Megalodacne ulkei Crotch, 1873

Body (Figs 1–2, 7–8, 13–14, 22–23, 73–74, 77–78) small, elongate, with legs short and robust, the tarsi cylindrical, 5-jointed, the four basal joints short, nearly equal in size and not at all dilated, the last joint long. Antennae not very long, the latter with a broad 3-jointed club. Eyes coarsely facetted. Head with the pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes (Figs 40–42). Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Pronotum (Figs 45–47) arched, widest at base; narrowed from base to apex, with formed thinned lines in lateral view (Figs 50–52); disk punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures. Prosternum with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front. Mesosternum almost concealed by prosternal process. Metasternum with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Elytra convex.

Microsternus is widespread in Asia, with one species in Australia and one species in America.

Defining characters for Microsternus are body elongate, head with the pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes, pronotum without a deep sulcus along each side and narrowed margin in lateral view, mesosternum almost concealed by prosternal process, male genitalia with flagellum (Figs 59–64) bearing a straight mass on apical quarter.

Holotype: CHINA: Hainan Prov.: ♂, Jianfengling N.R., Mingfenggu Valley, 18°44'N, 108°50'E, alt. 950 m, 30.IV.2012, Peng & Dai leg. (SNUC).

Body (Fig. 7, 8) elongate, length: 7.5 mm; width: 3.2 mm. Body black, shining. Each elytron with two narrow orange bands.

Head width between eyes = 4 times eye diameter in dorsal view; punctation fine, spare, separated by two to four puncture diameters; epistome truncate, lacking marginal line on anterior margin; stridulatory files not evident. Eyes coarsely facetted. Antennomere III about 1.2 times as long as IV; antennomere VIII slightly wider than VII, about 1.3 times as wide as long; antennomere IX trapezoidal; antennomere X transverse; antennomere XI almost elliptic. Gular area with pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes. Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Mentum broad with anterior projection, almost triangular, slightly more than 2.3 times wider than long.

Pronotum arched, widest at base (pl/pw = 0.65); narrowed from base to apex, with formed thinned lines in lateral view; disk finely and spare punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of fine punctures.

Prosternum with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front, bearing a few fine punctures; sides rugose, coarsely and densely punctured. Mesosternum almost conceled by prosternal process, impunctate as the mesepisterna, which is somewhat concave. Metasternum rather sparsely and strongly punctured on lateral areas, some finer punctures on median area, with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen rather strongly and closely punctured, but median areas of four basal visible sternites and medio-basal area of last visible sternite with few punctures respectively; without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Legs rather robust.

Scutellum pentagonal, finely and sparely punctured.

Elytra convex, with eight striae of distinct punctures on each elytron and each interstice with a row of extremely fine punctures.

Male genitalia (Figs 9–10) with flagellum bearing a straight mass on apical; flagellar apex acute with a well-separated ventral process; dorsal lobe of internal sac with long and tweezer-like structure in dorsal view (Figs 11–12).

China (Hainan Province).

Characterized by its shining body, spare punctured pronotum and dorsal lobe’s unique structure of internal sac.

This species is named in honor of Mr. Zhong Peng, one of the collectors of this new species.

CHINA: Hainan Prov.: 4♂♂, 3♀♀, Shuiman County, Mt. Wuzhishan, 18°54'N, 109°41'E, alt. 500–800 m, 24.IV.2011, Bi Wenxuan leg. (CBWX); Zhejiang Prov.: 1♂♂, 2♀♀, Linan County, Mt. Tianmushan, 18°54'N, 109°41'E, alt. 300 m, 27.IV.2008, He & Tang leg. (SNUC)

Body (Figs 13–14, 74–75, 78) elongate, length: 4.9–7.0 mm; width: 2.2–3.0 mm. Body black to blackish-brown. Each elytron with two narrow orange bands.

Head width between eyes = 7 times eye diameter in dorsal view; punctation coarse, close, separated by half to two puncture diameters; epistome truncate, lacking marginal line on anterior margin; stridulatory files not evident. Eyes coarsely facetted. Antennomere III about 1.4 times as long as IV; antennomere VIII slightly wider than VII, about 1.2 times as wide as long; antennomere IX trapezoidal; antennomere X transverse; antennomere XI almost elliptic. Gular area with pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes (Fig. 42). Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Mentum broad with anterior projection, almost triangular, slightly more than 3.7 times wider than long.

