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

[4] Pterostichus ( Morphohaptoderus) lisao sp. nov.

Figs 1 C View Figure 1 , 2 E View Figure 2 , 3 D View Figure 3 , 5 D View Figure 5 , 11 C – D View Figure 11 , 13 A – E View Figure 13 , 14 View Figure 14

Type materials.

Holotype: Hubei • ♂, 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 . Paratypes (a total of 13 ♂ and 14 ♀): Hubei • 4 ♂, 8 ♀, the same data as holotype ( IZAS & CBFU) GoogleMaps ; • 2 ♂, 2 ♀, labeled “ Hubei Province, Shennongjia, Hongping Town, Wenshui Village , 1700 m, pitfall trap, 2013. VIII. 13, Hao Huang leg. ” [in Chinese] ( IZAS) ; Chongqing • 2 ♂, 2 ♀, 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 ♂, 1 ♀, 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 = 9.6–11.5 mm); elytral microsculpture linear in males, granular in females; antennomere 3 without accessory seta; pronotal basal foveae densely punctate; area between lateral channel and outer sulcus shallowly ridged, usually with a few fine punctures; the outer sulcus very short, less than one-third length of the inner one, basally not reaching posterior margin of pronotum; elytral interval 3 usually with two setigerous pores, all adjacent to stria 2; male sternite VII nearly symmetrically depressed, without wrinkles; male genitalia with relatively small lamellar tooth, about similar length as the lamellar apex.

Comparisons.

The present new species, P. lisao sp. nov., can be readily distinguished from all the other species of the maximus group in Hubei by its unique characteristic of the pronotal basal foveae. Specifically, the outer sulcus is highly reduced, typically presenting as a large, elongated puncture (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ). In some specimens, although the outer sulcus is somewhat more developed, its apex can extend to near the midpoint of the inner sulcus, and its base is clearly separated from the basal margin of the pronotum. As a result, the length of the outer sulcus is less than one-third of the inner sulcus. And for all other similar species from Hubei, the outer sulcus is nearly reaching basal margin of pronotum and about half length of the inner sulcus.

In Shennongjia of Hubei Province, P. lisao sp. nov. is sympatric with and similar to three other species: P. quyuani sp. nov., P. shennongjianus , and P. lingjun sp. nov. Besides the distinct morphology of the pronotal basal foveae, P. lisao sp. nov. is also different from P. quyuani sp. nov. in that posterior angels of pronotum usually more faintly denticulate; male sternite VII without wrinkles; aedeagus with three ridges on the ventral surface (Fig. 14 C View Figure 14 ), lamellar denticle of aedeagus much smaller, not collinear with the lamellar apex (Fig. 13 A – E View Figure 13 ).

Compared with P. shennongjianus , P. lisao sp. nov. is different in the elytral interval 3 with only two setigerous pores; the area between outer sulcus of pronotal basal fovea and the lateral channel less convex; lateral channel slightly wider (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ); the depression on male sternite VII deeper (Fig. 2 E View Figure 2 ); aedeagus stouter, with three ridges on the ventral surface (Fig. 14 C View Figure 14 ), lamellar denticle not collinear with lamellar apex; gonocoxite 2 of ovipositor with normal-sized ensiform setae (Fig. 5 D View Figure 5 ). The comparisons with P. lingjun sp. nov. will be provided under the description of that species.

Description.

BL = 8.9–11.5 mm, BW = 3.5–4.5 mm; dorsal surface dark brown to black, appendages brown; elytral microsculpture linear in males, granular in females (Fig. 14 F, G View Figure 14 ).

Head slightly thickened, HW / PW = 0.46–0.49; 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 = 1.26–1.42, widest near middle, PBW / PW = 0.69–0.74. Anterior margin concaved at middle, slightly narrower than posterior margin, PAW / PBW = 0.80–0.90; anterior angles broadly rounded, weakly projecting; lateral margins evenly arched, gently narrowed toward base, without sinuation before posterior angles; posterior angles obtuse-angled, apex with a very faint denticle hardly recognizable. Basal foveae (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ) distinctly punctate along inner and outer sulci; intersulcate area flat or slightly convex, with sporadic punctures; inner sulcus deeper and long, with well-defined boundaries; outer sulcus reduced, much shallower and less than one-third length of inner one, basally not reaching basal margin of pronotum; lateral channels wide, with fine punctures along their full length; area between lateral margin and outer sulcus faintly ridged, usually without puncture. Pronotal disc usually with very faint transverse wrinkles aside median line; median line shallow; basal median area with punctures close to inner sulcus.

