Laena bidentata, Zhao, Xiao-Lin & Ren, Guo-Dong, 2012

Zhao, Xiao-Lin & Ren, Guo-Dong, 2012, Three new species of the genus Laena Dejean from China (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Lagriinae), Zootaxa 3346, pp. 43-50 : 43-46

Laena bidentata sp. nov.

( Figs.1–7 , 24–26, 33)

Male ( Fig. 1 ). Body black; labrum, maxillary palpi, antennae, and legs brown.

Head broad, subhexagonal; clypeus straight, genae raised, apex without punctures; frons wide, gently raised from anterior, scattered with punctures, the punctures less dense medially. Eyes round, moderately prominent. Antennae ( Fig. 2 ) extending to base of pronotum, relative ratio of the length (width) of antennomeres II–XI as follows: 5.2 (5.1): 11.0 (5.1): 7.4 (5.7): 7.0 (6.0): 7.5 (6.0): 8.8 (6.7): 8.0 (7.4): 9.0 (7.2): 9.4 (7.5): 13.0 (8.8).

Pronotum basal margin distinctly narrower than anterior margin, nearly trapezoid, 1.1 times as wide as long, widest at anterior to the middle; lateral margins not bordered, posterior margin not bordered and not bent downwards; disc with large punctures, punctures somewhat rarer medially than laterally, the distance between punctures approximately 1–5 times as puncture diameter, most punctures with long setae, surface flat and shagreened, posterior angles rounded. Propleura covered with bigger and denser punctures and shorter setae than those on disc.

Elytra oblong, width across the humeri wider than posterior margin of pronotum, 1.6 times as long as wide, widest at the middle. Elytra with rows of punctures without striae, punctures as large as those on pronotum, each bearing a long seta; intervals between rows with minute punctures, each bearing a similar seta, all intervals flat and shining, interval IX with 4 distinctly setiferous umbilicate pores, interval VII with a setiferous pore at humeral part.

Profemur ( Fig. 3 ) with 2 spines, the basal spine about half the size of apical spine, meso- and metafemora ( Figs. 5, 6 ) each with a spine. Protibia ( Fig. 4 ) with a blunt spine medially, meso- and metatibiae ( Figs. 5, 6 ) each with a distinct fine hook at inner apex.

Ventrite ( Fig. 7 ) with round apical margin. Aedeagus, see Figs. 24–26.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements. Body length: 5.1 mm; elytra maximal width: 1.8 mm.

Type material. Holotype: 3, deposited in HBUM. Hailuogou, Luding County, Sichuan Province, China. Alt. 2200–2300 m, 28 July 2006, leg HU & TANG.

Diagnosis. Male Laena bidentata sp. nov. specimens are similar to the males of L. luguica Schawaller, 2001 discovered from the same geographical area, in having unbordered lateral margins of the pronotum, armed legs, and medially armed protibiae, but can be differentiated from the latter by the profemora with 2 spines, meso- and metatibiae with a distinct fine hook at the inner apex, and the pronotum and aedeagus differently shaped.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the two medial spines on the profemora.

Remarks. The holotype is damaged, its left mesotarsomeres IV–V and claw are missing.

Laena exjuncta sp. nov.

( Figs. 8–15 , 27–29, 33)

Male ( Fig. 8 ). Body black, labrum, maxillary palpi, antennae and legs brown.

Head broad, subhexagonal; clypeus straight, genae raised, without punctures in apical part; frons gently raised from anterior part, densely punctate, the punctures larger and less dense medially. Eyes round, moderately prominent. Antennae ( Fig. 9 ) extending to the base of pronotum, relative ratio of the length (width) of antennomeres II–XI as follows: 5.4 (6.3): 13.0 (7.2): 10.1 (7.5): 12.0 (8.1): 10.5 (8.0): 10.8 (8.3): 10.3 (9.5): 11.0 (10.0): 12.0 (10.1): 19.5 (11.0).

Pronotum round, 1.2 times as wide as long, widest at the middle; lateral margins not bordered, posterior margin not bordered and not bent downwards; disc with dense punctures, the distance between punctures approximately 1–2 times puncture diameter, most punctures with long erect setae, surface flat, posterior angles rounded. Propleura with more dense punctures and similar setae as those on disc.

Elytra oblong, width across the humeri wider than posterior margin of pronotum, 1.9 times as long as wide, widest at the middle. Elytra with rows of punctures without striae, punctures larger than those on pronotum, each bearing a long erect seta, intervals with a regular row of small punctures, each bearing a similar seta. All the intervals flat and shining, interval IX with 3 setiferous umbilicate pores, interval VII with 2 setiferous pores.

All femora with strong spines. Profemural spine ( Fig. 10 ) curved along outer margin, mesofemural spine ( Fig. 11 ) feebly curved, and that of metafemur ( Fig. 12 ) smooth. Meso- and metatrochanters ( Figs. 11, 12 ) extended, protrochanter ( Fig. 13 ) normal. Meso- and metatibiae ( Figs. 11, 12 ) each with a hook and granulation at inner apex.

Ventrite ( Fig. 14 ) with truncated apical margin. Aedeagus, see Figs. 27–29.

Female. All the femora with strong spines, but the spines of profemora without curve along outer margin. Trochanter and tibiae normal. Ventrite ( Fig. 15 ) sharp at apical margin, with flexure in lateral margin. Other characters same as in the male.

Measurements. Body length: 6.0– 6.9 mm, elytra maximal width: 2.1–2.3 mm.

Type material. Holotype: 3, deposited in HBUM. Erlangshan, Tianquan County, Sichuan Province, China. Alt. 1600–2000 m, 29 July 2006, leg HU & TANG. Paratype: 1 Ƥ, deposited in HBUM, 1 Ƥ, deposited in SMNS. Same data as the holotype.

Diagnosis. The new species resembles Laena qinlingica Schawaller, 2001 , in body shape and having unbordered lateral margins of the pronotum, armed legs, and long erect setae, but can be differentiated from the latter by the curve on the outer margin of the pro- and mesofemora spines, and the meso- and metatibiae each having a hook and granulation at inner apex. The most distinguishing character is the extension of the meso- and metatrochanters.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the prominent trochanters of meso- and metafemora in this species.

Remarks. The holotype is damaged; its antennomere VII–XI of the left antenna, the left protarsomeres V and claw are missing.

Figures

FIGURES 1, 8, and 16. Male habitus in dorsal views. 1. Laena bidentata sp. nov.; 8. L. exjuncta sp. nov.; 16. L. flectotibia sp. nov.

FIGURES 9 – 15. Laena exjuncta sp. nov. 3; 9. antenna in outer view; 10. profemur and tibia in dorsal view; 11 – 12. meso- and metafemora and tibiae in ventral view; 13. protrochanter in ventral view; 14. ventrites in ventral view; 15. Ƥ, ventrites in ventral view.