata (Pic, 1923) comb. nov. One of these taxa is here considered junior synonym and so is invalid.

Falsogauromaia is maintained at the subgenus-rank of Gauromaia as defined by Ando (1989) despite the fact that it might represent a particular divergent lineage defined by the features iii.ii and iiii.iii.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Gauromaia (s. str.) dives Pascoe, 1866 lectotype ♂, habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Gauromaia (s. str.) dives Pascoe, 1866 lectotype ♂, adult morphology.A–Dorsal forebody; B–Lateral forebody; C– Head, dorso-lateral view; D–ditto, frontolateral view; E–Mentum and labial palps, ventral view; F–Pro-, meso-, and metathorax, ventral view [not to scale].

FIGURE 3. Gauromaia subgenus Celebesa Pic, 1921, adult morphology. A–G. (C.) sp., ♀ from Central Sulawesi Province, dorsal forebody; B–G. (C.) angustior (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., ♀ from near Battang village, South Sulawesi (DTC), dorsal forebody; C–ditto, mentum and mouthparts, ventral view; D–ditto, lateral forebody; E–Pro-, meso-, and metathorax, ventral view [not to scale].

FIGURE 4. Gauromaia (Falsogauromaia) annulipes (Pic, 1921), adult habitus. A–C–Lectotype in dorsal (A), lateral (B) and ventral (C) view; D–F–Paralectotype in dorsal (D), lateral (E) and ventral (F) view [images courtesy Christophe Rivier, MNHN].

FIGURE 5. Gauromaia (Falsogauromaia) annulipes (Pic, 1921), adult morphology, specimen from Crocker Range, Sabah (BMNH). A–Dorsal forebody; B–Lateral forebody; C–Mentum and mouthparts, ventral view; D–Pro- and mesothorax, ventral view [not to scale].

FIGURE 6. Gauromaia (Celebesa) angustior (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., adult habitus. A–C–Lectotype in dorsal (A), lateral (B) and ventral (C) view; D–F–Paralectotype No 1 in dorsal (D), lateral (E) and ventral (F) view [images courtesy Christophe Rivier, MNHN].

FIGURE 7. Gauromaia (Celebesa) angustior (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., adult habitus. A–Paralectotype No 2, habitus, dorsal view; B–Paralectotype No 3, habitus, dorsal view; C–E–G. (C.) purpurea (Pic, 1921), syn. nov. of G. (C.) angustior, lectotype, dorsal (C), lateral (D) and ventral (E) view [images courtesy Christophe Rivier, MNHN].

FIGURE 8. Gauromaia (Celebesa) angustior (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., dorsal habitus, specimens from near Battang village, South Sulawesi (DTC).

FIGURE 9. Gauromaia subgenus Celebesa Pic, 1921, adult morphology. A–C–G. (C.) elongata (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., lectotype in dorsal (A), lateral (B) and ventral (C) view; D–F–G. (C.) impressa (Pic, 1923) comb. nov., syntype in dorsal (D), lateral (E) and ventral (F) view [images courtesy Christophe Rivier, MNHN].

FIGURE 10. Gauromaia subgenus Celebesa Pic, 1921, adult morphology. A–C–G. (C.) latipennis (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., syntype in dorsal (A), lateral (B) and ventral (C) view; D–F–G. (C.) striata (Pic, 1923) comb. nov., syntype in dorsal (D), lateral (E) and ventral (F) view [images courtesy Christophe Rivier, MNHN].

FIGURE 11. Gauromaia Pascoe, 1866 species, genitalia.A–G.(s. str.) dives Pascoe, 1866, ♀ from Sumatra (BMNH), ovipositor, entire view and apex (magnified); B–G. (Celebesa) sp., ♀ from Tambusigi, Central Sulawesi (BMNH), ovipositor, entire view and apex (magnified); C–G. (Falsogauromaia) annulipes (Pic, 1921), ♀ from Crocker Range, Sabah (BMNH), ovipositor, entire view and apex (magnified); D–G. (Celebesa) angustior (Pic, 1921) comb. nov., ♀ from near Battang village, South Sulawesi (DTC), aedeagus in ventral, lateral and dorsal view [not to scale]. Abbreviations:A1–Gonostylus; A2–Coxite lobe 4; A3–Coxite lobe 3; A4–Coxite lobe 2; A5–Coxite; A6–Paraproct and a connecting membrane; B1–Gonostylus; B2–Coxite lobe 4; B3– Coxite lobe 3; B4–Coxite lobe 2; B5–Coxite lobe 1; B6–Paraproct and a connecting membrane; C1–Gonostylus; C2–Coxite lobe 4; C3–Coxite lobe 3; C4–Coxite lobe 2; C5–Coxite lobe 1; C6–Paraproct and a connecting membrane.