Four new species of Fissocantharis Pic, 1921 (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) from China

Abstract Four new species of Fissocantharis Pic, 1921 are described: F. securiclata sp. n. (China: Zhejiang, Anhui), F. maculicollis sp. n. (China: Zhejiang), F. hainana sp. n. (China: Hainan) and F. laticollis sp. n. (China: Hainan), which are illustrated with the habitus and aedeagus of the male, the abdominal sternite VIII and the internal genitalia of the female. A key to the species from southeast China is provided.


Introduction
The taxonomy of the Chinese species of Fissocantharis Pic, 1921(sensu Yang et al. 2009) was studied mainly by Wittmer in the last half century. Among his publications, the one, in which Wittmer (1988) revised the species from mainland China and adjacent areas, is especially useful for our study of species from southeast China. We recently added some species from Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, Anhui, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan , Yang et al. 2014, 2015a Antennomeres III-VI with longitudinal ridges along lateral edges, VI-VIII each with a deep and oblong fovea (Wittmer 1997: fig. 178); pronotum slightly longer than wide, with posterior angles obtusely rectangular .......F. pieli (Pic, 1937) -Antennomeres IV-XI with longitudinal impressions along lateral edges (Yang et al. 2014: fig. 10); pronotum wider than long, with posterior angles triangular and sharp . Antennomere IV with two projections at basal part (Yang et al. 2015b: fig. 7 Antennomere IX with lateral edges triangularly protuberant and slightly curled dorsally in middle (Yang et al. 2015b: fig. 2A Antennomeres III-X obliquely widened apically (Wittmer 1989 Remarks. In the key, F. bothridera (Fairmaire, 1887) (located in Fujian) is not included, because it was described only on the female form, which is difficult to distinguish among other female Fissocantharis (Wittmer 1988). A checklist of the species from southeast China is provided after the descriptions, except for those from Guangxi, which have been listed by Yang et al. (2015b). Distribution. China (Anhui, Zhejiang). Description. Male (Fig. 1A). Head orange, darkened at both sides of vertex, mouthparts orange, darkened at mandibular apices, terminal maxillary and labial palpomeres and antennae orange, darkened dorsally at antennomeres III-IX, pronotum, scutellum and elytra black, legs orange, darkened at tarsi, ventral surface of body black, yellow at posterior and sides of abdominal sternites. Body densely covered with short recumbent gray pubescence. Head subquadrate, narrowed posteriorly behind eyes; eyes moderately projecting, head width across eyes greater than that of anterior edge of pronotum; apical maxillary palpomeres nearly long-triangular, widest at apical two-fifths, acute at apices; antennae extending to elytral midlength, antennomeres II about twice as long as wide, III obliquely widened apically, truncate at apical angles, about twice as long as wide, IV-IX securiform, abruptly widened apically and rounded at apical angles, IV and IX slightly longer than wide, V-VIII nearly as long as wide, X and XI nearly parallelsided, XI pointed at apices and about 1.5 times as long as X.

Descriptions of new species
Pronotum subquadrate, about 1.1 times longer than wide, anterior edge arcuate, sides slightly diverging posteriorly, posterior edge nearly straight, anterior angles rounded, posterior angles nearly rectangular, disc slightly convex at posterolateral parts, surface finely and densely punctate.
Elytra about 3.0 times longer than wide, 4.0 times longer than pronotum, width at humeri greater than posterior edge of pronotum, sides nearly parallel, surface slightly more coarsely and densely punctate than pronotum.
Legs with all tarsal claws bifid, each with lower projection as long as upper one. Aedeagus ( Fig. 2A-C): ventral process of each paramere wide, slightly narrowed apically and hooked at apex; conjoint dorsal plate of parameres moderately developed, about one-third length of ventral process of each paramere, slightly narrowed apically, with apex medially concave.
