Lacunipotamon purpureum, Ng & Tan & Ngo, 2023

Ng, Peter K. L., Tan, Zhi Wan & Ngo, Van Tri, 2023, Fig. 20 in Lanternflies (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) of Taiwan., Zoological Studies 62 (20), pp. 1-58 : 4-5

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.6620/ZS.2023.62-20
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7141221D-B10C-FFCE-FCB3-39D56A1BFE95
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Lacunipotamon purpureum
status

Treatment

Lacunipotamon yuanshi Huang, Shih & Ahyong, 2020 View in CoL ( Figs. 3–6 View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig )

Lacunipotamon yuanshi Huang, Shih & Ahyong, 2020: 1365 View in CoL , figs. 1–3, 7A, B, 9A.

Material examined: Paratypes: 1 male (27.6 × 21.4 mm), 1 female (24.4 × 19.5 mm) ( ZRC 2018.1185), mud hole next to small hillstream, Malipo County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, ca. 23.13°N 104.70°E, China, 1000 m asl, coll. M.-F. Long, May 2018.

Diagnosis: Carapace transversely ovate, wider than long; dorsal surface gently convex with median part appearing almost flat in frontal view; lateral part of postorbital crista low but pronounced, forming rounded with lateral margin but no epibranchial tooth visible in males, forming distinct angular tooth in females; epistomal median lobe well-developed, broadly triangular, extending well beyond lateral margins; suborbital and subhepatic regions smooth, pterygostomial region sometimes with some low rugae; adult major chela with distinctly curved fingers that form wide gape when closed; groove between male thoracic sternites 3 and 4 very deep, distinct; anterior male thoracic sternites relatively flat, sternite 4 forming gently curved structure with sternite 5; male pleon triangular; G1 relatively long, slender, proximal part of outer margin of subterminal segment gently sinuous, terminal segment with almost symmetrical, subovate flap, distal part short, almost straight, tip very wide, rounded; vulva large, occupying about two-thirds space of sternite 6, low, barely visible vulvar cover on outer margin.

Colour: Adults have the carapace and chelipeds generally bright orange to red with purplish brown ambulatory legs (cf. Huang et al. 2020: fig. 9A).

Remarks: Lacunipotamon yuanshi is unusual among congeners in three characters. Firstly, there appears to be marked sexual dimorphism in the form of the carapace. Males have no trace of an epibranchial tooth or tubercle, the surface there being smooth ( Fig. 3A, B View Fig ) but in the females, the lateral part of the postorbital cristae and anterolateral margin form a distinct and relatively sharp angle that is like a tooth ( Fig. 6A, B View Fig ). Secondly, the epistomal median lobe is proportionately more broadly triangular with a rounded tip in shape and appears to be more confluent with the lateral parts ( Fig. 3D, E View Fig ). Thirdly, the grooves separating male thoracic sternites 3 and 4 are very deep, meeting medially ( Fig. 4A, B View Fig ). This contrasts to all other species except L. purpureum n. sp., where the two sternites are separated by shallow grooves, sometimes only just visible. Comparisons with its closest congener L. purpureum are addressed in the remarks section for the latter species (see later).