Pronotum (Fig. 47) arched, widest at base (pl/pw = 0.63); narrowed from base to apex, with formed thinned lines in lateral view (Fig. 52); disk coarsely and close punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures.

Prosternum with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front, bearing a few fine punctures; sides rugose, coarsely and densely punctured. Mesosternum almost conceled by prosternal process, impunctate as the mesepisterna, which is somewhat concave. Metasternum rather sparsely and strongly punctured on lateral areas, some finer punctures on median area, with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen rather strongly and closely punctured, but median areas of four basal visible sternites and medio-basal area of last visible sternite with few punctures respectively; without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Legs rather robust.

Scutellum pentagonal, with each corner rounded, flattish and almost impunctate on surface.

Elytra convex, with eight striae of distinct punctures on each elytron and each interstice with a row of extremely fine punctures.

Male genitalia (Fig. 15–17) with flagellum bearing a straight mass on apical quarter; flagellar (Fig. 63–64) apex acute with a well-separated ventral process; dorsal lobe of internal sac with subhexagon edge and propeller -like hollow in dorsal view (Figs 18–19).

Female genitalia (Fig. 20) and spermatheca (Fig. 21) simple.

China, Japan.

Characterized by its close punctured pronotum, orange bands of elytra and dorsal lobe’s unique structure of internal sac.

CHINA: Hainan Prov.: 1♂♂, 1♀, Shangsi County, Mt. Wuzhishan, 18°54'N, 109°41'E, alt. 800–1000 m, 22.IV.2011, Bi Wenxuan leg. (CBWX); 1♂, Jianfenglin N R. Mingfenggu Valley, 18°44'N, 108°50'E, alt. 1000 m, 22. V.2011, Bi Wenxuan leg. (CBWX)

Body (Figs 22–23, 73, 77) elongate, length: 3.0–5.0 mm; width: 1.4–2.4 mm. Body red to reddish-brown. Each elytron orange and black spots or bands.

Head width between eyes = 8 times eye diameter in dorsal view; punctation coarse, close, separated by half to two puncture diameters; epistome truncate, lacking marginal line on anterior margin; stridulatory files not evident. Eyes coarsely facetted. Antennomere III about 1.7 times as long as IV; antennomere VIII slightly wider than VII, about 1.2 times as wide as long; antennomere IX trapezoidal; antennomere X transverse; antennomere XI almost elliptic. Gular area with pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes (Fig. 41). Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Mentum broad with anterior projection, almost triangular, slightly more than 4.0 times wider than long.

Pronotum (Fig. 46) arched, widest at base (pl/pw = 0.58); narrowed from base to apex, with formed thinned lines in lateral view (Fig. 51); disk coarsely and close punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures.

Prosternum with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front, bearing a few fine punctures; sides rugose, coarsely and densely punctured. Mesosternum almost conceled by prosternal process, impunctate as the mesepisterna, which is somewhat concave. Metasternum rather sparsely and strongly punctured on lateral areas, some finer punctures on median area, with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen rather strongly and closely punctured, but median areas of four basal visible sternites and medio-basal area of last visible sternite with few punctures respectively; without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Legs rather robust.

Scutellum pentagonal, with each corner rounded, flattish and almost impunctate on surface.

Elytra convex, with eight striae of distinct punctures on each elytron and each interstice with a row of extremely fine punctures.

Male genitalia (Figs 24–25) with flagellum bearing a straight mass on apical quarter; flagellar (Figs 61–62) apex acute with a well-separated ventral process; dorsal lobe of internal sac with spade -like structure in dorsal view (Figs 26–27).

Female genitalia (Fig. 28) and spermatheca (Fig. 29) simple.

China, Japan, Russia (Far East), Oriental region.

Microsternus tricolor is characterized by its close punctured pronotum, orange and black interphased bands of elytra (Figs 30–33) and dorsal lobe’s unique structure of internal sac.