Female. Similar to male, but vertex black, antennae black, antenomeres I and II orange, filiform and simple, extending to basal third of elytra. Abdominal sternite VIII (Fig. 4A) nearly straight at posterior edge, lateral angles obtuse.
Internal genitalia (Fig. 5A): vagina abruptly extended apically as a short and thick duct at ventroapical portion; diverticulum and spermathecal duct arising from end of duct of vagina; diverticulum evenly thin, spiraled and long; spermathecal duct slightly shorter and thicker than diverticu lum; spermatheca nearly as long as and slightly thicker than diverticulum, with a moderately long thin accessory gland, which is longer than spermatheca.
Body length: 7.9-9.0 mm; width: 1.7-2.0 mm. Etymology. The specific name is derived from Latin securiclatus (axe-like), referring to its antennomeres IV-IX securiform in male, which abruptly widened apically and rounded at apical angles.
Diagnosis. Head mostly orange, pronotum and elytra uniformly black; male antennomeres IV-IX securiform, abruptly widened apically and rounded at apical angles; aedeagus: conjoint dorsal plate of parameres moderately developed, about one-third length of ventral process of each paramere, slightly narrowed apically, with apical edge medially concave.
Remarks. No other species has the male antennomeres IV-IX securiform as in this species. This species is similar to F. pallidiceps (Pic, 1911) in the body coloration, but can be easily distinguished by the male antennae, of which the antennomeres III-IX are widened apically, while simple filiform in F. pallidiceps (Wittmer 1988 : fig. 6); aedeagus: the conjoint dorsal plate of parameres is slightly narrowed apically, with the apex medially concave, while distinctly narrowed apically, with the apex straight in F. pallidiceps (Wittmer 1988: fig. 26). It also resembles F. liuchowensis (Wittmer, 1989), but can be differentiated by the male antennae, of which the antennomeres IV-IX are abruptly widened apically and rounded at apical angles, while obliquely widened apically in F. liuchowensis (Wittmer 1989: fig. 8); aedeagus: the conjoint dorsal plate of parameres is moderately developed, while greatly reduced in F. liuchowensis (Wittmer 1989: fig. 9). Distribution. China (Zhejiang). Description. Male (Fig. 1B). Head yellow, vertex black, mouthparts yellow, darkened at mandibular apices, antennae black, antennomeres I and II yellow, prothorax yellow, pronotum with a large dark brown marking on disc, marking extending to posterior but anterior edge or sides, and its posterior part wider than anterior part, scutellum and elytra black, legs yellow, slightly darkened at tarsi, ventral surface of body black. Body densely covered with short recumbent gray pubescence.
Head subquadrate, narrowed posteriorly behind eyes; eyes strongly projecting, head width across eyes greater than that of anterior edge of pronotum; apical maxillary palpomeres nearly long-triangular, widest at apical two-fifths, acute at apices; antennae filiform and simple, extending to apical third of elytra, antennomeres II about 1.5 times as long as wide, III about 3.0 times as long as II, IV-X subequal in length, XI pointed at apices and slightly longer than X.
Pronotum subquadrate, about 1.1 times longer than wide, anterior edge rounded, sides slightly diverging posteriorly and sinuate, posterior edge nearly straight, anterior angles rounded, posterior angles nearly rectangular, disc convex at posterolateral parts, surface finely and densely punctate. Elytra about 3.5 times as long as wide, 5.0 times as long as pronotum, width at humeri greater than posterior edge of pronotum, sides nearly parallel, surface slightly more coarsely and densely punctate than pronotum.
Legs with all tarsal claws bifid, each with lower projection as long as upper one. Aedeagus (Fig. 2D-F): ventral process of each paramere wide, slightly narrowed apically and hooked at apex; conjoint dorsal plate of parameres moderately developed, about a half length of ventral process of each paramere, with apical edge rounded.
