Phellopsis suberea Lewis

Foley, Ian A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2008, A revision of the genus Phellopsis LeConte (Coleoptera: Zopheridae), Zootaxa 1689, pp. 1-28 : 18-20

Phellopsis suberea Lewis

( Figs. 1 B, 3B, 4B, 6B, 7A, 8C)

Phellopsis suberea Lewis, 1887: 219 . Champion, 1894: 114. Lewis, 1894: 379, pl. xiii, fig. 1. Lewis, 1895: 447. Reitter, 1916: 131. Gebien, 1936: 668. Nakane, 1963: 235, pl. 118. Chûjô, 1985: 344, pl. 58. Masumoto, 1990: 87 –91. Kim et al., 1994: 176.

Phellopsis suberosus Fairmaire, 1894 : C1. (lapsus calami)

Diagnosis: The species is probably the most distinct member of the genus and is easily separated from all other Phellopsis species by the large tubercles on the apex of the head limited by a strong transverse depression ( Fig. 6 B), the presence of a narrowed gula ( Fig. 7 A), and emarginate outer margin of the suprantennal ridges ( Fig. 6 B).

Description (male): Length 14.5–22 mm. Elongate species, light to dark brown; dorsal vestiture consisting of golden scale like setae. Dorsal surface of head ( Fig. 6 B) with strong tuberculation between frons; suprantennal frontal ridges with outer margin distinctly emarginate; lateral margin of epistoma anterior to suprantennal ridge short (0.12–0.15 mm); ventral surface of head with very large tubercles, lateral profile arched; gula strongly narrowed, narrowest point apical of gular pits; subgenal ridge produced apically, rounded margin; subgenal ridge shorter, not extending below eye, eye at same level as gena.

Ligula transverse with smooth apical edge; mandible with inner tooth rounded, small tooth apical of prostheca blunt, prostheca setose only on apex not wrapping around mola, molar surface smooth; maxilla with galea, palpifer, and basistipes ruggedly sculptured; galea with secondary row of setae; palpifer with setae of several widths, twice as wide as setae on galea and lacinia; two thick setae on basistipes set in deep fossae; cardo with depressed apical margin; lateral profile of galea arched; densely setose.

Pronotum evenly tuberculate, widest apical to midline and strongly angled to narrowed base; paired elevations on apical margin of pronotum narrowly pointed and well divide along midline; lateral margin of pronotum bisinuate; hypomeron with large tubercles, intertuberculate area glabrous. Mesepisternum with irregularly shaped elongate punctures and elevations.

Elytra narrow and elongate, only slightly wider than widest portion of pronotum; scutellum rounded, scutellary striole distinct; elytral humerus sharply produced posteriorly, not rounded or flattened laterally; lateral margins of elytra appearing strongly serrate; elytral punctures variable, typically elongate, but also rounded; 3rd and 4th rows of punctures indistinct from each other at midpoint, staggered and overlapping, not forming distinct rows; ridge in 1st elytral interval slightly elevated around scutellum; ridge in 3rd interval strongly elevated and almost straight in basal third, becoming weak in middle, and terminating in large tear drop shaped tubercle; ridge in 5th interval indistinct in apical portion, originating where ridge in 3rd weakens, becoming strong and arcuate outwards, terminating in weak tubercle followed by a gap and then a large tubercle joining 5th and 7th lateral serrate ridge; paired nodules of apical declivity considerably larger than single nodule near apex. Metasternum bituberculate with small and large sized tubercles. Base of pro-tibia strongly narrowed and curved. Ventrites 1–3 obtusely ridged along midline. Tarsus with ventral setae modified as small spurs, distinctly heavier than dorsal setae.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 8 C); apical margin of basal stop with v-shaped depression medially; lateral portion of parameres with elongate depression near base; tip of median lobe laterally flattened.

FEMALE: Similar to male except lacking setose pit on the submentum.

LARVA: Unknown.

Variation: This species has been recorded from all of the large islands of Japan, and individual populations are presumed to be isolated on these islands, but no observable morphological variation between populations has been noted.

Distribution ( Fig. 1 B): All major islands of the country of Japan.

Recorded distribution: A summary of the distribution from the 58 specimens examined (AAPC, BMNH, CAS, EIHU, HNHM, NHMB, OSUC, USNM) is presented here. Complete label data may be found in Foley (2006). JAPAN: SHIKOKU: Ehime. HONSHU: Gumma, Mie, Shizuoka, Tochigi. KYŪSHŪ: Fukuoka, Ōita. HOKKAIDŌ: Sapporo.

Types: Phellopsis suberea Lewis. LECTOTYPE here designated, specimen of undetermined sex in BMNH, mounted on card. Label data:”Yuyama” written in pencil on underside of card /round red-ringed type label/ Phellopsis suberea Lewis Type / “ Japan ” underlined in yellow; G. Lewis 1910–320; Yuyama 10.V.– 14.V.81 / white card “ Lectotype ” underlined in red; Phellopsis suberea ; Lewis 1887; designated by M.A. Ivie 2005. PARALECTOTYPES here designated: 8 specimens: 6 in BMNH with same data as lectotype; 1 in BMNH labeled in pencil Sapporo/” Japan ” underlined in yellow; G. Lewis. 1910-320/Sapporo 5.VIII.– 16.VIII.1880; 1 in the HNHM, Yuyama; 10.V.–14.V.81 / Japan underlined in yellow; G. Lewis; 1910-320/ British Museum/ Suberea / Sammiuna Adr. Schuster/ Rectangle red banded Paratypus label 1887; Phellopsis suberea ; Lewis/ white card, Paralectotype underlined in red; Phellopsis suberea ; Lewis 1887; designated by M.A. Ivie 2005.

The specimen that probably correlated with that mentioned by Lewis in the original description from “Chiuzenji” was excluded from the type series because the label date did not match the data that were published. Other specimens in the BMNH bearing the Lewis “Yuyama” label were excluded from the type series because they are clearly smaller than the described length, and were pinned unlike the card mounted types, or they were collected by Lewis from localities not mentioned in the description of the species.

The incorrectly identified syntype mentioned by Lewis (1887) in the original description from Siberia and later corrected to P. amurensis ( Lewis 1895) , was not present with the rest of the Lewis material in the BMNH. If found, it would qualify for paralectotype status.

Notes: This species has been mistakenly recorded from South Korea ( Weon et al. 2000), but these records almost certainly refer to P. amurensis . The rather convoluted history of this species is covered in the taxonomic history of the genus above.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Dorsal head surface of the Asian Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis amurensis; B. P. s u b e re a; C. P. chinensis; D. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 7. Ventral head surface of Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis suberea; B. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 8. Lateral view of male parameres of Phellopsis spp. A. Phellopsis obcordata; B. P. porcata; C. P. s u b e re a; D. P. chinensis; E. P. yulongensis.

FIGURE 1. A. Map of specimen records for North American Phellopsis spp. P. p o rc a t a, green circles; P. obcordata red diamonds. B. Map of specimen records for Asian Phellopsis spp. P. yulongensis red diamonds; P. chinensis green circles; P. a m u re n s i s red cross; P. suberea green triangles.