Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, 1859

Shi, Hongliang, Zhou, Hongzhang & Liang, Hongbin, 2013, Taxonomic synopsis of the subtribe Physoderina (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), with species revisions of eight genera, ZooKeys 284, pp. 1-129 : 49-51

Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, 1859 Habitus: Figs 14, 15 49 male genitalia: Figs 79 80

Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky 1859: 30 (original: Allocota ; type locality: Java; syntype deposited in ZMUM); Chaudoir 1877: 205 ( Allocota , Singapore); Andrewes 1930d: 13 ( Allocota ; catalogue); Andrewes 1933: 12 ( Allocota , notes on type); Kirschenhofer 1996: 763 ( Allocota ).

Allocota caerulea Andrewes 1933: 12 (type locality: Singapore; lectotype deposited in MNHN); Jedlička 1963: 306 ( Allocota , misspelled as coerulea); Kirschenhofer 1996: 763 ( Allocota ). Syn. n. [Synonym]

Type examined.

Lectotype of Allocota caerulea Andrewes, designated herein (MNHN): male, body length = 6.8 mm, pin mounted, "Ex Musaeo, Chaudoir" [red printed]; "Museum Paris, 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür”; "viridipennis / Motsch. / Singapore / Wallace " [large box label but pinned under specimen]; "LECTOTYPE ♂/ Allocota caerulea / Andrewes, 1933 / des. SHI H. L. 2011" [red label][Fig. 49]. Paralectotype of Allocota caerulea Andrewes: a male (MNHN), “♂”; "Ex Musaeo, Chaudoir" [red printed]; "Museum Paris, 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür”; "PARALECTOTYPE ♂/ Allocota caerulea / Andrewes, 1933 / des. SHI H. L. 2011" [red label].

Notes on types.

Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky. The type series of Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky which was mentioned by Andrewes (1933) should be in Moscow University together with Motschulsky’s main collection. Unfortunately, we have not had opportunity to examine this collection. But in the collection of NHML we found a male of Allocota viridipennis from the type locality (Java) that had been compared with the type by Andrewes (it was mentioned by Andrewes 1933, as a female). This specimen is enough for us to recognize this species.

Allocota caerulea Andrewes. Andrewes (1933) indicated that the name Allocota caerulea Andrewes was for the species mentioned by Chaudoir (1877) as Allocota viridipennis , and type material was in the collection of Oberthür. So, the two specimens from Chaudoir’s ex-collection in MNHN determined by Chaudoir as Allocota viridipennis should be the type series of Allocota caerulea Andrewes. We designate the male with Chaudoir’s box label pinned under as lectotype ( Fig. 49 ) herein for Allocota caerulea Andrewes, for the taxonomic purpose of fixing the name to a single specimen and preventing further uncertainty.

Non-type material examined

(Total 33 specimens). Singapore: 1 specimen (MNHN), "Singapore, A. Raffray.". 1 specimen (MNHN), “Singapore”; "Ex Musaeo, H. W. Bates, 1892". 2 specimens (MNHN), “Singapore”; " Ex Musaeo, L. Fairmaire, 1896"[Figs 15, 80]. Sumatra: 4 specimens (MNHN), "Sumatra, Palembang". 1 male (NHMB), "W Sumatra prov.; Kerinci Seblat N.P.; 24km NE Tapan; Muara Sako - E env.; 2°05'S, 101°15'E; 400-550m; Dembický leg.; 4-18.iii.2003" Borneo: 1 male (MNHN), "Sarawak, Hewilt". 1 specimen (NHML), "Quop, W. Sarawak, G. E. Bryant., 1.III.14". 2 specimens (NHML) "N. Borneo, Bettotan, Nr. Sandakan., July 29.1927". 1 male (NHML) "Sandakan, Borneo, Baker"; "Ex Mus. Coll. Agric. Phil. Is."; "Allocota viridipennis Motch., H. E. Andrewes det.". 3 specimens (MNHN), "Est Borneo, Batanbessi, Mem. W. Walsh, 1937". 1 specimen (MNHN), "Est Borneo, Batan bessi, Me. M. E. Walsh, 1937". 7 specimens (MNHN), "Est Borneo, Kariovang.". 1 specimen (NHML), “Borneo”. Java: 1 specimen (MNHN), "Java (Meuwen Bay), Détr. De la Sonde, Raffray & Maindron, 1878". 5 specimens (MNHN), "Museum Paris, Java, Deyrolle 1877". 1 male (NHML) "23.III.1924, Depok, Karny"; "Ex. Mus. Buitenzorg"; "Allocota viridipennis Motch., Compared with type H. E. A."[Figs 14, 79].

