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

[2] Pterostichus ( Morphohaptoderus) quyuani sp. nov.

Figs 2 B View Figure 2 , 3 B View Figure 3 , 5 C View Figure 5 , 7 C, D View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8 , 12 F – I View Figure 12

Type materials.

Holotype: Hubei • ♂, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia, Hongping Town, Wenshui Village , 1700 m, pitfall trap, 2013. VIII. 13, Hao Huang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( IZAS) . Paratypes (a total of 32 ♂ and 67 ♀): Hubei • 15 ♂, 28 ♀, the same data as holotype ( IZAS) ; • 1 ♂, 3 ♀, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia, near the entrance of Shennongding Scenic Area , 1884 m, pitfall trap, N 31.5059, E 110.3346, 2022. VII. 29, Hongliang Shi & Ganyan Yang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( IZAS) GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♀, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia, Jinhouling , 2500 m, pitfall trap, 2013. VIII. 15, Hao Huang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( CBFU); • 2 ♂, 7 ♀, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia, Shennongding, Jinhouling Crossroad , 2200 m, pitfall trap, N 31.4755, E 110.3066, 2022. VII. 29, Hongliang Shi & Ganyan Yang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( IZAS) GoogleMaps ; • 12 ♂, 16 ♀, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia, Yanziya , 2300 m, pitfall trap, 2013. VIII. 19, Hao Huang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( CBFU) ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia Forestry District, Hongping Town , N 31.4739, E 110.3003, 2500 m, 2020. VIII. 1–10, Jialin Tian leg., pitfall trap. ” [in Chinese] ( CBFU) GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♂, labeled “ Hubei, Shennongjia, Shennongding , 3090 m, pitfall trap, 2013. VIII. 21, Hao Huang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( CBFU) ; • 1 ♀, labeled “ China, W Hubei, 16. V. – 14. VI., GUANMENSHAN 1500 m, pitfall traps, 31.45 N 110.4 E, Jaroslav Turna leg., 2004 ” ( CRS) GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♀, labeled “ China, W Hubei, 23. VI. – 14. VII., DASHENNONGJIA mts., 31.5 N 110.3 E, 2500–2900 m, Jaroslav Turna leg., 2003 ” ( CRS) GoogleMaps ; Chongqing • 3 ♀, labeled “ Chongqing, Wuxi, Yintiaoling, Guanshan Forest Centre, Shizhuzi , 2137 m, N 31.53750, E 109.69711 // Fagaceae forest, 2024. VIII. 11, Jiaheng Chen & Luyu Wang lgt. ” ( CBFU) GoogleMaps ; • 5 ♀, labeled “ Chongqing, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling, Guanshan Forest Centre, Shizhuzi , 2137 m, N 31.53750, E 109.69711 // Fagaceae forest, pitfall trap, 2024. VIII. 11–15, Jiaheng Chen lgt. ” ( CBFU) GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♀, labeled “ Chongqing, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Jieguping , 1620 m, N 31.48512, E 109.90803 // meadow hardwoods forest, pitfall trap, 2024. VIII. 14–15, Jiaheng Chen & Yihang Li lgt. ” ( CBFU) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Medium- to large-sized species for the subgenus ( BL = 9.3–11.3 mm); elytral microsculpture linear in males, granular in females; antennomere 3 without accessory seta; pronotum relatively wide and slightly narrowed to base; pronotal basal foveae densely punctate; area between lateral channel and outer sulcus shallowly ridged, usually with a few fine punctures; lateral channels finely punctate along their full length; elytral interval 3 usually with two, sometimes three, setigerous pores, all adjacent to stria 2; fifth tarsomeres setose ventrally; male sternite VII asymmetrically depressed, with distinct oblique wrinkles. Median lobe of aedeagus with a sinuate ventral ridge; lamellar denticle large, nearly twice length of lamellar apex. Gonocoxite 2 of ovipositor crescent-shaped, dorsal margin ridged on apical half, outer margin with two or three ensiform setae of normal size.

Comparison. The new species, P. quyuani sp. nov., is externally very similar to P. shennongjianus Facchini & Sciaky. These two species are sympatric and have often been confused with each other. Generally, they present the following differences in external characters: (1) In P. quyuani sp. nov., the region between the pronotal lateral channel and the outer sulcus of the basal fovea is typically less convex, forming a shallower ridge (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ). The outer surface of this ridge usually has a few fine punctures; in contrast, in P. shennongjianus this area is usually more convex, forming a more prominent ridge, and the surface of the ridge is usually impunctate (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ). (2) In P. quyuani sp. nov., the pronotal lateral channels are usually wider and finely punctate along their entire length. Conversely, in P. shennongjianus , the lateral channels are slightly narrower and at most punctate only behind the middle. (3) In P. quyuani sp. nov., elytral interval 3 usually has two setigerous pores, whereas, in P. shennongjianus , it usually has three or four pores.

