Luciola chapaensis Pic 1923

Figs 246−257

Luciola chapaensis Pic 1923: 59. McDermott 1966: 101.

Type. Luciola chapaensis Pic. VIETNAM as ‘ Tonkin’. Chapa. Probably male, fragmentary consisting of head prothorax and one complete elytron. (MNHN).

Luciola atripes Pic 1929: 73. McDermott 1966: 99. New synonymy.

Type. Luciola atripes Pic. VIETNAM as ‘ Tonkin’. Chapa. Fragmentary consisting of elytra only (impossible to determine sex). (MNHN).

Other specimens examined: VIETNAM. South Annam, Langbian Prov., Dran, 3000 feet, III–IV. 1918 C Boden Closs, male (MZUM). MYANMAR as Birmanie: Tenasserim, J.V. Helfer 2 males (PRAGUE). MALAYSIA Peninsula: Kelantan: Banjaran Titi Wangsa Kampong Lawa env. 24– 26.2.1997 Ivo Jenis, male (PRAGUE). Pahang: Cameron Highlands Path 6, 20.iv.2016, B. Nada, male (CH SIX 1) (FRIM).

Diagnosis. Males about 10 mm long. Colour: (Figs 246−248) with a yellowish pronotum which may have a median dark marking, and pale brown elytra with white apices and part or all of the lateral margin and suture paler than remainder; type male of chapaensis (Fig. 247) has dark median marking on pronotum as do both Malaysian specimens (pronotal colour pattern in South Annam male may appear to be a median dark marking expanded across the posterior margin but is difficult to interpret and may be due to at least partial retraction of underlying muscles in pronotum; Fig. 248); in S. Annam specimen vertex is yellow and frons black; Kelantan specimen has black head (Figs 248, 249); most of venter and legs brownish except for black tarsi and narrow black posterior margin of V5, and yellowish LO; dorsal abdomen brown (Fig. 2, T6–8 mottled yellowish and semitransparent, may be mottled with brown or the underlying abdominal contents are visible and confuse interpretation of colour). Pronotum: subparallel sided, with pronotal width less than humeral width, and wider than long (L/W 0.6). Elytra: subparallel sided, no interstitial lines well defined. Head: almost as wide as pronotum, GHW 10 x SIW, ASD <ASW; antennal FS simple elongate slender; apical labial palpomere visible in one specimen, laterally flattened with inner margin having 5 fine teeth. Abdomen (Figs 250, 251): posterior margin of V7 broadly rounded, no MPP; T8 with rounded posterior margin and short narrow anterolateral prolongations. Aedeagal sheath (Fig. 257): with median anterior margin of sheath tergite slightly prolonged. Aedeagus (Figs 254−256): slender, L/W 3.7; ML elongate, wider in basal 8/9 and narrowing in apical 1/9, narrow portion being 1/7 as wide as wider basal portion; leaf like lobes of LL long slender, overlap each other and ML; LL closely approach along their mid dorsal region; apices of LL expanded.

Remarks. The synonymy is established here from two fragmentary types, both of which bear similar elytral colouration and are from Chapa (in present day Vietnam). Pic (1923) described the underbody of L. chapaensis as black (the type is interpreted here as brown) and thought it close to L. noctivaga Olivier from Annam (previously a French protectorate covering the central region of what is now Vietnam). The elytra of L. noctivaga are quite dark brown and the yellow margins are only slightly expanded across the apex, and the pronotum is yellow. We presently consider the possibility that noctivaga is close to L. ambita for which we recommend a transfer to Pygoluciola. Pic (1929) recognised the similarity of L. atripes to L. chapaensis, but described the abdomen with the last three segments white (the type has no abdomen).