Nakane described ‘taiwanicus’ for a single female specimen, according his description, Microsternus tricolor taiwanicus can be distinguished from Microsternus tricolor by a difference in the elytral bands: Microsternus tricolor taiwanicus has the median black patch on each side is nearly quadrate, not triangular and more extended inwards, with the inner margin more longitudinal and the front angle nearly rectangular; the posterior yellow fascia is much broader and nearly as wide as the black band before the apex. On studying the specimens of Microsternus tricolor, we find the bands of elytra are variable in different specimens (Figs 30–33), after compare the photos about Microsternus tricolor from Taiwan and Japan, we think the differences Nakane mentioned in his paper are not unique to Taiwan.

Based on the information outlined above, we considered Microsternus tricolor taiwanicus is a new synonym of Microsternus tricolor.

Microsternus higonius Lewis, 1887, here designated.

Body small, elongate oval (Figs 34–37, 76), with legs short and robust, the tarsi cylindrical, 5-jointed, the four basal joints short, nearly equal in size and not at all dilated, the last joint long. Antennae not very long, the latter with a broad 3-jointed club. Eyes coarsely facetted. Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres (Figs 43, 44) acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Pronotum (Figs 48, 49) arched, widest at base; narrowed from base to apex, with a deep sulcus along each side, which is broadly margined and the bordering gradually widened anteriorly, which formed thicken lines in lateral view (Figs 53, 54); disk coarsely and sparsely punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures. Prosternum (Figs 38, 39) with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front. Mesosternum almost concealed by prosternal process. Metasternum with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Elytra strongly convex.

China, Japan.

This new genus can be distinguished from Microsternus by body elongate oval, head without the pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes, pronotum with a deep sulcus along each side, which is broadly margined in lateral view, male genitalia with flagellum bearing a arched mass on apical quarter (Figs 55–58). Microsternus body elongate, head with the pit posterior to the postmandibular lobes, pronotum without a deep sulcus along each side and narrowly margined in lateral view, male genitalia with flagellum bearing a straight mass on apical quarter (Figs 59–64).

As a uniquely new group within Dacnini, the generic name is derived from Microsternus, it is appropriate to call the genus “New sternus”, and to abbreviate and combine the roots into a single word. The gender is masculine.

CHINA: Fujian Prov.: 1♂, Wuyishan City, Guadun village, 27°44'N, 117°38'E, alt. 1200 m, 29.V.2012, Peng & Dai leg. (SNUC)

Body (Figs 34, 35, 76) elongate oval, length: 2.2–3.0 mm; width: 1.1–1.4 mm. Head and elytra reddish-brown; pronotum general black with reddish-brown sides; legs, palpi and base of antennae reddish-brown. Each elytron with three or four black bands.

Head width between eyes = 8 times eye diameter in dorsal view; punctation coarse, sparse, separated by 3-4 puncture diameters; epistome truncate, lacking marginal line on anterior margin; stridulatory files not evident. Eyes coarsely facetted. Antennomere III about 1.8 times as long as IV; antennomere VIII slightly wider than VII, about 1.2 times as wide as long; antennomere IX trapezoidal; antennomere X transverse; antennomere XI almost elliptic; relative lengths of antennomeres II–XI: 15: 18: 10: 10: 10: 10: 10: 14: 15: 17. Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Mentum broad with anterior projection, almost triangular, slightly more than 3.5 times wider than long.

Pronotum arched, widest at base (pl/pw = 0.55); narrowed from base to apex, with a deep sulcus along each side, which is broadly margined and the bordering gradually widened anteriorly (Fig. 48), which formed thicken lines in lateral view (Fig. 53); disk coarsely and sparsely punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures.

Prosternum (Fig. 38) with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front, bearing a few fine punctures; sides rugose, coarsely and densely punctured. Mesosternum almost concealed by prosternal process, impunctate as the mesepisterna, which is somewhat concave. Metasternum rather sparsely and strongly punctured on lateral areas, some finer punctures on median area, with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen rather strongly and closely punctured, but median areas of four basal visible sternites and medio-basal area of last visible sternite with few punctures respectively; without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Legs rather robust.

Scutellum pentagonal, with each corner rounded, flattish and almost impunctate on surface.

Elytra strongly convex, with eight striae of distinct punctures on each elytron and each interstice with a row of extremely fine punctures.