However, the external characters mentioned above can sometimes vary individually. In fact, it is extremely difficult to distinguish these two species (as well as the other two new species described herein, P. lisao sp. nov. and P. lingjun sp. nov.) based only on external features. Nevertheless, they can be reliably differentiated by the stable characteristics of male sternite VII, male genitalia, and gonocoxite 2 of the ovipositor.

The male sternite VII of P. quyuani sp. nov. is shallowly depressed. There are shallow oblique wrinkles on the left side of this depression, and the apex of sternite is slightly truncated (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ). Conversely, the male sternite VII of P. shennongjianus has a much fainter depression, lacks wrinkles, and the apex of sternite is more rounded (Fig. 2 C View Figure 2 ). Compared to all other similar species from Hubei, the presence of wrinkles on the male sternite VII is a characteristic exclusive to P. quyuani sp. nov. (Fig. 2 View Figure 2 ).

Regarding the male genitalia, in P. quyuani sp. nov., the median lobe is very stout (Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 ). On its ventral surface, there is a sinuate short ridge that extends from the middle of the aedeagal base to the right margin and then terminates at the left margin (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ). In contrast, in P. shennongjianus , the median lobe is more slender (Fig. 10 B View Figure 10 ) and has a straight short ridge on the left margin of the ventral surface (Fig. 10 C View Figure 10 ). Furthermore, when considering the apical lamella of the aedeagus, in P. quyuani sp. nov., the lamellar denticle is very large, being nearly twice as long as the lamellar apex (Fig. 12 F – I View Figure 12 ). However, in P. shennongjianus , the lamellar denticle is smaller and approximately equal in length to the lamellar apex (Fig. 13 F – J View Figure 13 ).

For the female ovipositor, in P. quyuani sp. nov., gonocoxite 2 shows the typical form of the subgenus: strongly curved, with a sharp apex, dorsal ridge absent on basal half, and ensiform setae large (Fig. 5 C View Figure 5 ). But in P. shennongjianus , gonocoxite 2 has a distinct form: nearly straight, with an obtuse apex, dorsal ridge almost reaching base of gonocoxite 2, and ensiform setae minute (Fig. 5 B View Figure 5 ).

The newly described species P. quyuani also strongly resembles three other new species within the maximus group: P. lingjun sp. nov., P. lisao sp. nov., and P. wangshu sp. nov. Their comparison will be presented in the descriptions of those new species. When compared to species from other provinces, P. quyuani sp. nov. is most similar to P. lingshanus Sciaky & Wrase, 1997 from Shaanxi province, since both share characteristics such as the granular microsculpture in females, antennomeres 3 without accessory setae, and the pronotum not strongly constricted towards the base. However, P. lingshanus differs from the present new species in several ways: size generally smaller, male sternite VII not wrinkled, and lamellar denticle of the male genitalia much smaller, shorter than the lamellar apex when in lateral view. Regarding the depressed and wrinkled male sternite VII, the present species may also be related to P. maximus Tschitschérine, 1889 , from Gansu, and P. dundai Sciaky, 1994 , from Shaanxi. Nevertheless, compared to P. quyuani sp. nov., P. maximus is easily distinguishable by its elytral striae distinctly punctate and the male sternite VII more strongly wrinkled. P. dundai , on the other hand, differs in its pronotum more constricted towards base, male sternite VII depressed but not wrinkled, and the apex of the right paramere of male genitalia strongly elongated.

Description.

BL = 9.3–11.3 mm, BW = 3.7–4.5 mm; dorsal surface dark brown to black, appendages brown; elytral microsculpture linear in males, granular in females (Fig. 8 F, G View Figure 8 ).

Head slightly thickened, HW / PW = 0.54–0.57; frons without puncture; frontal sulci short and shallow; antennae reaching elytral basal fifth, antennomere 3 without accessory seta; eyes large and hemispherical, tempora very shortly swollen behind eyes; submentum with one seta on each side.

