Corresponding authors: Martin Fikáček (
Academic editor: Christopher Majka
A detailed examination of specimens of
Material examined for this study is deposited in the following collections:
coll. Sergey Ryndevich, Baranovichi, Belarus;
Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA (A. Short);
Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien, Austria (M. A. Jäch, A. Komarek);
Department of Entomology, National Museum, Praha, Czech Republic (M. Fikáček);
Entomological collection of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China (F.-L.Jia).
The current study is largely based on newly collected material of
Selected specimens were dissected, with genitalia embeded in a drop of water-soluble dimethyl hydantoin resin on a piece of transparent plastic pinned below the specimen, or of alcohol-soluble Euparal resin on a small piece of glass attached below the respective specimen. The external morphology was examined using the Hitachi S-3700N environmental electron microscope at the Department of Entomology, National Museum in Prague. Habitus photographs were taken using Canon D-550 digital camera with attached Canon MP-E65mm f/2.8 1–5× macro lens, and subsequently adapted in Adobe Photoshop CS2. Figures of genitalia were prepared with the help of Photoshop CS4. The morphological terminology largely follows
The inclusion of
Head without transverse interantennal ridge; eyes small, separated by 9× of one eye; mentum weakly bisinuate on anterior margin; antennae with 9 antennomeres; maxilla with or without sucking disc in males; maxillary palpomere 2 strongly widened distally; posterior tentorial pits minute; pronotum evenly convex, lateral margin not deflexed or slightly deflexed; transverse row of larger punctures along posterior margin of pronotum absent (large areas without microsculpture in
A few characters listed as diagnostic for
By the combination of median portion of the prosternum differentiated from lateral portions, subpentagonal preepisternal elevation of the mesothorax widely contacting the metaventrite, large mesothoracic cavities for reception procoxae (reaching to anterior margin of mesoxocal cavity) and metanepisternum well developed both anteriorly and posteriorly,
When the size of mesoventral cavities for reception of procoxae is not taken into consideration,
The genus now includes two species, one distributed in Kyushu, Shikoku and the southern part of the Honshu, the other occuring in high altitudes of the mountain ranges in the Chinese province of Sichuan (
1 | Body uniformly brown ( |
|
– | Elytra pale reddish with darker spots at midlength, head and pronotum dark brown ( |
Paratype: 1 female (CSR): 'CH, S Sichuan, near / Bijishan Village, left / tr. of Lianhegou River / 2500–3200 m, 19.6.2000 / Belousov, Kabak, Davidian // Paratype / Cryptopleurum / sichuanicum / Ryndevich S. K. // Coll. / SKR // Cryptopleurum / sp.n. / det HEBAUER'.
Body widely oval, widest in anterior third of elytra. Body length 2.2–2.9 mm, body width 1.4–1.7 mm.
General coloration of dorsal surface dark brown, anterior and anterolateral margins of clypeus and lateral portions of frontoclypeal suture pale reddish, anterior margin of pronotum widely reddish, each elytron slightly paler in humeral area and at elytral apex. Ventral surface dark brown, mentum, mouthparts and posterior portions of temporae reddish brown. Maxillary palpi, antennae and legs pale reddish brown.
Head. Clypeus widely rounded, constricted above antennal bases, with very distinct marginal bead. Dorsal surface of clypeus and frons with strong scale-like microsculpture obscuring the punctation, sparsely arranged punctures not apparent among microsculpture, only evident according to long thin setae arising from punctures. Frontoclypeal suture apparent as a non-sculptured stripe directing mesad, strongly bent posteriad submesally. Mentum with sparsely arranged fine setiferous punctures medially and posteriorly, interstices with strong scale-like microsculpture. Antennal club without distinct groups of peg-like sensilla dorsally or ventrally. Maxilla of male without sucking disc ventrally.
Prothorax. Pronotum with sparsely arranged fine setiferous punctures, larger punctures along posterior margin absent. Whole dorsal surface with mesh-like microsculpture, microsculpture strong along anterior and posterior margins and on lateral portions of pronotum, obsolete on pronotal disc; pronotal disc with irregular longitudinal striae. Lateral portions of pronotum slightly deflexed (and hence seen in ventral view). Prosternum with well defined median plate 2.0× wider than long, bearing strong rugose sculpture, indistinctly carinate mesally. Anterolateral corners of prosternum (at contact with hypomeron) with small but distinct tooth. Antennal grooves large, but not quite reaching lateral margin of hypomeron. Profemur with a rather shallow sculptured depression on a large portion of ventral surface. Protibia angulate distally.
Mesothorax. Scutellar shield with sparse fine punctation, without microsculpture. Elytra with 10 punctural series, all series deeply impressed, lateral striae deeper than median ones; serial punctures minute and rather inconspicuous; elytral intervals highly convex, bearing sparsely arranged fine setiferous punctation, interstices with strong microsculpture consisting of small bumps; lateral portions of elytra deflexed laterally (hence, visible in ventral view); epipleuron present only on elytral base, reduced to extremelly narrow stripe behind level of mesocoxae. Mesoventrite with pentagonal posteromedian elevation, the elevation 1.3× wider than long, with rugose setiferous sculpture.
Metathorax. Anteromedian process with very weakly developed short longitudinal ridges, in many individuals completely obscured by microsculpture; median portion of metaventrite slightly elevated bearing densely arranged coarse setiferous punctures separated by 0.5–1.2× puncture diameter; lateral portions of metaventrite with extremelly large setiferous punctures; whole surface of metaventrite except its posteromedian portion with mesh-like microsculpture on interstices, microsculpture stronger laterally than medially. Hind wings well developed.
Abdomen. All abdominal ventrites with strong scale-like microsculpture, punctation of ventrite 1 consisting of extremelly large setiferous punctures similar to that on lateral portions of metaventrite; punctation of ventrites 2–5 sparse and very fine, nearly completely obscured by microsculpture.
Male genitalia. Parameres slender, 1.8× longer than phallobase. Median lobe robust, very wide and parallel-sided in basal 0.35, slighly and continually narrowing apicad in apical 0.65, apex widely rounded; gonopore situated in basal 0.4 of median lobe. Stenite 9 with slightly asymmetrical median projection.
General habitus of
Morphological details of
Morphological details of
See the identification key above for characters distinguishing
Ventral morphology of
No details on the biology are known. The terrestrial habits of
The species occurs in the mountains of the Sichuan province in South China, at altitudes between 2500–3500 m a.s.l. (
Maps.
The inclusion of
Characters in which
The autapomorphies of
(1) The antennal grooves of
(2) The meso- and metathorax of
(3) The prosternal plate of
The above differences indicate that despite its superficial resemblance,
The inclusion of
Hoshina and Fikáček (2008) examined 35 specimens of Japanese
We are indebted to M. A. Jäch for the opportunity to examine the specimens deposited in NHMW, to H. Hoshina (Fukui University, Fukui, Japan) for reexamining several morphological details of