Male genitalia (Fig. 65) with flagellum (Fig. 66) curved, bearing a dorsal, arched, cartilaginous mass on apical quarter; flagellar apex acute with a well-separated ventral process; dorsal lobe of internal sac with separated front and triangular end (Fig. 67); ventral lobe of internal sac trident-like (Fig. 68).

China, Japan.

Characterized by its small body and black pronotum.

CHINA: CHINA: Guangxi Prov.: 3♂♂, 2♀♀, Shangsi County, Mt. Shiwandashan, 21°54'N, 107°53'E, alt. 300–500 m, 25.IV.2011, PENG, ZHAI & ZHU leg. (SNUC); 1♂, Shangsi County, Mt. Shiwandashan, 21°54'N, 107°53'E, alt. 300–500 m, 4.V.2011, Liang Tang leg. (SNUC)

Body (Figs 36, 37) elongate oval, length: 2.4–3.0 mm; width: 1.2–1.4 mm. Head and elytra reddish-brown; pronotum general reddish-brown; legs, palpi and base of antennae reddish-brown. Each elytron with two to four black bands.

Head width between eyes = 8 times eye diameter in dorsal view; punctation coarse, sparse, separated by 3-4 puncture diameters; epistome truncate, lacking marginal line on anterior margin; stridulatory files not evident. Eyes coarsely facetted. Antennomere III about 1.8 times as long as IV; antennomere VIII slightly wider than VII, about 1.2 times as wide as long; antennomere IX trapezoidal; antennomere X transverse; antennomere XI almost elliptic; relative lengths of antennomeres II–XI: 15: 18: 10: 10: 10: 10: 10: 14: 15: 17. Maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate, sensory area restricted to apex. Mentum broad with anterior projection, almost triangular, slightly more than 3.5 times wider than long.

Pronotum arched, widest at base (pl/pw = 0.55); narrowed from base to apex, with a deep sulcus along each side, which is broadly margined and the bordering gradually widened anteriorly (Fig. 49), which formed thicken lines in lateral view (Fig. 54); disk coarsely and sparsely punctured, except the impunctate medio-basal area, which is limited by an arched transverse row of coarse punctures.

Prosternum (Fig. 39) with median area including its process elevated in an elongate triangular plane, which is distinctly bordered by a ridge on both sides and shortly rounded-subtruncate in front, bearing a few fine punctures; sides rugose, coarsely and densely punctured. Mesosternum almost conceled by prosternal process, impunctate as the mesepisterna, which is somewhat concave. Metasternum rather sparsely and strongly punctured on lateral areas, some finer punctures on median area, with a pair of mesocoxal lines strongly divergent posteriorly. Abdomen rather strongly and closely punctured, but median areas of four basal visible sternites and medio-basal area of last visible sternite with few punctures respectively; without metacoxal lines on basal visible sternite. Legs rather robust.

Scutellum pentagonal, with each corner rounded, flattish and almost impunctate on surface.

Elytra strongly convex, with eight striae of distinct punctures on each elytron and each interstice with a row of extremely fine punctures.

Male genitalia (Fig. 69) with flagellum (Figs 57–58) curved, bearing a dorsal, arched, cartilaginous mass on apical quarter; flagellar apex acute with a well-separated ventral process; dorsal lobe (Fig. 70) of internal sac with separated front and triangular end; ventral lobe of internal sac trident-like.

Female genitalia (Fig. 72) and spermatheca (Fig. 71) simple.

China, Japan.

Characterized by its small body and entirely reddish-brown pronotum.

Neosternus hisamatsui Nakane is similar to Neosternus higonius Lewis in the form and color pattern of the body. Neosternus hisamatsui can be distinguished from Neosternus higonius by the pronotum entirely reddish-brown. Neosternus higonius has pronotum black with reddish-brown sides. Though the male genitalia and dorsal lobe of internal sac of Neosternus higonius is similar to Neosternus hisamatsui, with only one specimen of Neosternus higonius available and no Japanese specimens, we can’t consider Neosternus hisamatsui as a synonym of Neosternus higonius. This should be considered after maor materials are available for study.

China (Taiwan).

Characterized by its small body and markings of pronotum.

Chûjô described Microsternus taiwanus from Taiwan. According Chûjô’s description, Neosternus taiwanus is very similar to Neosternus higonius. The only difference between these two species were the bands of pronotum and elytra as noted in the key to species. No specimens are available for study.