Revision of the genus Ptomaphagus Hellwig (Coleoptera, Leiodidae, Cholevinae) from Taiwan Island

Abstract Ptomaphagus (s. str.) chenggongi sp. n. and Ptomaphagus (s. str.) tingtingae sp. n. (Coleoptera, Leiodidae, Cholevinae, Ptomaphagini) are described from Taiwan Island. In addition, a new subjective synonym is proposed, Ptomaphagus (s. str.) yasutoshii Nishikawa, 1993 = Ptomaphagus (s. str.) smetanai Perreau, 1996, syn. n. Relevant morphological characters of the examined Ptomaphagus species are illustrated with colour plates, and their known distributions are mapped.

On the island of Taiwan, only three species in the subgenus Ptomaphagus s. str. had been recorded before this study, namely P. (s. str.) kuntzeni Sokolowski, 1957, P. (s. str.) yasutoshii Nishikawa, 1993 and P. (s. str.) smetanai Perreau, 1996. In this paper, which is a continuation of our revision of Ptomaphagus from East Asia, two new species with very similar aedeagi from Taiwan are described and illustrated: Ptomaphagus (s. str.) chenggongi sp. n. and P. (s. str.) tingtingae sp. n. In addition, after examination of the holotypes, a new subjective synonym is proposed: P. (s. str.) yasutoshii Nishikawa, 1993 = P. (s. str.) smetanai Perreau, 1996, syn. n. The geographic variation on apicoventral piece of aedeagal median lobe between the populations of P. (s. str.) kuntzeni from Japan and Taiwan is mentioned. Relevant morphological characters of the examined Ptomaphagus species are illustrated with colour plates, and their known distributions are mapped.

