Mimela vietnamensis, Prokofiev & Zorn, 2016

Prokofiev, Artem M. & Zorn, Carsten, 2016, Review of the Mimela species of the Dalat Plateau in southern Vietnam (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 66 (2), pp. 329-346 : 340-341

Mimela vietnamensis spec. nov.

( Figs 13, 14 , 58–60 )

Holotype:  “ VIETNAM, Lam Dong prov., Lac Duong distr., Bi Doup – Nui Ba Natl. Park, betw. Hon Giao & Giang Ly, DT 723, ~ 33 km E Dasar, ~ 70 km W K. Vinh, 12°10.94' N, 108°41.47' E, alt. 1500 m, at light, 30– 31.5.2012, A.M. Prokofiev leg. | [holotype label]” ( CAP).

Paratypes: 1 , 1  “S VIETNAM, 30 km NW Dalat Long Lanh v., 1400 m, 12.04.07, P. Udovichenko leg. | [paratype label]” ( CCZ). 3  « VIETNAM, Lam Dong prov., Lac Duong distr., Bi Doup – Nui Ba Natl. Park, Hon Giao Pass , 12°10'58" N, 108°42'50" E, alt. 1625 m, at light, 22– 24.4.2010 and 23– 24.4.2012, A.M. Prokofiev leg. | [paratype label]” ( CAP). 2  « VIETNAM, Lam Dong prov., Lac Duong distr., Bi Doup – Nui Ba Natl. Park, 12°06.215' N, 108°22.060' E, alt. 1686 m, at light, 27– 29.5.2012, A.M. Prokofiev leg. | [paratype label]” ( CAP) .

Description (holotype): Length 15.5 mm, greatest width 7.8 mm. Clypeus and side margins of pronotum orangish, remaining part of head and pronotum, scutellum and anteriormost discal portion of elytra sericeous olive-green, other parts of elytra, abdomen (including pygidium) and tibiae reddish; basis of pronotum, outer margin of scutellum and all sides of elytra margined by black to blackish metallic green, distal tips of all tibiae and femora blackish, tarsi blackish; sterna, coxae and femora orange-testaceous; antennae orangish with surface of club joints with fine pale granulations; pilosity pale.

Clypeus rectangular with sides almost parallel, anterior angles rounded; anterior margin straight, weakly raised, tall in frontal view. Fronto-clypeal suture distinct. Inner margin of eye bearing few quite long erect setae. Clypeus coarsely punctured, punctures becoming indistinct toward the side and anterior margins, somewhat rugose in center; frons and vertex finely punctured, punctures becoming smaller and sparser posteriad. Pronotum about 2.2 times broader than long, sides evenly rounded, somewhat concave behind anterior angles; anterior angles produced, shortly rounded, almost straight; posterior angles weakly obtuse, shortly rounded. Anterior margin of pronotum without marginal line but with a transverse impression on each side at level of eye, concave, almost straight medially; posterior margin of pronotum strongly protruding before scutellum, weakly concave in outer thirds, without marginal line. Sides of pronotum with sparse long erect hairs. Pronotum very finely and rather sparsely punctured, punctures becoming distinctly larger and coarser at sides. Scutellum very finely and unevenly punctured, subtriangular with bluntly pointed apex. Elytra finely and regularly punctured; punctate rows of elytra indistinct. Sides of elytra with marginal line which disappears in the posteriormost quarter, elytral epipleura somewhat thickened below humeral umbo, bearing rather long sparse setae along all length which are somewhat denser under apical protuberance. Pygidium convex, impressed at side margins, coarsely but not very densely and somewhat irregularly punctured with transversely extended punctures, scantily setose with moderately long hairs.

Prosternal process well-developed, plough-shaped, bluntly pointed anteriorly, with broadly rounded posteroventral angle. Mesometasternal process moderately long, somewhat curved upward and pointed. Sides of sterna finely, somewhat rugosely punctured, setose, with rather long but not dense adpressed hairs; disc of metasternum glabrous, concave. Sides of abdominal sternites not very densely setose with short adpressed hairs continuing to a transverse row of moderately long, sparse hairs along mid-line of each sternite except the last visible one, which bears a row of hairs along its posterior margin.