Diagnosis.

Elytra metallic blue, more or less greenish in some specimens; metasternum and abdomen much darker than prosternum; front angles of pronotum with setae very short and fine ( Fig. 151 ); elytral 7th interval with setigerous pores in some specimens; internal sac of aedeagus with setose area divided into two parts, apex of secondary flagellum simple.

In general appearance, this species resembles Allocota cyanipennis Heller, but can be distinguished in having: (1) internal sac of aedeagus with setose area divided into two parts, apex of secondary flagellum simple ( Figs 79 , 80 ); but in Allocota cyanipennis ,setose area divided into three parts, apex of secondary flagellum strongly expanded forming a large triangular sclerite ( Fig. 81 ). (2) front angles of pronotum with setae very short and fine; but in Allocota cyanipennis , those setae much longer. (3) Setae on elytral lateral margins more distinct in Allocota cyanipennis .

Description.

Body length 6.0-6.9 mm; head and pronotum orange red to reddish brown; mouthparts earth yellow, palpomeres brownish, apex of terminal palpomeres yellow; 1st antennomere reddish yellow, the remaining antennomeres usually slightly darker; elytra metallic blue, sometimes more or less greenish, or green on lateral areas, elytral suture and lateral margins metallic; legs usually much darker than pronotum, darkest on apical half of femora; ventral side of head and prosternum the same color as dorsal side; metasternum and abdomen brownish to piceous, much darker than prosternum. Head glabrous, without punctures, microsculpture indistinct; males with terminal labial palpomeres fusiform, slightly expanded in middle. Pronotum glabrous,cordiform, widest at apical one-third; ratio PW/PL 1.22 to 1.32; pronotal base briefly but distinctly lobed; disc moderately convex, microsculpture indistinct, without punctures; front angles with a few fine and short setae (distinctly shorter than in Allocota cyanipennis ); lateral margins rounded, slightly expanded in middle, strongly sinuate before hind angles; lateral explanate areas moderately wide, without punctures; hind angles more or less distinct, rectangular or nearly so, usually slightly pointed; basal foveae very shallow, without punctures; median line very fine, usually indistinct. Elytra with striae slightly sulcate, finely punctate; intervals nearly flat, without accessory setae, with a row of very fine punctures; microsculpture very shallow, isodiametric, or absent; 3rd and 5th intervals with four to ten setigerous pores, their position variable; 7th interval with some setigerous pores or without pore; setae on lateral margins very fine and short, hardly visible. Legs. Protibiae with cleaning spur absent ( Fig. 140 ); males with adhesive hairs well developed (two whole rows) on first two mesotarsomeres, rudimentary (two rows, weakly present near apex) on 3rd mesotarsomere. Male genitalia with median lobe of aedeagus stout, slightly bent to right side near apex in dorsal view, right margin slightly curved before apical lamella; apical lamella placed on right side, narrow, slightly elongate; internal sac with setose area divided into two parts; apex of secondary flagellum simple, not expanded; trumpet-form expansion with ventral margin more or less expanded ( Figs 79 , 80 ). Female genitalia. Apical segment of ovipositor very short, slightly longer than width; outer margin straight; inner margin curved, with fine setae on apical half; membranous extension short and wide. Internal reproductive system not studied.

Distribution

( Map 6 ). Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra, Java.

Notes on synonym.

We examined some material from Singapore, Borneo and Sumatra identical with the lectotype of Allocota caerulea , and a male from Java determined as Allocota viridipennis and compared with type by Andrewes. Except color variation on elytra, the only other significant difference is: " Allocota viridipennis " from Java with five or six setigerous pores on elytral 7th interval ( Fig. 14 ), but the lectotype of " Allocota caerulea " without any pores on 7th interval ( Fig. 15 ). Setigerous pores on 7th interval are not only variable between specimens, e. g., individuals with or without pores can be found from same locality (for example in Java or Borneo), but also in same individual, e. g., one or two pores may present on 7th interval on one elytron, and no such pores on the other elytron. In addition, the aedeagi of these specimens show no significant differences ( Figs 79 , 80 ). We therefore synonymize Allocota caerulea Andrewes with Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky herein.