Material and methods
Specimens were relaxed and softened in a hot saturated solution of potassium hydroxide for 4 minutes (for mounted dry specimens) or 8 minutes (for alcohol-preserved specimens), and then transferred to distilled water to rinse the residual potassium hydroxide off and stop any further bleaching. The softened specimens were moved into glycerine and dissected there to observe morphological details. After examination, the body parts were mounted on a glass slip with Euparal Mounting Medium for future studies. Habitus photographs were taken using a Canon macro photo lens MP-E 65mm on a Canon 550D. Observations, photographs and measurements of morphological details were performed using an Axio Zoom.V16 motorized stereo zoom microscope with an AxioCam MRc 5 in Beijing, or an Olympus BX53 microscope with an Olympus DP73 in Prague. The final deep focus images were created with Helicon Focus 5.3 stacking software in Beijing or Zerene Stacker 1.04 in Prague. The program Adobe Photoshop CS6 was used for post processing. Exact label data are cited for all specimens examined. Authors' remarks and addenda are placed in square brackets, separate label lines are indicated by a slash (/) and separate labels by a double slash (//). Measurements are mean values based on 5 specimens.
The material examined for this study is deposited in the following collections and museums: Antennomere XI with length/width = 1.9 (Fig. 8A); right apicoventral piece of aedeagal median lobe broad (Fig. 9H); spermatheca extended leftwards in proximal part (Fig. 10B)  Antennomere XI with length/width = 1.3 (Fig. 11A); right apicoventral piece of aedeagal median lobe rather small (Fig. 9I); spermatheca not extended leftwards in proximal part (Fig. 10C)  Remarks. Perreau (1996) recorded the species from Taiwan Island under the name P. (s. str.) amamianus. We re-examined the specimens concerned and found that they have a partly different aedeagus from that of Japanese specimens (Fig. 4A, C, E): in specimens from Taiwan, the right apicoventral piece of median lobe is slender and ; while in specimens from Japan, it is shorter and subround ( Fig. 4F). However, we consider that it is an intraspecific geographic variation because they have the basically identical shape of aedeagi and spermathecae, and no distinct differences in their external morphology.
Pronotum (Fig. 5B) much transverse, widest just before hind angles, PW/PL = 1.7. Sides regularly rounded, gradually narrowing from posterior to anterior, and slightly constricted before hind angles, which projected backwards and acute. Posterior margin widely protruding in the middle part, distinctly emarginate near hind angles.
Aedeagus (Fig. 6A, B) large, slender and strongly asymmetrical, with median lobe gradually narrowing towards lanceolate apical part which turning to right in dorsal view; opening of genital orifice situated on dorsal surface, deeply cut inwards on preapical left margin of median lobe. Ventral surface of the apical part of the median lobe (Figs 6F, G) inserted with a row of 7 ventrally-oriented setae on both sides. Parameres narrow, reaching about apical 1/5 of median lobe, each with 1 apical and 2 preapical setae, the apical one much shorter (Fig. 6E). In lateral view (Fig. 6C, D), median lobe distinctly bent ventrad and strongly tapering towards narrowly acuminate apex. Endophallus with stylus quite slender, a cheliform complex just below the base of stylus, and a circular complex in basal region.
Female. Similar to male in general appearance (Fig. 2B, D), including elytral apices (Fig. 5H), but distinguished by the following characteristics: protarsi ( Remarks. This species is exceptional in the genus Ptomaphagus in the following characters: metathoracic wings absent; aedeagus strongly asymmetrical, median lobe turning rightwards in apical part; spermatheca spiral-shaped, discoidal in distal part. In addition, the holotypes of Ptomaphagus yasutoshii and P. smetanai have almost identical aedeagal shape (Fig. 6A-D) and no distinct differences in the external morphology, except some variations exist in the shape of aedeagal apex: the right apicoventral piece of median lobe of P. yasutoshii (Fig. 6H) is somewhat wider than that of P. smetanai (Fig. 6I). However, such differences, which fall within intraspecific variability, does not prevent us from synonymizing the two species.
Pronotum (Fig. 8B) transverse, widest just before hind angles, PW/PL = 1.5. Sides gently arched, narrowing from posterior to anterior, and slightly constricted before hind angles, which projected backwards and subacute. Posterior margin widely protruding in the middle part, distinctly emarginate near hind angles.
Abdominal ventrite VIII (Fig. 8I) round at posterior edge, though an inconspicuous median notch at the median. Genital segment (Fig. 8J) with spiculum gastrale protruding about 3/8 of its length beyond anterior edge of epipleurite IX.
Aedeagus (Fig. 9A) long and slender, with median lobe gradually narrowing towards lanceolate apical part and terminated by round knob in dorsal view; opening of genital orifice situated on dorsal surface, deeply cut inwards on preapical left margin of median lobe. Ventral surface of the apex of the median lobe (Fig. 9G) inserted with a row of 6 ventrally oriented setae (the bottom one is very short) on the left side and a row of 4 ventrally oriented setae on the right side. Parameres narrow, reaching about apical 1/5 of median lobe, each with 1 apical and 2 preapical setae, the apical one slightly shorter (Fig. 9E). In lateral view (Fig. 9C), median lobe regularly bent ventrad, gradually tapering apically. Endophallus with stylus quite slender, a cheliform complex just below the base of stylus, and a circular complex in basal region.
Etymology. The specific epithet is dedicated to Cheng-Gong Zheng (1624-1662), a military leader at the end of the Chinese Ming Dynasty, for his feats in 1662 when he defeated the forces of the Dutch East India Company and claimed Taiwan, bringing it under Chinese Han rule.
Abdominal ventrite VIII (Fig. 11I) narrowly round at posterior edge, though an inconspicuous median notch at the median. Genital segment (Fig. 8J) with very slender spiculum gastrale, protruding about 3/8 of its length beyond anterior edge of epipleurite IX.
Aedeagus (Fig. 9B) long and rather slender, with median lobe gradually narrowing towards narrowly lanceolate apical part and terminated by round knob in dorsal view; opening of genital orifice situated on dorsal surface, deeply cut inwards on preapical