Pterostichus ( Morphohaptoderus ) wangshu, Wu & Chen & Shi, 2025

[6] Pterostichus ( Morphohaptoderus) wangshu sp. nov.

Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 3 F View Figure 3 , 5 F View Figure 5 , 16 View Figure 16 , 17 A – B View Figure 17 , 12 D – E View Figure 12

Type material.

Holotype: Hubei • ♂, labeled “ Hubei Province, Wufeng County, Houhe Nature Reserve , pitfall trap, 900–1000 m, 2013. VIII. 4, Hao Huang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( IZAS) . Paratypes: Hubei • 3 ♂, 1 ♀, the same data as holotype ( IZAS & CBFU) .

Diagnosis.

Large-sized species for the subgenus ( BL = 11.7–12.6 mm); elytral microsculpture linear in males, granular in females; antennomere 3 with a few accessory setae; pronotal basal foveae densely punctate; area between lateral channel and outer sulcus shallowly ridged, usually with a few fine punctures; the outer sulcus about half length of the inner one; elytral interval 3 with two setigerous pores, all adjacent to stria 2; male sternite VII very faintly depressed, without wrinkles. Male genitalia with relatively small lamellar tooth, about half as long as the lamellar apex; ventral surface with two short ridges.

Comparisons.

The new species, P. wangshu sp. nov., is different from all other related species of the subgenus in Hubei by the antennomere 3 with a few accessory setae along the inner margin (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ). For the very indistinctly depressed sternite VII in males, P. wangshu sp. nov. could be most related to P. shennongjianus Facchini & Sciaky. But these two species are different in the following aspects: (1) antennomere 3 with accessory setae in P. wangshu sp. nov.; (2) in P. wangshu sp. nov., the area between the pronotal lateral channel and the outer sulcus of the basal fovea is typically less convex (Fig. 3 F View Figure 3 ), forming a shallower ridge than in P. shennongjianus ; (3) elytral interval 3 with two setigerous pores in P. wangshu sp. nov., but usually with three or more pores in P. shennongjianus ; (4) in the male genitalia of P. wangshu sp. nov., the lamellar denticle smaller than in P. shennongjianus , with its length about half length of the lamellar apex (Fig. 12 D, E View Figure 12 ); (5) the ventral surface of median lobe with two ridges in P. wangshu sp. nov. (Fig. 16 C View Figure 16 ), but with only one ridge in P. shennongjianus (Fig. 10 C View Figure 10 ); (6) in P. wangshu sp. nov. gonocoxite 2 of ovipositor with normal-sized ensiform setae (Fig. 5 F View Figure 5 ), instead with minute ensiform setae in P. shennongjianus (Fig. 5 B View Figure 5 ).

From the features on pronotal base and elytral chaetotaxy, P. wangshu sp. nov. is externally very similar to P. quyuani sp. nov. and P. lingjun sp. nov., but the males of P. wangshu sp. nov. are different from the latter two species in the sternite VII: only very faintly depressed, but more distinctly depressed in the other two species. Moreover, these species are also very different on the setae of antennomere 3 and the male genitalia. Compared with P. quyuani sp. nov., the male genitalia of P. wangshu sp. nov. is different for the lamellar denticle much smaller, only about half length of the lamellar apex (Fig. 12 D, E View Figure 12 ). Compared with P. lingjun sp. nov., the male genitalia of P. wangshu sp. nov. is different for the apical lamella somewhat slighter, and ventral surface of median lobe with two ridges (Fig. 16 C View Figure 16 ).

Description.

BL = 11.7–12.6 mm, BW = 4.3–4.8 mm; dorsal surface dark brown to black, appendages brown; elytral microsculpture linear in males, granular in females (Fig. 16 F, G View Figure 16 ).

Head slightly thickened, HW / PW = 0.54–0.55; frons without puncture; frontal sulci short and shallow; antennae reaching elytral basal sixth, antennomere 3 with a few accessory setae along inner margin (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ); eyes large and hemispherical, tempora shortly swollen behind eyes; submentum with one seta on each side.

