Three new species of the subgenus Leipopleura Seidlitz from Tibet, China (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Bioramix Bates)

Abstract Three new species of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) belonging to the subgenus Leipopleura of the genus Bioramix Bates, 1879, Bioramix (Leipopleura) baqenensis Li & Egorov, sp. n., Bioramix (Leipopleura) nyainrongensis Li & Egorov, sp. n., and Bioramix (Leipopleura) banbarensis Li & Egorov, sp. n. are described from the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. Additionally, a new identification key is provided to all known Chinese representatives of the subgenus Leipopleura.

During the identification of tenebrionid specimens collected in Tibet in 2010, three new species of the subgenus Leipopleura were found and are described below.

Material and methods
The specimens examined in this study are deposited in the Museum of China West Normal University, Nanchong, China (MCWNU) and Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences (ZIN) (St.-Petersburg, Russia). The specimens were examined with a Leica M205C stereomicroscope and recorded with a Nikon D3000 digital camera.
In the morphological descriptions the following measurements were taken (by means of binocular micrometre): 1) length of antennomeres (without interantennal membrane) and their maximum width; 2) length of pronotum along midline between anterior and posterior margins; 3) maximum width of pronotum; 4) length of elytra along suture from base to apex; 5) maximum width of elytra; 6) maximum width of tibia at apex; 7) maximum width of male tarsi; 8) maximum width and length of parameres (taken in dorsal view along middle groove); 9) length of phallobase (taken in lateral view) and general length of the aedeagus from apex of parameres to base of phallobase; 10) general length of the body from base of mandibles to apex of elytra (taken in lateral view). Density of punctation is characterized as follows: 1) dense punctation -distance between punctures less than their diameter; 2) moderately dense -distance between punctures less than or equal to their diameter; 3) sparse punctation -distance between punctures exceeding their diameter.  punctation and minute rugae, with traces of longitudinal prominences and also traces of smooth rounded prominences better developed in apical half. Epipleural surface with densely covered irregular wrinkles and small granules. Mesoventrite with rather sparse recumbent hairs; surface finely granulate and wrinkles. Abdominal ventrites with yellow hairs. Intercoxal process of abdomen rounded apically. First and second abdominal ventrites with shallow medial impressions, 4 th ventrite weakly concave at sides. Last abdominal ventrite with shallow depression and impunctate semicircular area at medial base.
Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished based on the following: shorter antennae (when posteriorly extended, not reaching pronotal base); anterior margin of pronotum emarginated, and metatibia weakly incurved.
Etymology. Named after the type locality, Nyainrong. Description. Body black; antennae, legs and palps brown; surface weakly shiny.
Male . Head broad, anterior margin of clypeus weakly, but noticeably arcuate in the middle; fronto-clypeal suture slightly obscure; most of genae densely punctate, covered with recumbent hairs. Dorsal surface of head slight convex. Punctation of head coarse large, dense or moderately dense. Antennae very shorter, when posteriorly extended, not reaching posterior ½ of pronotum. Length (width) ratio of antennomeres from 2 nd to 11 th as follows: 11.7(10.  Pronotum ( Fig. 12) transverse, 1.49-1.63 (1.55 on average, n = 3) times as wide as long, widest before in the middle, 1.75-1.87 (1.83 on average, n = 3) times as wide as head. Ratio of pronotal width at anterior margin to its maximum width and width at base (n = 3) 0.66: 1.00: 0.96 on average. Outer margins of pronotum acutely convex, bordered along entire length. Anterior margin emarginate, bordered laterally; base weakly bisinuate, not bordered or bordered laterally. Anterior angles weakly obtuse; posterior ones nearly rectangular. Pronotal surface between outer margins convex, punctures smaller and denser than those on head, finer at disc than laterally, lateral margins of pronotum weakly flattened. Intercoxal process not raised, sharply sloping behind procoxae. Prothoracic hypomeron with longitudinal wrinkles.
Elytra elongate-oval, 1.27-1.33 (1.30 on average, n = 3) times as long as wide, maximum width before middle, 1.10-1.20 (1.14 on average, n = 3) times as wide as pronotum. Outer margin of epipleural reaching sutural angle, visible dorsally only at base. Elytral surface between epipleura and sutural margin convex, with traces of longitudinal carina, elytra apex sharply declined. Epipleural surface covered with dense irregular wrinkles and sparse shallow punctures. Lateral carina of elytra (outer margin of pseudepipleura) visible in dorsal view only anteriorly, explanate on humeri, merging with epipleura, reaching sutural angle. Mesoventrite with rather sparse recumbent hairs; surface finely granulate and wrinkles. Abdominal ventrites with yellow hairs. intercoxal process of abdomen rounded apically. First and second abdominal ventrites with shallow medial impressions.
Female . Body longer and wider. Pronotum 1.57-1.59 (1.58 on average, n = 3) times as wide as long, 1.75-1.77 (1.76 on average, n = 3) times as wide as head. Ratio of pronotal width at anterior margin to its maximum width and width at base (n = 3) 0.67: 1.00: 0.98. Elytra 1.30-1.32 (1.31 on average, n = 3) times as long as wide, 1.19-1.21 (1.20 on average, n = 3) times as wide as pronotum. Plantar surface of pro-and mesotarsomeres without setal brush. Ovipositor in dorsal view with golden setae at apical ¼, and nearly apex shorter setae formation looped pile, within a strong long setae highlight, inner apical surface of with densely setae.

Bioramix (Leipopleura) banbarensis
Elytra elongate-oval, 1.28-1.45 (1.35 on average, n = 5) times as long as wide, widest nearly in the middle, 1.21-1.34 (1.28 on average, n = 5) times as wide as pronotum. Outer margin of epipleural not reaching sutural angle, visible dorsally only at base. Elytral surface between epipleura and sutural margin convex, with sparse and shallow punctures, irregular fine wrinkles and traces of longitudinal carina. Elytra margin setae and abdomen setae subequal length, elytra apex sharply declined. Mesosternum with rather sparse recumbent hairs, surface finely granulate and wrinkles. Abdominal ventrites with yellow hairs. First and second abdominal ventrites with shallow medial impressions. Last abdominal ventrite with depression and impunctate semicircular area at medial base, apical margin widely rounded.
Conclusion. The world fauna of the tribe Platyscelidini comprises 8 genera, 28 subgenera (Egorov 2004(Egorov , 2009) and found in Palaearctic area. moreover, its southern border coincides with the part of Palaearctic southern border in the Himalayas. The majority of species live in the steppe and mountain habitats, lesser number in semideserts. The mountain regions of Asia, such as the Tien Shan, the Pamirs, the Hindu Kush, the Karakorum Range, the unlun Shan, the Himalayas, as well as Northern and Central China mountains are the main centers of species diversity. The classification of the tribe, developed in detail by Kaszab (1940) and Egorov (2004Egorov ( , 2009.