Corresponding author: Mei-Jun Zhao (
Academic editor: J. Klimaszewski
Six species of
According to a recent checklist, 90 species of the speciose paederine genus
Covering an area of 154 km2, the Emei Shan, one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains of China, is situated at the western rim of the Sichuan Basin and forms the southernmost part of the Qionglai range (
A study of recently collected
The material treated in this paper is deposited in the following public and private collections:
The morphological studies were conducted using Stemi SV 11 (Zeiss Germany) and Olympus CX31 microscopes, and a Jenalab compound microscope (Carl Zeiss Jena). The images were prepared using Nikon Coolpix 995, Canon EOS 40D (with an MP-E 65 macrolens), and Canon G9 cameras. The map was created using MapCreator 2.0 (primap) software.
Body length was measured from the anterior margin of the mandibles (in resting position) to the abdominal apex, the length of the forebody from the anterior margin of the mandibles to the posterior margin of the elytra, head length from the anterior margin of the frons to the posterior margin of the head, elytral length at the suture from the apex of the scutellum to the posterior margin of the elytra, and the length of the aedeagus from the apex of the ventral process to the base of the aedeagal capsule. The “parameral” side (i.e., the side where the sperm duct enters) is referred to as the ventral, the opposite side as the dorsal aspect.
The labels are cited in the original spelling; different labels are separated by slashes.
Six new species are reported from the Emei Shan. All of them are micropterous (hind wings completely reduced) and most likely endemic to this mountain range.
The
One lineage is represented by the
The second lineage is represented by the
The
Holotype ♂: ‘CHINA: Sichuan, Prov. Emeishan City, Mt. Emeishan,
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: connected, fused) alludes to the merged ventral process and dorsal plate of the aedeagus.
Species of moderately large and somewhat variable size, without sexual size dimorphism. Body length 8.0–9.5 mm; length of forebody 3.4–4.2 mm. Habitus as in
Head usually weakly transverse, 1.00–1.05 times as broad as long; punctation variable, moderately coarse to coarse and moderately dense to dense, sparser in median dorsal portion; interstices with fine but distinct microreticulation. Eyes weakly convex and rather large, approximately half the length of postocular region in dorsal view, or nearly so, and composed of numerous (> 50) ommatidia. Antenna 2.0–2.3 mm long.
Pronotum relatively broad, approximately 1.2 times as long as broad and 1.05–1.10 times as broad as head; punctation similar to that of head or somewhat finer; impunctate midline moderately broad; interstices without microsculpture.
Elytra short and broad, distinctly dilated posteriorly, approximately 0.55 times as long as pronotum, and at posterior margin approximately 1.6–1.7 times as broad (combined width) as long; punctation somewhat variable, usually shallow and moderately defined. Hind wings completely reduced. Protarsi without evident sexual dimorphism, moderately dilated in both sexes.
Abdomen with fine and rather dense punctation, that of tergite VII only slightly sparser than that of anterior tergites; interstices with fine microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VIII without sexual dimorphism, with truncate to weakly convex posterior margin.
Male. Sternites III-VI unmodified. Sternite VII strongly transverse, with asymmetric, somewhat oblique median impression posteriorly, this impression with pronounced and extensive cluster of numerous distinctly modified, short and stout black setae; posterior margin bisinuate or with shallow excision in asymmetric position (
Female. Sternite VIII approximately as long as broad and with distinctly convex posterior margin, its shape similar to that of
In external characters,
Geographic position of the Emei Shan in China.