Female. Similar to male, but eyes only slightly projecting, antennae narrower and shorter, extending to basal third of elytra, pronotum slightly convex at posterolateral parts. Abdominal sternite VIII (Fig. 4B) widely and shallowly emarginate at middle of posterior edge, bottom of middle emargination slightly roundly protuberant in middle, lateral angles slightly acute.
Internal genitalia (Fig. 5B): vagina abruptly extended apically as a short and thick duct at ventroapical portion; diverticulum and spermathecal duct arising from end of duct of vagina; diverticulum thick at basal portion and thinned apically, spiraled and moderately long; spermathecal duct nearly as long as and thinner than basal portion of diverticu lum; spermatheca much longer than and nearly as thick as apical portion of diverticulum, with a moderately long thin accessory gland, which slightly shorter than spermatheca.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin macula (marking) and collum (neck), referring to its pronotum with a black marking on disc.
Diagnosis. Elytra black, prothorax yellow, pronotum with a large dark brown marking on disc; male antennae filiform and simple; aedeagus: conjoint dorsal plate of parameres moderately developed, about a half length of ventral process of each paramere, with apical edge rounded.
Remarks. This new species is similar to F. nigriceps Y. Yang & Okushima, 2016 (located in Taiwan) in the body shape and male antennae, but can be distinguished from the latter by the following characters: the pronotum has a black marking on the disc and the aedeagus has a wider conjoint dorsal plate of parameres, while in F. nigriceps, the pronotum is uniformly orange and the aedeagus has a narrower conjoint dorsal plate of parameres (Li et al. 2016: figs 6G-I, 12A). It is also resembles F. paulioincrassata (Wittmer, 1951) in the male antennae, but differs in having a yellow pronotum, with a large black marking on the disc, while uniformly black in F. paulioincrassata; aedeagus: the conjoint dorsal plate of parameres is moderately developed, about half length of ventral process of each paramere, while slightly shorter, about one-third length in F. paulioincrassata (Wittmer 1988: 353).  Description. Male (Fig. 1C). Body black, except mandibles brown, darkened at apices, prothorax orange, pronotum with a large black marking on disc, marking extending to anterior and posterior edges except at sides, and its posterior part wider than anterior part, elytra dark purple, with metallic reflection.
Head subquadrate, narrowed posteriorly behind eyes; eyes strongly projecting, head width across eyes wider than that of anterior edge of pronotum; apical maxillary palpomeres nearly long-triangular, widest at apical two-fifths, acute at apices; antennae nearly extending to elytral apices, antennomeres II nearly as long as wide, III-IX dorsoventrally flattened and obliquely widened apically, III about 3.0 times as long as II, IV-X subequal in length, X and XI parallel-sided, XI pointed at apices and slightly longer than X, III-XI each with a round or oblong smooth impression near middle of lateral edge.
Pronotum subquadrate, nearly as long as wide, widest near base, anterior edge rounded, sides sinuate, posterior edge nearly straight, anterior angles rounded, posterior angles nearly rectangular, disc convex at posterolateral parts, surface finely and densely punctate.
Elytra about 3.0 times longer than wide, 4.0 times longer than pronotum, width at humeri greater than posterior edge of pronotum, sides nearly parallel, surface slightly more coarsely and densely punctate than pronotum.
Legs with all tarsal claws bifid, each with lower projection as long as upper one. Aedeagus ( Fig. 3A-C): ventral process of each paramere wide, slightly narrowed apically and hooked at apex; conjoint dorsal plate of parameres moderately developed, about one-third length of ventral process of each paramere, with apical edge acute in middle.
Female. Similar to male, but eyes only slightly projecting, antennae filiform and simple, extending to midlength of elytra, pronotum moderately convex at posterolateral parts. Abdominal sternite VIII (Fig. 4C) widely and shallowly emarginate at middle of posterior edge, bottom of middle emargination nearly straight, lateral angles rounded.
