Laricobius kangdingensis Zilahi-Balogh & Jelínek, 2007

Leschen, Richard A. B., 2011, World review of Laricobius (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), Zootaxa 2908, pp. 1-44 : 13-14

8. Laricobius kangdingensis Zilahi-Balogh & Jelínek, 2007

(figs 9, 39)

Diagnosis. Body bicolored. Head dark; ocelli absent. Prothorax transverse with well developed lateral carina and sides explanate. Pronotum dark; posterior tooth present. Scutellum dark. Surface of elytra incurvate; elytral punctures not confluent. Epipleura at base dark. Ventrites dark. Femora dark. Tibiae light. Aedeagus without median carina on phallobase; medium lobe subacute; apices of parameres without an internal ridge.

Description. Length 2.36–2.80 mm (x = 2.59, n = 8). Body bicolored with head, prothorax, scutellum, elytra along sides to level of abdominal ventrite 2 (covering striae 9–10, sometimes striae 8) and suture along scutellary striole (sometimes to apex or absent), epipleuron, and venter chocolate brown; elytra reddish brown to dark tan; antenna reddish brown to dark brown with AI darker (not the club), palpi, femora, and tibiae dark brown, tarsi lighter. Head without ocelli; u-shaped furrow present, but very shallow and broad; interocular distance about 4x the width of the eye; macropunctures rounded distinct to indistinct and not rounded, fusing sometimes to form irregular trenches; micropunctures fine to coarse; setae erect, moderately elongate with an average length as long as 2/3 the width of the eye. Antenna with length of A3 about equal to A4, ratios 1.7:1.4:1.3:1.2:1.2:1.0:1.1:1.0:1.2:1.2:1.7; A11 not strongly asymmetrical. Prothorax slightly transverse and rectangular, dorsoventrally flattened, and widest at basal third, sides converging anteriorly from widest point and weakly convex posteriorly; about 0.81 x as long as wide (pronotal length/greatest pronotal width = 0.76–0.87, x = 0.81); depth = 0.24–0.40 mm (x = 0.33); pronotum laterally broadly explanate, lateral carina with a distinct sharp edge; anterior angle 90º to about 80° and subacute, not forming a tooth; posterior angle distinct and marked by a short tooth; foveae visible in dorsal view; macropunctures on disc indistinct, shallowly to well-impressed and well-separated; micropunctures coarse; setae erect, long and 2/3 or equal to width of eye. Elytra about 3.32 x as long as wide (elytral length/greatest elytral width = 2.97– 3.79, x = 3.32) and 3.15 x as long as pronotum (elytral length/pronotal length = 3.06–3.25, x = 3.15); surface weakly incurvate at basal third; macropunctures not coalescing to form grooves, separated by 1/2 puncture diameter; micropunctures fine; microsculpture not visible; setae suberect and long, about 2/3 length of the eye. Aedeagus with phallobase quadrate, about 1/2 the length of the median lobe, median carina absent; median lobe projecting slightly beyond apices of parameres, narrow with its greatest width larger than the width of the parameres, apex subacute, median groove or carina absent, ostium subapical; parameres slender and acute, very short setae present on apices (visible under high magnification), internal subapical ridge absent. Spiculum gastrale apically narrow.

Comments. Laricobius kangdingensis can be distinguished from most species by the lack of ocelli. It can be reliably distinguished from the other ocelli-lacking species by its genitalia and distribution.

The holotype (IZAS) was not examined, but several paratypes were available for study. The sequence of information on the label data of the type specimens I examined were not as they appear in Zilahi-Balogh & Jelínek (2007).

Hosts. Plant: Tsuga chinensis , Tsuga dumosa (D. Don) Eichler. Adelgid: Adelges tsugae .

Biology. Habitat and rearing under quarantine ( Zilahi-Balogh & Jelínek, 2007).

Distribution. China: Sichuan.

Type material examined. PARATYPES. 12IV2002 Luoxiba Deng, Kangding Co. Sichuan Prov. China, coll. T. McAvoy/G. Zilahi-Balogh/ Host: Adelges infested Tsuga chinenis [sic] Lat/long: 30º03‘00“N /102º02‘00“ elev: 2840 m / Paratype 5 Ƥ (5 Ƥ hw)/ / Laricobius kangdingensis PT (hw on red label) (1, NMPC, 2, NMNH).

Additional material examined. 4, 12 IV 2002, Luoxiba Deng, Kangding Co. Sichuan Prov, China; coll: T. McAvoy/G. Zilahi-Balogh, Host: Adelges infested Tsuga chinensis, Lat /long: 30º 03' 00'' N / 102° 02' 00" E, elev: 2840 m, Laricobius sp. n. kangdingensis Zilahi-Balogh & Jelínek ( VTRC); 3, Houditong, Ningshan Co., Shaanxi, 17 Oct. 2002, G Yu ( YPM); 3, Sichuan Province, Danba County, Donggu town, Maoniugou, 1 December 2007, Zhang Dekui, Havill Sample # 08-267 ( YPM); 2, same but Havill Sample # 08-269 ( YPM); 5, same but 30.61 N 101.76 E, 2710 m, Havill sample 08- ( YPM); 2, Sichuan Province, Lixian, Duergou; downtown Dagou, 31.58 N 102.95 E, 2670 m, 21 August 2008, Coll.: Feng Bo, Havill sample 08-268 ( YPM); 1, Sichuan, Kuiyonggou Danba, 15 Dec 2006, Lu W H, from hemlock ( IZAS); 1, same but 10 Feb 2007 ( IZAS); 1, Sichuan, Dagou Lixian, 10 May 2006, Xiao N P, from hemlock ( IZAS); 1, same but 22 Sep 2006, Zhou J H, from hemlock ( IZAS). Lab colony: 2, USA Virginia Blacksburg,VA Tech, From lab colony, 2004, Coll.: H. Gatton ( VTRC); 6, CHINA, Sichuan Province, Laboratory reared, 11 October 2007, J. Zhou, Havill Sample # 08-266 ( YPM); 1, CHINA, from Lab, Liu Y, 18 Apr 2007, from hemlock ( IZAS).