Protibia almost unidentate, with only barely marked basal tooth, inner spur attached at level of a trace of basal tooth; apical tooth sharply acute. Last joint of fore tarsi moderately thickened, indented just behind mid-length of its concave margin. Inner fore claw broadened, excavated at base on its ventral margin, with lobes almost parallel, lower lobe twice broader than upper at base. Outer claw of middle tarsi shortly cleft.

Aedeagus: Figs 58–60 .

Females: Length 16.0–18.0 mm, greatest width 9.0– 10.4 mm. Antennal club shorter. Clypeus punctate to rugosely punctate, density of punctures variable. Pygidium similar to that of males but somewhat more coarsely punctured. Upper sides of abdominal sternites with longer and denser pilosity than in the males. Protibia distinctly bidentate, with basal tooth weak but distinct, apical tooth of protibia much longer, broader, rounded at tip. Inner spur attached well behind basal tooth of protibia. Last joint of fore tarsi moderately thickened, indistinctly indented just behind middle of its concave margin; inner claw narrow, with lower lobe only 1.2 times broader than the upper one at base. Vaginal palpi triangular, setose.

Variations: Length (males) 15.5–17.2 mm, greatest width 7.8–10.0 mm. The elytra of the holotype are extensively suffused with reddish color whereas the paratypes are dorsally olive green, sometimes with orangish or reddish tint.

Differential diagnosis: Mimela vietnamensis is very closely related to Mimela passerinii HOPE, 1842 of which several subspecies are present through the whole Himalaya, southern China, northern Indochina and Taiwan (some of which deserve rather species status in the opinion of the authors). Mimela passerinii diana LIN, 1993 from Yunnan, northern Thailand and northern Vietnam appears to be most similar to M. vietnamensis . However, none of the taxa subsumed under M. passerinii show such weakly and shallowly punctured and shining dorsal surface as M. vietnamensis . The pilosity in M. vietnamensis is generally less dense than in Mimela passerinii . An olive color form is also present in M. passerinii diana , but not in combination with the conspicuous metallic dark green margins of elytra. The mesosternal process is shorter compared to M. passerinii diana but not as short as in M. passerinii pomonae BATES, 1890 . The parameres in M. vietnamensis are broader and shorter in lateral view compared to all M. passerinii subspecies, and the two apical extensions of the ventral plate are noticeably long and curved (compare fig. 10 in LIN (1993) and figs 73–75).

Etymology: The name of this species is derived from the country of its occurrence, Vietnam.

Figures

Figs 1–14: Mimela spp.– 1, 2 M. amphichroma spec. nov.(1 greenform,holotype; 2 violet form, paratype,male).3 M. campyloclados spec. nov., holotype. 4 M. dalatocoerulea spec. nov., holotype. 5 M. dehaani, male, Vietnam: Lamdong prov. 6 M. galbinata spec. nov., holotype. 7 M. germana spec. nov., holotype. 8 M. indosinica spec. nov., holotype. 9 M. krasava spec. nov., holotype. 10 M. langbianica spec. nov., holotype. 11 M. pacholatkoi spec. nov., holotype. 12 M. signaticollis, male, Vietnam: Nha Trang. 13, 14 M. vietnamensis spec. nov. (13. male, holotype. 14. female, paratype).

Figs 44–60: Mimela spp., aedeagi. – 44–46: M. krasava spec. nov., holotype (44 lateral view. 45 parameres, dorsal view. 46 parameres, ventral view). 47–50: M. langbianica spec. nov., holotype (47 lateral view, left side. 48 lateral view of parameres, right side. 49 dorsal view of parameres. 50 ventral view of parameres). 51–53: M. pacholatkoi spec. nov., holotype (51 lateral view. 52 parameres, dorsal view. 53 parameres, ventral view). 54 M. ohausi, Laos: Xieng Khouang prov., lateral view. 55–57: M. signaticollis, Vietnam: Nha Trang (55 lateral view. 56 parameres, dorsal view. 57 parameres, ventral view). 58–60: M. vietnamensis spec. nov., holotype (58 lateral view. 59 parameres, dorsal view. 60 parameres, ventral view). Scale bars: 1 mm.