Habitus of
Holotype ♂: ‘CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Emeishan City, Mt. Emeishan,
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: connected, fused) alludes to the merged ventral process and dorsal plate of the aedeagus and emphasizes the hypothesized close relationship of
Body length 7.1–9.0 mm; length of forebody 3.4–3.8 mm. Habitus as in
Male. Sternites III-VI unmodified. Sternite VII distinctly transverse, with slightly asymmetric, somewhat oblique, and relatively extensive median impression, this impression with defined and extensive cluster of numerous distinctly modified, short and stout black setae; posterior margin bisinuate, with shallow excision in asymmetric position (
Female. Sternite VIII approximately as long as broad and with distinctly convex posterior margin (
Like
Holotype ♂: ‘CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Emeishan City, Mt. Emeishan,
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: connected) refers to the merged ventral process and dorsal plate of the aedeagus and emphasizes the hypothesized close relationship of
Body length 8.8–10.0 mm; length of forebody: 4.1–4.5 mm. Habitus as in
Male. Sternite VII (
Female. Sternite VIII (
As can be inferred from the similarly derived morphology of the aedeagus (ventral process and dorsal plate fused and distinctly asymmetric; small basal portion; internal sac with weakly sclerotized basal sclerite), the similar modifications of the male sternite VII (posterior impression in asymmetric position and with cluster of distinctly modified setae), the similar female secondary sexual characters, and the practically identical external characters,
This species is currently known only from the type locality. The specimens were collected by sifting leaf litter and humus from the floor of hardwood forest with
Holotype ♂: ‘P. R. CHINA, Sichuan, EmeiShan,
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: carrying a sword) alludes to the shape of the ventral process of the aedeagus.
Large species; body length 11.0–13.0 mm; length of forebody 5.5–5.8 mm. Habitus as in
Head weakly oblong, approximately 1.05 times as long as broad; punctation not particularly coarse and moderately dense, sparser in median dorsal portion; interstices with fine but distinct microreticulation. Eyes weakly convex and rather small, less than one third or even only one fourth as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Antenna 3.2–3.3 mm long.
Pronotum slender, approximately 1.35–1.40 times as long as broad and 0.95 times as broad as head; punctation similar to that of head or somewhat finer; impunctate midline broader posteriorly than anteriorly; interstices without microsculpture.
Elytra short, not distinctly dilated posteriorly (i.e., lateral margins subparallel in dorsal view), approximately 0.50–0.55 times as long as pronotum; punctation shallow and dense. Hind wings completely reduced. Protarsi with weakly pronounced sexual dimorphism.
Abdomen with fine and rather dense punctation, that of tergite VII slightly sparser than that of anterior tergites; interstices with fine microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VIII without sexual dimorphism, in both sexes with weakly convex posterior margin.
Male. Sternites III-VI unmodified. Sternite VII (
Female. Sternite VIII 1.7 mm long, distinctly oblong, posterior margin strongly produced in the middle (
The type locality is situated in the Emei Shan. The specimens were sifted from leaf litter at an altitude of nearly 2,300 m.
Holotype ♂: ‘CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Emeishan City, Mt. Emeishan,
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective: armed with a spear) alludes to the presence of a long spine in the internal sac of the aedeagus.
Species of relatively small and somewhat variable size, without sexual size dimorphism. Body length 6.3–7.6 mm; length of forebody 2.9–3.3 mm. Habitus as in
Head weakly oblong, approximately 1.05 times as long as broad; punctation variable, relatively fine to moderately coarse and moderately sparse to moderately dense, sparser in median dorsal portion; interstices with fine but distinct microreticulation. Eyes weakly convex and small, approximately one fourth as long as postocular region in dorsal view and composed of approximately 20 weakly defined ommatidia. Antenna 1.6–1.8 mm long.
Pronotum slender, approximately 1.35 times as long as broad and approximately 1.05 times as broad as head; punctation similar to that of head or somewhat finer; impunctate midline moderately broad; interstices without microsculpture.
Elytra short, weakly dilated posteriorly, little more than 0.50 times as long as pronotum; punctation somewhat variable, usually shallow and moderately defined. Hind wings completely reduced. Protarsi with weakly pronounced sexual dimorphism.
Abdomen with fine and rather dense punctation, that of tergite VII slightly sparser than that of anterior tergites; interstices with fine microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VIII without sexual dimorphism, with truncate to weakly concave posterior margin.
Male. Sternites III-VI unmodified. Sternite VII strongly transverse, symmetric, with shallow median impression posteriorly, this impression with sparse and weakly modified dark setae (
Female. Sternite VIII 0.9-1.0 mm long, weakly oblong, of slightly variable shape; posterior margin distinctly produced, middle weakly to distinctly convex (
The similarly derived shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VIII (posteriorly with pair of impressions, these impressions with modified setae; posterior excision with median projection), the similarly derived morphology of the aedeagus (apical portion of dorsal plate large, apically acute, and distinctly sclerotized; basal portion of dorsal plate very short; internal sac with long sclerotized spine and apically with additional sclerite), the similar shape of the female sternite VIII, and the similarly slender pronotum suggest that, among the described species recorded from the Emei Shan,
Holotype ♂: ‘CHINA: Sichuan Prov., Emeishan City, Mt. Emeishan,
The specific epithet (Latin, adjective) alludes to the bisinuate posterior margin and the bisinuate dorsal plate (lateral view) of the aedeagus.
