Theopea laosensis sp. nov.

(Figs 17 A–17C, 18)

Theopea coerulea Gressitt & Kimoto, 1963: 679 (part).

Type series. Holotype ♂ (BMNH): LAOS. Houa Phan: Ban Saleui, Phou Pane Mt., 1300–1900 m, 20°12’N 104°01’E, 3–30.IV.2014, leg. C. Holzschuh. Paratypes. 214♂♂, 3♀♀ (BMNH), same as holotype; CHINA. Guandong: 5♂♂ (NMPC), Danxia Shan (丹霞山) NP, ruderal ca. 2 km Se of Danxia vill., 25°2.2’N 113°46.0’E, 125 m, 24.IV.2013 , leg. J. Hájek & J. Růžička; Guanxi: 1♀ (TARI), Dayaoshan (大瑤山), 6.VIII.2015 ; 2♂♂ (TARI), Paiseshih (白色市), 16–19.VI.2009 , leg. Y.-F. Hsu; 1♂ (TARI), Shanglin (上林), Xiyanchachang (西燕茶 場), 3.V.2017 ; 1♀ (TARI), Yangmeiao (楊梅坳), 5.VIII.2015 ; Yunnan: 2♂♂ (TARI), Chumaqing (出馬菁), 7.V.2016 ; 1♂ (NMPC), Gaoligong Mts (高黎貢山) NNR, N of Baihualin vill. (白花林村), 1535–1830 m, 25°17.7–18.2’N 98°48.0-1’E, 6–9-VII.2016 , leg. J. Hájek & J. Růžička; 2♀♀ (USNM), same locality, 60 km W Baoshan (寶山), 1557 m, 25°18’47”N 98°47’937”E, 14.VI.2012, leg. A. Konstantinov; 1♂ (TARI), Jiangcheng (江城), 7.V.2016; 1♀ (NMPC), 6 km SSW Tengchong (騰衝市), Rehai Hot Springs (熱海溫泉), 24°56.9N 98°26.9’E, 1445 m, 22.VI.2016, leg. J. Hájek & J. Růžička; 1♀ (USNM), Nangong Shan (南貢山), Xishuangbana (西雙版納), 21°38’120”N 101°26’854”E, 1445 m, 6.VI.2012, leg. A. Konstantinov; LAOS. Boli Kham Xai: 7♀♀ (NHMB), Ban Nape (8km NE), 600 m, 18°21’N 195°08’E, 1–18.V.2001, leg. Pacholátko; 3♀♀ (NHMB), same but with “leg. V. Kubáň ”; Houa Phan: 2♂♂, 2♀♀ (EUMJ), Ban Saluei, 1400 m, 4.V.2002, leg. N. Ohbayashi; 21♂♂, 4♀♀ (NMPC), Ban Saluei+ Phou Pane Mt., 20°12–13.5’N 103°59’– 104°01’E, 1340–1870 m, 15.IV.–15.V.2008, leg. Lao collectors; 3♂♂, 2♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 10.V.–16.VI.2009, leg. M. Brancucci & local coll.; 1♂, 2♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 9–17.VI.2009, leg. M. Geiser; 1♂, 1♀ (EUMJ), Phou Pakan Mt., 1600 m, 6.V.2002, leg. N. Ohbayashi; 4♂♂, 1♀ (JBCB), Phou Pane Mt., 1350–2000 m, 20°13–15’N 104°00–02’E, 26.IV.–11.V.2001, leg. J. Bezděk; 1♂ (EUMJ), same locality, 28.IV.2002, leg. N. Ohbayashi; 1♂ (EUMJ), same but with “ 1.V.2002 ”; 9♂♂, 1♀ (NMPC), same locality, 6–18.V.2004, leg. F. & L. Kantner; 6♂♂ (JBCB), same but with “leg. J. Bezděk ”; 2♂♂ (JBCB), same locality, 15.V.2004, leg. P. Kresl; 1♂ (EUMJ), same locality, 19.V.2005, leg. T. Kurihara; 16♂♂, 4♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 17.V.–3.VI.2007, leg. V. Kubáň; 2♂♂ (NHMB), same locality, 17.V.–3.VI.2007, leg. M. Brancucci; 8♂♂, 7♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 1–16.VI.2009, leg. M. Brancucci; 2♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 1–16.VI.2009, leg. Z. Kraus; 1♂, 1♀ (NHMB), same locality, 9–16.VI.2009, leg. D. Hauck; Louangnamtha: 2♂♂, 1♀ (NHMB), Namtha+Muang Sing, 900–1200 m, 21°09’N 101°19’E, 5– 31.V.1997, leg. V. Kubáň; Xieng Khouang: 1♀ (NHMB), Phonsavan (30 km NE): Phou Sane Mt., 1400–1700 m, 19°37–8’N 103°20–1’E, 10–30.V.2009, leg. D. Hauck; 1♂, 1♀ (NHMB), same but with “leg. Z. Kraus ”; 2♂♂ (NMPC), same but with “leg. V. Kubáň ”; 1♂ (NHMB), same but with “leg. M. Geiser ”; VIETNAM. Bac Ha: 1♂, 2♀♀ (NHMB), Pa Kha (former in Ha Giang), coll. Dussault; Hoang Lien Son: 2♂♂ (NHMB), SaPa, V.1990, leg. J. Picka; 1♂ (NHMB), same locality, 6–25.V.1990, leg. O. Sausa; 1♂ (NHMB), same locality, 11–16. V. 1990, leg. J. Horák; 1♂, 3♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, VI.1990, leg. D. T. Tu; 2♀♀ (1♀ in NHMB, 1♀ in MCSN), same locality, 11–18.VI.1990, leg. A. Olexa; 1♂, 2♀♀ (NMPC), same locality, 11–19.VI.1990, leg. M. Dvořák; 1♂, 1♀ (NHMB), same locality, 25.V.–10.VI.1991, leg. K. Jendek; Vinh Phu: 1♀ (MCSN), Tam Dao, 11–13.V.1975, leg. L. Medvedev & D. Dap; 1♀ (NMPC), same locality, 3–11.V.1985, leg. J. Jelínek; 1♀ (SMNS), same locality, 28.V.–2.VI.1985; 2♂♂, 8♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 2–11.VI.1985, leg. V. Kubáň; 2♂♂ (NHMB), same locality, 3–11.VI.1985, leg. J. Strnad; 2♂♂, 3♀♀ (NMPC), same locality, 27.V.–2.VI.1986, leg. J. Macek; 1♂ (NHMB), same locality, 12–24.V.1989, leg. Pacholatko; 3♀♀ (NHMB), same locality, 5–10.VI.1989, leg. Brentlová; 1♂ (NHMB), same locality, 6–9.V.1990, leg. V. Kubáň; 1♀ (NHMB), same locality, 17–21.V.1990, leg. J. Horák; 1♂, 1♀ (SEHU), same locality, 6.VI.1993, leg. A. Tanaka.

