Peltocercyon splendidu

Mai, Zuqi, Jia, Fenglong, Ryndevich, Sergey K., Angus, Robert, Minoshima, Yûsuke N., Fikáček, Martin & Růžička, Jan, 2025, Taxonomic Revision and Phylogeny of the Genus Peltocercyon d'Orchymont, 1925 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Megasternini), Zootaxa 5671 (1), pp. 1-74 : 40

Peltocercyon splendidu s group

Diagnosis of the Peltocercyon splendidu s group. Length 3.0– 3.7 mm. Head entirely black dorsally; pronotum and elytra with a black-yellow pattern; each elytron with a large black patch lateromedially. Pronotum with uniform crescent-shaped punctures; elytra shiny with smooth spaces between ground punctation; mentum with sparse and fine punctures; the posterior tentorial pits lack distinct depressions; prosternum tectiform medially, lateral areas lack ridge; prosternal process finely notched posteriorly; mesoventral plate spindle-shaped; arcuate ridge of the metaventrite strongly bent backwards and distinct; the lateral areas of the metaventrite without coarse punctures; first abdominal ventrite lacks longitudinal sculptures basally; paramere of aedeagus slightly widened subapically and gradually narrowing towards apex, with a bluntly pointed or rounded tip; inner face of paramere with a fringe of long setae subapically.

Biology. Excrement-feeding in the forests.

Distribution. Southern China and adjacent areas.

Comments. This species group has been proved to be monophyletic by our DNA-based phylogenetic analyses.

Included species. Peltocercyon maculipennis sp. nov., P. medogensis sp. nov., P. splendidus sp. nov. and P. taylorae sp. nov.