Small species without sexual size dimorphism. Body length 5.2–6.5 mm; length of forebody 2.6–2.8 mm. Habitus as in
Male. Sternites III-VI unmodified. Sternite VII strongly transverse, symmetric, with shallow median impression posteriorly, this impression with sparse and unmodified pubescence; posterior margin weakly and broadly concave (
Female. Sternite VIII 0.8–0.9 mm long, weakly oblong, posterior margin distinctly produced in the middle, apex of this projection truncate to weakly convex (
Among the
Like the other species described above,
Collecting sites on the Emei Shan.
1 | Large species; body length > 10 mm; length of forebody > 5 mm. Head slightly broader than pronotum ( |
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– | Distinctly smaller species; body length < 10 mm; length of forebody < 4.5 mm. Head slightly narrower than pronotum. ♂: aedeagus much smaller and with ventral process of different shape; sternites VII and VIII of different shape and chaetotaxy. ♀: tergite X not keeled, either distinctly shorter or distinctly longer than tergite IX in the middle | 2 |
2 | Larger species; body length > 7.7 mm; length of forebody > 3.3 mm. Head as broad as long or weakly transverse. Eyes larger, approximately half as long as postocular region in dorsal view, or nearly so, and composed of > 50 ommatidia. Pronotum broad, approximately 1.2 times as long as broad. Elytra broad and distinctly dilated posteriorly. ♂: sternite VII with median impression of obliquely asymmetric shape, this impression with extensive cluster of short and stout black setae; aedeagus asymmetric and with small basal portion, ventral process and dorsal plate fused. ♀: sternite VIII weakly oblong at most, posterior margin convex, not strongly produced in the middle; tergite IX with short median portion and long postero-lateral processes; tergite X much longer than tergite IX in the middle | 3 |
– | Smaller species; body length < 7.6 mm; length of forebody < 3.4 mm. Head weakly oblong. Eyes smaller, less than one third as long as postocular region in dorsal view, and composed of approximately 20 ommatidia. Pronotum more slender, > 1.2 times as long as broad. Elytra only weakly dilated posteriorly. ♂: sternite VII with symmetric impression, this impression with sparse unmodified or weakly modified setae; aedeagus symmetric or weakly asymmetric and with large basal portion, ventral process and dorsal plate not fused. ♀: sternite VIII distinctly oblong, posterior margin distinctly produced in the middle; tergite IX with long median portion and relatively short postero-lateral processes; tergite X much shorter than tergite IX in the middle | 5 |
3 | ♂: sternite VIII with deep and symmetric posterior excision, pubescence unmodified ( |
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– | ♂: sternite VIII with small and shallow posterior excision in asymmetric position, posteriorly with modified setae; aedeagus of different shape | 4 |
4 | ♂: sternite VII with weakly convex posterior margin and with less extensive impression ( |
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– | ♂: sternite VII with shallow posterior excision and with more extensive impression ( |
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5 | Body larger; length of forebody 2.9–3.3 mm. Pronotum more slender, approximately 1.35 times as long as broad. ♂: sternite VII with weakly modified setae in posterior impression, posterior margin more distinctly concave in the middle ( |
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– | Body smaller; length of forebody 2.6–2.8 mm. Pronotum less slender < 1.30 times as long as broad. ♂: sternite VII with unmodified pubescence in posterior impression and with weakly concave posterior margin ( |
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Aleš Smetana kindly provided part of the material treated in this study. All the collectors mentioned in the text are acknowledged for their field work. The comments of two anonymous reviewers on a previous version of the manuscript are appreciated. We thank Wang Lao-er for his support during the field work of the Shanghai team. The study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31101659 and No. 31172134, 31201734), the Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 12YZ077 and No. 13YZ062) and Shanghai Normal University (SK201234 and B–9013–11–003127).