Theopea coerulea: 1♀ (CAS): “KWANGTUNG / China, Tingwu Shan / VII [p] 3–12 [h] 1950 / L. Gressitt [p, w] // PARATYPE [p] / Theopea / coerulea [h] / Gressitt & Kimoto [p, y] // Theopea / coerulea / G&K [h] / Gressitt & Kimoto det. 1961 [p, w]”; 1♀ (NHMB): “Hoa-Binh / Tonkin occid / A. Cooman [p, w] // Museum Frey / Tuzing [p, w] // PARATYPE [p] / Theopea / coerulea [h] / Gressitt & Kimoto [p, y]”. Both paratypes of Theopea coerulea are designated as paratypes of T. laosensis sp. nov.

Description. Length 5.3–6.6 mm, width 2.0– 2.5 mm. General color (Figs 17 A–17C) metallic blue; mouth parts brown or dark brown; antennae blackish brown except two basal antennomeres; legs yellow, but apices of tibiae, and tarsi darkened. Vertex with reticulate microsculpture. Antennae filiform in males (Fig. 18A), antennomeres III–VIII slightly curved, length ratios of antennomeres I–XI 1.0: 0.3: 0.8: 1.1: 1.1: 1.1: 1.1: 1.1: 1.0: 0.9: 1.0, length to width ratios of antennomeres I–XI 3.2: 1.2: 3.1: 4.1: 4.1: 4.2: 4.3: 4.1: 3.8: 3.9: 4.8; slender in females (Fig. 18B), antennomeres III–X straight, length ratios of antennomeres I–XI 1.0: 0.4: 0.9: 1.2: 1.2: 1.1: 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 0.9: 1.1, length to width ratios of antennomeres I–XI 3.0: 1.9: 3.5: 5.0: 5.3: 5.1: 5.4: 5.5: 5.3: 5.2: 6.2. Pronotum transverse, 1.3x wider than long, disc with one pair of lateral depressions, reticulate microsculpture, and with dense, coarse punctures; lateral margin basally narrowed; apical and basal margins subtruncate. Elytra elongate and parallel-sided, 1.9x longer than wide; disc with reticulate microsculpture, dense, coarse punctures, arranged into longitudinal rows, with distinctly longitudinal ridges between longitudinal rows of punctures but weaker in males. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V in females (Fig. 18I) subtruncate, but slightly depressed near sides. Tarsomeres I of front legs swollen in males (Fig. 18J), subparallel in females (Fig. 18K). Penis (Figs 18 C–18F) slender, 8.0x longer than wide; apex rounded, with medial, shallow, narrow notch, parallel-sided; tectum extremely elongate from apical 1/10 to basal 1/3, apically narrowed; straight in lateral view, slightly curved near base; triangular sclerites small; internal sac with elongate endophallic sclerite complex, 0.6x as long as penis, composed of two sclerites, basal piece much shorter (0.4x) than apical apiece, apical sclerite apically tapering, asymmetric; dorsal sclerite with apex acute and hook-like in lateral view; ventral sclerites present. Gonocoxae (Fig. 18G) elongate, slightly broadened at apical 1/6, connected from basal 1/3 to apical 1/5; apices narrowly rounded, each gonocoxa with eight setae along outer margin from apex to apical 1/6; with one pair of short lateral processes at basal 2/5. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 18H) longitudinal and well sclerotized; disc with several long setae at sides and near apical margin, and with dense, short setae along apical margin; spiculum extremely slender. Receptacle of spermatheca (Fig. 18L) strongly swollen; pump slender and strongly curved; proximal spermathecal duct deeply inserted into receptacle, broad and short.

Variability. The apical pieces of endophallic sclerite complex are more slender in males from Vietnam, Yunnan, Guandong, and Guanxi (South China); moreover, the dorsal sclerites are straight and longer (Fig. 18D).

Diagnosis. Males of Theopea laosensis sp. nov. are similar to those of T. hainanensis sp. nov. with the symmetrical penis, shorter basal piece, and presence of ventral sclerites but former have an asymmetrical and twisted apical piece (Figs 18 C–18F) (symmetrical apical piece in T. hainanensis sp. nov. (Figs 16 B–16D)).

Etymology. The new species is named for one of the type localities.

Food plants. Unknown.

Distribution. China: Guandong, Guanxi, Yunnan; Laos, Vietnam.