Megadrypta maozhoui, Chen & Shi & Liang, 2025

Megadrypta maozhoui sp. nov.

Figs 2 A View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 A View Figure 6 , 7 Chinese vernacular name: 茂洲巨逮步甲 View Figure 7

Type materials.

Holotype: China • male, labeled “ Sichuan, Qionglai, Mt. Tiantaishan, Sandaowan , 1246 m, 2024. V. 1-5, N 30.2674 E 103.1199, Maozhou XU & Tianxuan GU leg. ”; “ HOLOTYPE Megadrypta maozhoui sp. nov., det. Chen & Shi. 2024 ” [red label]; IZAS GoogleMaps . Paratypes: China • 2 male and 1 female, labeled “ Sichuan, Qionglai, Mt. Tiantaishan, Sandaowan , 1246 m, 2024. V. 30, N 30.2674 E 103.1199, Maozhou XU leg. ”; CCJH GoogleMaps . China • 1 female, labeled “ Yunnan, Zhaotong, Yiliang County, Luowang Township, Aiziping , N 27.8809 E 104.6809, 1311 m, 2024.9. 9, Anxian SHI leg. ”; CAU GoogleMaps . China • 1 female, labeled “ Sichuan, Ya’an, Mt. Zhougongshan , 2018.7, Yong WANG leg. ” [alcohol immersion]; IZAS .

Diagnosis.

Dorsal surface dark with distinct bluish metallic luster, mouth parts, antennae and all parts of legs reddish brown. Mentum with anterior margin concave and shallowly emarginate at middle. Pronotum with lateral margins gradually sinuate twice, behind anterior angles and before posterior angles. Elytra with 7–8 parascutellar pores, significantly narrowed base and discontinuous striae, interrupted by coarse foveae (of similar size as interval width) (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ). Apical lamella of median lobe of aedeagus short (ALL / ALW 0.55–0.61), obtuse and rounded (Fig. 5 B, C View Figure 5 ); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view stout, gradually attenuate to apex, ventral margin very faintly curved before apical lamella (Fig. 5 A, D View Figure 5 ); endophallus with a distinct central sclerite (Fig. 5 C, D View Figure 5 ).

Comparisons.

Megadrypta maozhoui sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from the type species of the genus by the combination of following characters: (1) dorsum with distinct bluish metallic luster (versus dark without or with very faint metallic luster in M. mirabilis ); (2) legs entirely reddish brown, always much paler than that of the latter species; (3) mentum with anterior margin concaved and shallowly emarginate at middle (versus straight and without emargination in M. mirabilis ); (4) pronotum narrower PL / PW 1.76–1.88 (versus PL / PW 1.62–1.68 in M. mirabilis ); (5) elytra more elongated, EL / EW 1.56–1.68 (versus EL / EW 1.44–1.50 in M. mirabilis ); (6) elytral striae discontinuous, interrupted by coarse foveae (versus striae entire with normal punctures in M. mirabilis ); (7) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view gradually attenuate to apex, ventral margin nearly straight before apex (versus median lobe evenly thickened before apical third and then abruptly narrowed, ventral margin distinctly curved before apex in M. mirabilis ); (8) apical lamella of aedeagus with apex obtuse and rounded in dorsal view (versus a little narrower in the latter species); (9) central sclerite of endophallus more distinctly sclerotized with clear border in ventral view (versus less sclerotized with ambiguous border in the latter species).

Description.

BL 13.6–15.5 mm (13.8 mm in holotype); dorsal and ventral surface with distinct bluish metallic luster; palpi, antennae and all parts of legs reddish brown, mandibles dark brown. Head (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ): mandibles long, about five times as long as labrum, hooked at apex; labrum trilobate, medial lobe slightly extended anteriorly, anterolateral angles rounded-obtuse, sparsely pubescent near anterior margin; clypeus impunctate and pubescent; vertex densely and coarsely punctate; temporae slightly shorter than eyes, well tumid behind eyes, superficially pubescent and punctate; antennae long, a little exceeding midpoint of elytra. Pronotum (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ) cylindrical (PL / PW 1.76–1.88), disc pubescent and coarsely punctate; anterior angles obtuse; lateral margins distinctly doubly sinuate behind anterior angles and before posterior angles; lateral margins entirely beaded; posterior angles nearly rectangular, apex rounded; median line shallow but distinct; sides of pronotum flattened from above and a little laterally extended near middle, median region elevated. Elytra (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ) wide (EL / EW 1.56–1.68), widest on apical third; with 7–8 parascutellar pores; base strongly narrowed; intervals slightly convex and evenly pubescent; striae discontinuous, interrupted by coarse foveae, the foveae much wider than parascutellar pores, in similar size of interval width; posterior margins truncated, slightly sinuate near outer-apical angles; outer-apical angles obtuse, sutural angles acute angled. Male genitalia (Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ): median lobe of aedeagus relatively stout, gradually attenuate to apex; in lateral view, median lobe widest near base, ventral margin very weakly curved before apical lamella (Fig. 5 A – D View Figure 5 ), apical lamella slightly thickened apically; median lobe in dorsal view (Fig. 4 B, C View Figure 4 ), with short (ALL / ALW 0.55–0.61), obtuse and rounded apical lamella; endophallus with a distinct central sclerite, the central sclerite axe-shaped, with well-defined border in ventral view.

Etymology.

This species is named after Mr Mao-Zhou Xu, who collected and donated most of the type specimens.

Distribution.

This species is known from three localities in two provinces of southwestern China: Mount Tiantaishan and Mount Zhougongshan of central Sichuan, and Luowang Township of northeastern Yunnan.

Habitat.

(Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ) All specimens were collected on low vegetation under latifoliate forest at night.