Elytra broad and flat, lateral sides slightly expanded behind middle, BW / EL = 0.66–0.70. elytral basal border nearly straight, slightly curved anteriorly near shoulder, forming a distinct obtuse angle with lateral margin, humeral tooth small, apex faintly pointed; striae impunctate or very faintly punctate before middle; parascutellar striole joined to apical portion of stria 1, angular base of stria usually short with free apex (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ). Parascutellar pore present; elytral interval 3 usually with two pores, but also can be three pores (among the examined 28 specimens, four specimens with three pores on one elytron), all pores adjacent to stria 2; umbilical pore series on ninth interval sparse in middle, composed of 16–18 pores (5–6, 2–3, 8–10).

Fifth tarsomeres with 3–4 pairs of setae ventrally.

Male sternite VII deeply shallowly but distinctly depressed at middle; central depression nearly symmetric, without wrinkles; with strong isodiametric microsculpture on center of the depression, gradually turned to shallower and transverse microsculpture to lateral regions; apex of sternite slightly truncated (Fig. 2 E View Figure 2 ).

Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 14 B View Figure 14 ) stout; in lateral view, ventral margin evenly curved before middle, nearly straight and then slightly bent ventrally before apical lamella, apical lamella abruptly bent to ventral side; apical orifice large, strongly turned to left side. Ventral surface with three ridges before apical orifice (Fig. 14 C View Figure 14 ): right ridge nearly entire, sinuate near base, disappearing at a very short distance from aedeagal base; median ridge short and shallow, from basal third of median lobe to the level of midpoint of apical orifice; left ridge entire and strongly sinuate near base. Apical lamella relatively thin and short (Fig. 14 A View Figure 14 ); rounded in dorsal view, apex widely rounded, slightly twisted to left, with large lamellar denticle near base of left margin; in lateral view, lamellar base short, lamellar denticle approximately equal to the length of lamellar apex ( laL / ldL = 1.19–1.21), lamellar denticle forming a distinct angle (about 110 °) with lamellar apex. Right paramere short, apex rounded (Fig. 14 E View Figure 14 ).

Endophallus (Fig. 11 C, D View Figure 11 ) bent to ventral side across left side of aedeagus, major parts of endophallus located on ventral side of aedeagus; gonopore opened to left-ventral direction of aedeagus; surface with coarse scales on expanded lobes, densest near gonopore; gonoporal piece falciform. Four distinct lobes recognized: basal lobe (bl) large, basal to apical lamella, membranous without decoration; left pre-apical lobe (lp) quite small, close to base of endophallus, membranous without decoration, invisible in right lateral view; left apical lobe (la) large and rounded, with scales and denser to base of lobe; right apical lobe (ra) large and rounded, located in the ventral-right side of endophallus, decorated with coarse scales.

Gonocoxite 2 of ovipositor crescent-shaped (Fig. 5 D View Figure 5 ), apex sharply pointed; outer margin with two or three ensiform setae of normal size, length of the largest ensiform seta ca. 0.06 mm; dorsal margin with one ensiform seta near middle, strongly ridged from the ensiform seta to apex of gonocoxite 2, one nematiform seta located on the apical sixth of outer surface.

Distribution.

This species is known from two distant localities: Shennongjia in Hubei and Wuxi in Chongqing, and is distributed at mid-altitudes of 1620–2137 m.

Etymology.

The new species is named after “ Li Sao, ” Qu Yuan’s most famous representative work and a core piece in Chu Ci. This is a long, patriotic, and romantic poem, filled with rich imagination and the use of dialects. It created the “ Sao style ” and deeply influenced Chinese literature. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.