Internal genitalia (Fig. 5C): vagina abruptly extended apically as a long and thick duct at ventroapical portion; diverticulum and spermathecal duct arising from end of long duct of vagina; diverticulum thin, spiraled and moderately long; spermathecal duct nearly as long as and slightly thicker than diverticu lum; spermatheca longer and slightly thicker than diverticulum, with a very long and thin accessory gland, which much longer than spermatheca. Variation within type series. Pronotum orange in some, only darkened at anterior and posterior margins, elytra dark blue, or with weakly metallic reflection. Body length: 7.0-11.5 mm; width: 1.3-2.2 mm.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, Hainan Province, China.
Diagnosis. Elytra dark purple, with metallic reflection; male antennae subfiliform, antennomeres III-IX dorsoventrally flattened and obliquely widened apically, III-XI each with a round or oblong smooth impression near middle of lateral edge; aedeagus: conjoint dorsal plate of parameres moderately developed, about one-third length of ventral process of each paramere, with apical edge acute in middle.
Head rounded, slightly narrowed posteriorly behind eyes; eyes moderately projecting, head width across eyes slightly wider than that of anterior edge of pronotum; apical maxillary palpomeres nearly long-triangular, widest at apical two-fifths length, acute at apices; antennae filiform and slightly thickened, extending to apical third of elytra, antenomeres II slightly longer than wide, III about twice as long as II, IV-X subequal in length, XI pointed at apices and slightly longer than X.
Pronotum transverse, about 1.2 times wider than long, anterior edge rounded, sides sinuate, slightly converging posteriorly at anterior one-third length, then slightly diverging posteriorly at posterior part, posterior edge slightly arcuate, anterior angles subrounded, posterior angles nearly rectangular, disc slightly convex at posterolateral parts, surface finely and densely punctate.
Elytra about 3.5 times as long as wide, 4.5 times as long as pronotum, width at humeri slightly greater than posterior edge of pronotum, sides nearly parallel, surface slightly more coarsely and densely punctate than on pronotum.
Legs with all tarsal claws bifid, each with lower projection as long as upper one. Aedeagus (Fig. 3D-F): ventral process of each paramere wide, narrowed apically and hardly hooked at apex; conjoint dorsal plate of parameres reduced, with apical edge deeply emarginate in middle.
Female. Similar to male, but eyes slightly projecting, head width across eyes nearly as wide as anterior edge of pronotum, antennae narrower and shorter, extending to midlength of elytra. Abdominal sternite VIII (Fig. 4D) with a pair of small bilobate protuberances in middle of posterior edge, lateral angles obtuse.
Internal genitalia (Fig. 5D): vagina abruptly extended apically as a short and thick duct; diverticulum and spermathecal duct arising from end of duct of vagina; diverticulum evenly thin, long and spiral; spermathecal duct shorter and thicker than diverticu lum; spermatheca nearly as long as and slightly thicker than diverticulum, with a short thin accessory gland, which much shorter than spermatheca.
Body length: 4.0-5.5 mm; width: 0.8-1.1 mm. Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin latus (wide) and collum (neck), referring to its pronotum wider than long.
Diagnosis. Elytra black; male antennae filiform and simple; pronotum transverse, about 1.2 times wider than long, sides sinuate, slightly converging posteriorly at anterior one-third length, then slightly diverging posteriorly at posterior part; aedeagus: conjoint dorsal plate of parameres reduced, with apical edge deeply emarginate in middle.
Remarks. This species could be distinguished by its pronotum, which is distinctly wider than long, while always longer than wide or subequal in length in other species of Fissocantharis. It is more similar to F. imparicornis (Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2009) (China: Hainan) in body coloration, but differs from the latter by the following characters: the male antennae are simple and the aedeagus has a reduced conjoint dorsal plate of parameres, while in F. imparicornis, the middle antennomeres of the male are deformed and the aedeagus has a well-developed conjoint dorsal plate of parameres. (Yang and Yang 2009: figs 3-6, 8).