Salsolaius, Liu & Ślipiński & Pang, 2021

Liu, Zhenhua, Ślipiński, Adam & Pang, Hong, 2021, Salsolaius gen. nov. a new genus of Apalochrini (Coleoptera, Melyridae, Malachiinae) from the salt Lake Way of Western Australia, Zootaxa 5082 (4), pp. 393-400 : 394-396

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5082.4.7

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:18871D70-6B64-4BAD-A3C8-CEE444153497

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5792843

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A82EE031-DB15-408E-80C3-0F96C4CA880C

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:A82EE031-DB15-408E-80C3-0F96C4CA880C

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Salsolaius
status

gen. nov.

Salsolaius gen. nov.

( Figs 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A82EE031-DB15-408E-80C3-0F96C4CA880C

Type species. Salsolaius biserratus sp. nov., by the present designation.

Etymology. The genus name is a combination of the Latin prefix “ Salsus ” meaning salty combined with genus name “ Laius ”, referring to the unusual habitat of this new genus.

Diagnosis. This genus can be easily recognized from the all other genera of Apalochrini by biserrate antennae in both male and female, highly reduced vesicles on thorax and abdomen and distinctly exposed pygidium from above.

Description. Body ( Figs 1A–1G View FIGURE 1 ) relatively flattened, nearly parallel-sided; vestiture of short whitish setae.

Head prognathous; median occipital carina present, extending to middle of frons ( Figs 1A, 1E View FIGURE 1 ); frons slightly depressed anteriorly, with pair of small pits ( Figs 1D, 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Eyes medium-sized, finely facetted and slightly protruding. Antennae dorsally and anteriorly inserted on frons. Clypeus of very short sclerotized postclypeus and trapezoid membranous anteclypeus. Labrum transverse and sub-rectangular. Antenna ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ) 11-segmented, scape elongated and subtriangular, pedicel very short and almost invisible; antennomere 3–11 asymmetrically biserrate and densely covered by short sensorial setae, antennomere 3 elongated. Mandibles ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ) bidentate apically, incisor edge smooth; mola absent, of membranous appendages. Maxilla ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ) with slender palps, terminal palpomere elongated and cylindrical; galea and lacinia subequal in length, covered by dense short setae anteriorly. Labium ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ) with 3-segmented labial palps, terminal palpomere conical; ligula rounded apically. Gular sutures short and widely separated.

Prothorax ( Figs 1A, 1E View FIGURE 1 ) weakly transverse; anterior side pronounced in the middle and slightly hollowed near anterior angles, so the angles look acute and slightly prominent. lateral and posterior edges slightly expanded, with narrow and transparent flanges; dorsal surface slightly convex, covered by dense and short whitish setae. Prosternum very short, prosternal process highly reduced. Procoxal cavities contiguous; procoxae large and distinctly projecting, protrochantins exposed. Vesicles pale yellow. Scutellum sub-trapezoidal, with posterior margin rounded.

Elytra ( Figs 1A, 1E View FIGURE 1 ) nearly parallel-sided, rounded apically, lateral margins slightly constricted at about apical third, inner suture marginated and elevate, each elytron with two weak longitudinal carinae, parallel to suture; dorsal surfaces without distinct punctuation, covered by dense and short yellowish setae. Hindwings well developed. Mesoventrite and mesanepisternum fused and transverse, mesepimeron sub-triangular, yellow with black-brown anterior side ( Figs 1B, 1G View FIGURE 1 ). Mesocoxal cavities contiguous, laterally open to mesepimeron; mesocoxae elongated and large, mesotrochantins exposed. Metaventrite transverse and slightly swollen, discrimen complete; metanepisternum large and subtriangular, metepimeron exposed posteriorly from ventral side, not extending to lateral edge of metacoxae. Metacoxae large and sub-triangular, gradually narrowing to lateral. Legs with femora slightly enlarged, tibiae slender and slightly curved. Tarsal formula 5-5-5; fore tarsomere 2 ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ) in male strongly prolonged over next two segments, bearing black combs along apical and outer edges, tarsomeres 1 and 3 slightly elongate with the former segment slightly bilobed, tarsomere 4 shortened; mid and hind tarsi elongate, with basal 4 segments sub-equal in length, tarsomere 5 longest, claws long and thin, with small denticle at base; tarsomeres shortened and compact in female, with tarsomere 1 elongate, 2nd–4th tarsomeres compressed and equal in length, claws shorter.

Abdomen with 7 freely articulated ventrites, with last three segments exposed from dorsal side; ventrite 1(sternite II) divided by metacoxae, partly visible laterally; ventrites 2–6 transverse and sub-equal in length; ventrite 7 (sternite VIII) and tergite VIII modified in male, simple in female. Spiculum gastrale ( Fig. 2I View FIGURE 2 ) sheath-shaped, broad anteriorly and with pair of long struts posteriorly. Tegmen highly reduced, ring-shaped anteriorly. Penis elongate, broad anteriorly and slender posteriorly; inner sac with sclerotized flagellum inside, covered by dense tiny spines.

Sexual dimorphisms mainly present on shape and forms of tarsomeres as described above; the biserrate antenna in female is pronounced, but still in same shape as male.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Melyridae

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