Hemipeplus sinensis KC & Pollock, 2025

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 117-119

Hemipeplus sinensis KC & Pollock , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6E0C04B5-6252-4D9D-BF06-48CDEAEF43C8

(Figs 54.1, 54.2, 65)

FIGURE 54.1. Hemipeplus sinensis sp. nov. (Holotype). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Male genitalia dorsal view without spiculum gastrale; E. Tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view with one paramere removed.

FIGURE 54. 2. Hemipeplus sinensis sp. nov. (Allotype) A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax.

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled: ‘ CHINA, E GUIZHOU prov. FODINGSHAN, Ganshi 25km S of Shiquian, 1300m 5–9 Jun 1997, Bolm lgt. / [green label] ♂ / [orange label] BASEL / [red label] HOLOTYPE ♂ Hemipeplus sinensis KC & Pollock’, in NHMB . Allotype, female, labeled: ‘ CHINA: Hainan isl. [MF17a] Limushan Mts., 3km NNW of first administr center, at a dam 19°10’N 109°44’E [at light] 560 m; 6.v.2011. Fikáček lgt. / coll. general National Museum Prague , Czech Republic’ , in NMP6 V. Two paratypes: 1 specimen, male, labeled: ‘ SICHUAN, 4–20.v.1989. 29°34’N 103°24’E, EMEI mt. 1000m, Vít Kubáň leg. / coll. general National Museum Prague, Czech Republic’, in NMP6 V; 1 specimen, female, labeled: ‘FUKIEN [Fujian], S. China Shaowu:KiHsienKai T. C. Maa / X.1944 ’, in BPBM .

Derivation of Specific Epithet. The specific name (adjective in the nominative case, in gender agreement with substantive) is given in allusion to the species’ type locality, i.e., China.

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus sinensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from the similar-appearing H. labuanensis sp. nov. (Fig. 55) by its relatively more produced anterolateral pronotal angles, narrower pronotal pad, and inner margins of parameres without prominent expansions. Hemipeplus sinensis sp. nov. has the following diagnostic features: temples short and angulate; scape moniliform; eyes moderately large (just as long as scape + pedicel), shallow and less convex to moderately wide and moderately convex; pronotum subcordiform; anterior emargination broad and distinct; anterior half wider than posterior half; pronotal pad distinct; anterior pronotal angles rounded, projected rather upward than sideward; posterior angles obtuse, rounded; pronotal lobe almost absent without median notch; body long; elytral disc slightly convex; color dull, almost uniformly testaceous; distribution: China (Fukien, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan).

Description. Measurements (in mm)—GHW: 0.55–0.67; HL: 0.53–0.62; AL: 0.93–1.14; GPW: 0.58–0.77; PL: 0.48–0.55; GEW: 0.83–0.97; EL: 2.68–2.93; TL: 3.69–4.10.

Head (Figs 54.1B, 54.2B) wide (GHW/HL: 1.04–1.08); eyes moderately large (just as long as scape + pedicel), shallow and less convex to moderately wide and moderately convex; temples short and angulate; occiput with strongly raised areas; antennae shorter than head and pronotum length combined; antennal scape moniliform; pedicel small moniliform; antennomere III more elongate and apically dilated; IV smaller, moniliform to submoniliform; V slightly larger, moniliform to submoniliform, apically dilated; VI–X subtriangular or bowl shaped, each wider than the next; XI subpyriform with apex narrowed after the notch; lateral mandibular tooth very small. Pronotum (Figs 54.1B, 54.2B) wide (GPW/PL: 1.21–1.40), subcordiform; anterior margin with broad and distinct emargination; anterolateral angles rounded, produced upward instead of sideward; lateral margins moderately sinuate; posterior half contracted; posterolateral angles obtuse, rounded; pronotal lobe almost absent without median notch; pronotal pad (Figs 54.1C, 54.2C) distinct; pronotal pits shallow without proper grooves to deep with moderately developed grooves. Scutellar shield subhexagonal, flat posterior margin, transverse, about twice as wide as long. Elytra (Figs 54.1A, 54.2A) long (EL/GEW: 3.02–3.23) with slightly convex disc; vestiture moderately long and dense; apical patch very faint. Ventral surface. Prosternal process short, not extending posterior of procoxae; hypomeral edges well separated; mesosternal process narrow and linear. Color dull, uniformly brown; ventrally palpi paler.

Male Genitalia (Figs 54. 1D–F). (Tegmen length = 0.25 mm (n = 1)) Lobe of basale very short and blunt; shoulders obtusely angled, slanted; apicale and basale with distinct suture; parameres very short, slightly arcuate at the apices; penis much longer than tegmen, basally wide.

Variation. Females (one from Hainan (Fig. 54.2) and one from Fukien) have much wider and flatter pronota than males. It is possible that the specimens with wider pronotum may represent a different species; this might be elucidated using DNA analysis.

Remarks. Among its Oriental congeners, H. sinensis sp. nov. most closely resembles H. labuanensis sp. nov. ( Malaysia) in its external appearance owing to anterolateral margins of pronotum produced upward.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 65). China (Fukien, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan). Hemipeplus sinensis sp. nov. appears to be widespread in China.