Pronotum rounded-rectangular, wider than length, PW / PL = 1.25–1.38, widest near middle, PBW / PW = 0.75–0.79. Anterior margin concaved at middle, slightly narrower than posterior margin, PAW / PBW = 0.75–0.76; anterior angles broadly rounded, weakly projecting; lateral margins evenly arched, gently narrowed toward base, without sinuation before posterior angles, posterior angles right-angled, usually with a faint denticle weakly projecting out. Basal foveae (Fig. 3 F View Figure 3 ) densely punctate along inner and outer sulci, as well as on intersulcate area; inner sulcus with well-defined boundaries, straight and oblique; outer sulcus usually less distinct and shallower, about half length of inner one; intersulcate area weakly convex; lateral channels relatively wide, with fine but distinct punctures along their full length; area between lateral channel and outer sulcus very shallowly ridged, usually with a few fine punctures. Pronotal disc sometimes with very faint transverse wrinkles aside median line; median line shallow; basal median area with a few punctures near inner sulcus.

Elytra broad and flat, lateral sides slightly expanded behind middle, BW / EL = 0.66–0.68. Elytral basal border nearly straight, slightly curved anteriorly near shoulder, forming a faint obtuse angle with lateral margin, humeral tooth small, apex faintly pointed; striae without punctures; parascutellar striole joined to apical portion of stria 1, angular base of stria 1 usually short with free apex (Fig. 3 F View Figure 3 ). Parascutellar pore present; elytral interval 3 with two setigerous pores, the first pore positioned near anterior third, all pores adjacent to stria 2; umbilical pore series on ninth interval sparse in middle, composed of 16–18 pores (6–7, 2–3, 8–9).

Fifth tarsomeres with 4–5 pairs of setae ventrally.

Male sternite VII identical to that of P. shennongjianus (Fig. 2 C View Figure 2 ), very faintly depressed at middle, with strong isodiametric microsculpture on center of the depression, gradually turned to shallower and transverse microsculpture to lateral regions; apex of sternite rounded.

Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 16 B View Figure 16 ) relatively slender compared to similar species; in lateral view, ventral margin evenly curved near basal third, slightly sinuate near apical third, apex abruptly bent ventrally; apical orifice large, strongly turned to left side, opened to left-dorsal surface of median lobe. Ventral surface with two ridges, a sinuate ridge before middle and a straight ridge after middle (Fig. 16 C View Figure 16 ): right ridge sharp and entire except for basal third of aedeagus; median ridge absent; left ridge entire and strongly sinuate. Apical lamella relatively thin (Fig. 16 A View Figure 16 ); rounded in dorsal view, apex widely rounded, slightly twisted to left; with small lamellar denticle on left margin, clearly distant from base of apical lamella; in lateral view, lamellar base distinct, slightly shorter than lamellar apex; lamellar denticle approximately half the length of lamellar apex ( laL / ldL = 2.00–2.10), collinear with lamellar apex. Right paramere short, apex rounded (Fig. 16 E View Figure 16 ).

Endophallus (Fig. 17 A, B View Figure 17 ) bent to ventral side across left side of aedeagus, major parts of endophallus located on ventral-left side of aedeagus; gonopore opened to ventral-basal direction of aedeagus; surface with fine scales, densest near gonopore; gonoporal piece fine, falciform. Two distinct lobes recognized: left pre-apical lobe (lp) very large, probably formed by fused lp and la, on the left side of endophallus, decorated with fine scales; right apical lobe (ra) large and rounded, with a small protuberance towards left side of endophallus, on the right side of endophallus and close to gonopore, decorated with fine scales, denser on the protuberance, with a pigment piece on its inner surface, adjacent to the major portion of endophallus.

Gonocoxite 2 of ovipositor in a typical form (Fig. 5 F View Figure 5 ), crescent-shaped, pointed apically; outer margin with two ensiform setae of normal size, length of the largest ensiform seta ca. 0.06 mm; dorsal margin with one ensiform seta near basal third, strongly ridged from the ensiform seta to apex of gonocoxite 2, one nematiform seta located on the apical seventh of outer surface.

Distribution.

This species is only known from the Houhe Nature Reserve in Wufeng County, Hubei Province. It is distributed at very low altitudes of 900–1000 m.

Etymology.

The scientific name of the new species is derived from Qu Yuan’s work “ Li Sao ”: 前望舒使先驱兮 [Qian Wang Shu Shi Xian Qu Xi], 后飞廉使奔属 [Hou Fei Lian Shi Ben Zhu]. This couplet can be translated as: Let Wangshu in front be the vanguard, and make Feilian closely follow behind. In “ Li Sao, ” Wangshu (望舒) is the name of the fairy who drives the chariot for the moon. It can also be referred to as the moon itself in other literature. The name wangshu is proper for a Pterostichus species because these beetles often run in the moonlight. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.