Geographical variation.

As mentioned above, this species is variable in color and setigerous pores on elytra. Usually, the elytra are nearly metallic blue ( Figs 15 , 49 ), and without setigerous pores on 7th interval. But in some specimens from Java elytra are distinctly greenish ( Fig. 14 ); in some specimens from Java and Borneo, 7th interval with several setigerous pores.

Figures

Map 6. Known distribution of genus Allocota: ● Allocota aurata (Bates) ★ Allocota cyanipennis Heller ▲ Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky ◆ Allocota bicolor sp. n.

Figure 79. Median lobe of male genitalia, right-lateral, ventral, left-lateral, dorsal views of Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, a specimen from Java.

Figure 80. Median lobe of male genitalia, right-lateral, ventral, left-lateral, dorsal views of Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, a specimen from Singapore.

Figure 81. Median lobe of male genitalia, right-lateral, ventral, left-lateral, dorsal views of Allocota cyanipennis Heller, a specimen from Philippines.

Figures 13 - 18. Habitus, scale bars = 2.0 mm: 13 Diamella cupreomicans (Oberthuer), a specimen from Hainan 14 Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, a specimen from Java 15 Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, a specimen from Singapore 16 Allocota cyanipennis Heller, a specimen from Philippines 17 Allocota bicolor sp. n., a paratype from Hainan 18 Allocota aurata (Bates), a specimen from Japan.

Figures 49 - 54. Type materials, scale bars = 2.0 mm: 49 Lectotype of Allocota caerulea Andrewes [= Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky] 50 Holotype of Allocota cyanipennis Heller 51 Lectotype of Taicona aurata Bates [= Allocota aurata (Bates)] 52 Holotype of Allocota bicolor sp. n. 53 Syntype of Dasiosoma testaceum Britton 54 Holotype of Dasiosoma hirsutum Basilewsky [= Dasiosoma basilewskyi nom. n.].

Figures 138 - 157. Characters of Physoderina. 138 - 139 Internal reproductive system of females, scale bars = 0.2 mm: 138 Dasiosoma quadraticolle sp. n., a paratype from Yunnan 139 Orionella lewisii (Bates), a specimen from Zhejiang. 140 - 142 Right protibia, ventral view, showing the reduction of cleaning spur, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 140 Allocota aurata (Bates) (cleaning spur absent) 141 Allocota bicolor sp. n. (cleaning spur fine) 142 Diamella cupreomicans (Oberthuer) (cleaning spur well developed). 143 - 146 Terminal sternum, showing the setae and male emargination, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 143 Paraphaea binotata (Dejean), male (deeply emarginate, one seta on each side) 144 Paraphaea binotata (Dejean) (straight, two setae on each side), female 145 Allocota aurata (Bates), male (moderately emarginate, two setae on each side) 146 Allocota aurata (Bates), female (straight, two setae on each side, right side unusually with an additional seta). 147 - 148 Umbilical series of 9 th interval, right elytron, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 147 Paraphaea binotata (Dejean) (umbilical series placed in one row) 148 Metallanchista laticollis sp. n. (umbilical series placed in two rows). 149 - 150 Head, showing the different shape of mandibles, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 149 Paraphaea formosana (Jedlicka) (mandibles moderately widen) 150 Allocota bicolor sp. n. (mandibles strongly widen). 151 - 153 Pronotum, showing the different length of setae on front angle, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 151 Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, (setae short and fine) 152 Allocota cyanipennis Heller, (setae relative long) 153 Allocota bicolor sp. n., (setae very long). 154 - 155 Pronotum, showing the difference on lateral margin, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 154 Anchista fenestrata fenestrata (Schmidt-Goebel), (lateral margin slightly angulated in middle) 155 Paraphaea formosana (Jedlicka), (lateral margin completely rounded in middle). 156 - 157 Pronotal hind angle, showing the geographical variation in Allocota bicolor sp. n., scale bars = 0.2 mm: 156 Allocota bicolor sp. n., a specimen from Guangdong, (hind angle sharp) 157 Allocota bicolor sp. n., holotype from Yunnan, (hind angle slightly rounded).