Pronotum rounded-rectangular, wider than length, PW / PL = 1.32–1.45, widest near middle, PBW / PW = 0.75–0.79. Anterior margin concaved at middle, slightly narrower than posterior margin, PAW / PBW = 0.73–0.83; 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 B View Figure 3 ) densely punctate along inner and outer sulci, as well as on intersulcate area; inner and outer sulci both with well-defined boundaries; inner sulcus straight and oblique, outer sulcus shallower, about half length of inner one; intersulcate area slightly convex; lateral channels relatively wide, with fine but distinct punctures along their full length; area between lateral channel and outer sulcus 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 dense punctures.

Elytra broad and flat, lateral sides slightly expanded behind middle, BW / EL = 0.68–0.74. Elytral basal border slightly curved near middle, usually slightly curved anteriorly near shoulder, forming an obtuse angle with lateral margin, humeral tooth small, apex faintly pointed; stria without puncture; parascutellar striole joined to apical portion of stria 1, angular base of stria 1 usually short with free apex. Parascutellar pore present; elytral interval 3 usually with two setigerous pores, sometimes with three, on one or both sides (among the examined 98 specimens, eight showed three pores on one elytron and six showed three pores on both elytra), 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 3–5 (usually 4) pairs of setae ventrally.

Male sternite VI not modified; sternite VII asymmetrically depressed at middle, middle depression large and shallow, with oblique wrinkles on the posterior portion of the left side of the abdomen in dorsal view; with strong isodiametric microsculpture on center of the depression, gradually turned to shallower and transverse microsculpture to lateral and anterior regions; apex of sternite slightly truncated (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ).

Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 ) stout; in lateral view, ventral margin evenly curved at middle portion, nearly straight before apical lamella and then slightly bent ventrally; apical orifice opened to left-dorsal surface of aedeagus. Ventral surface with a strong sinuate ridge before apical orifice (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ): right ridge absent; median ridge absent; left ridge sharp, strongly sinuate near base, extended from middle part of aedeagal base to right margin, and then bent to the left, ending at left margin of the base of apical orifice. Apical lamella large and thick (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 ), rounded in dorsal view, apex widely rounded; with very large lamellar denticle near base of left margin; in lateral view, lamellar base and apex both short, lamellar denticle large, nearly twice length of lamellar apex ( laL / ldL = 0.59–0.61), collinear with lamellar apex. Right paramere short, apex rounded (Fig. 8 E View Figure 8 ).

Endophallus (Fig. 7 C, D View Figure 7 ) bent to ventral side across left margin of aedeagus, major parts of endophallus located on ventral side of aedeagus; gonopore opened to ventral-apical direction of aedeagus; surface with coarse scales on expanded lobes, densest near gonopore; gonoporal piece large, falciform. Four distinct lobes recognized: basal lobe (bl) small, located near base of apical orifice, membranous without decoration; left pre-apical lobe (lp) very large, located in left surface near apical lamella, decorated with fine scales, visible in the right lateral view; left apical lobe (la) large and rounded, adjacent to basal lobe, with coarse scales on apex, visible in both lateral views; right apical lobe (ra) rounded, apex with digitiform protuberance, visible in the left lateral view, apex of the protuberance scaled.

Gonocoxite 2 of female ovipositor crescent-shaped (Fig. 5 C View Figure 5 ), sharply pointed apically; outer margin with two or three ensiform setae of normal size, length of the largest ensiform seta ca. 0.07 mm, dorsal margin with one or two ensiform setae before middle, strongly ridged from the distal ensiform seta to apex of gonocoxite 2, one nematiform seta located on the apical fifth of outer surface.

Distribution.

This species is known from two distant localities: Shennongjia in Hubei and Wuxi in Chongqing. Most specimens were collected at a middle-high altitude ranging from 1600 m to 2300 m (only one specimen was collected at 3090 m and two specimens were collected at 2500 m). This species is the most common species of subgenus Morphohaptoderus in Shennongjia.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Qu Yuan (屈原), a renowned poet and statesman in ancient China who lived in the State of Chu (centered around today’s Hubei Province) during the Warring States Period. His works, like “ Li Sao, ” shaped Chu Ci (also known as Songs of Chu, a significant genre in ancient Chinese literature). To commemorate Qu Yuan and promote the culture of Chu, the scientific names of all new species discovered in Hubei Province hereinafter are derived from Qu Yuan’s poems. The specific epithet is a genitive noun.

Remarks. We examined one paratype of P. shennongjianus (Fig. 9 B, C View Figure 9 ). Based on the punctures lateral to the outer sulcus of the pronotal basal fovea and the shape of the male genitalia, this specimen is identical to the present new species but differs from the holotype of P. shennongjianus (habitus Fig. 9 A View Figure 9 ; male genitalia illustrated in Facchini and Sciaky 2003: 12).