Hoplasoma thailandicum Kimoto 1989

Hoplasoma thailandicum Kimoto, 1989

(Figs 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, 38–39, 41, 43)

Hoplasoma thailandicum Kimoto, 1989: 40 (original description).

Hoplasoma thailandicum: Medvedev 2000a: 124 (key).

Type locality. “ Thailand: Chiengmai Prov., Doi Suthep”.

Type material. Paratype ♀ (BPBM), labelled: “ THAILAND / Chiangmai Prov.: / Doi Suthep, 1300 m / 8.VI.1965 [w, p] // P. D. Ashlock / Collector / BISHOP Mus. [w, p] // U. S. – Japan / Coop. Sci. / Program [w, p] // PARATYPE [b, p] // Hoplasoma / thailandica / n. sp. [w, h] // PHOTO [r, p]”.

Additional material studied. 10 specimens — THAILAND: 1 ♀, Mae Hong Son prov., Kiwlom–pass near Soppong, 19°26´N, 98°19´E, 1400 m, 23.vi.–2.vii.2002, R. & H. Fouqué leg. (JBCB); 1 ♂, Mae Hong Son prov., pass near Soppong, 1500 m, 19°27´N 98°20´E, 7.–12.v.1997, S. Bečvář jun. & sen. leg. (JBCB); 2 ♂, Mae Hong Son prov., SE of Soppong, 1500 m, 19°27´N 98°20´E, 23.–27.v.1999, M. Říha leg. (JBCB); 1 ♂, Mae Hong Son prov., Ban Huai Po, 1600–2000 m, 19°19´N 97°59´E, 9.–16.v.1991, L. Dembický leg. (JBCB); 2 ♂, Doi Suthep, 24.–29.iv.1993, P. Pacholátko & L. Dembický leg. (JVCJ); 3 ♂, Soppong, Pai, 1800 m, 1.–8.v.1993, P. Pacholátko & L. Dembický leg. (JVCJ).

Redescription. Body subparallel, completely orange, except tibiae, tarsi and terminal six antennomeres infuscate. Coloration: dorsum pale brown, apices of mandibles black, sometimes elytra with broad poorly defined dark bands. Antennae brown with darkened last five antennomeres. Legs completely brown or tarsi (and sometimes also tibiae) infuscate. Ventral side brown to black (if abdomen black, pygidium paler).

Measurements. Males: 6.3-6.5 mm, females: 6.9-7.5 mm. Body length published in original description: 7.2- 8.1 mm.

Male (Fig. 20). Head lustrous. Labrum transverse, with transverse row of 6 pale setae, anterior margin slightly concave. Anterior part of head impunctate, almost glabrous, with long pale seta in anterolateral angles and several shorter setae below antennal insertions. Interocular space 1.3-1.5 times as wide as transverse diameter of eye. Interantennal space 0.5 times as wide as transverse diameter of antennal socket. Frontal tubercles large, subtriangular, moderately elevated, lustrous, glabrous, impunctate, extreme anterior angles prolonged and forming elevated keel. Vertex impressed behind frontal tubercles, impunctate, almost glabrous, with group of setae along each eye. Antennae 0.85 times as long as body, antennomeres 7–11 flattened and distinctly widened (Fig. 32), length ratio of antennomeres equals 24-8-21-30 -28-28-26-24-21-17-18.

Pronotum lustrous, 1.45 times as broad as long, widest at first quarter, disc with distinctly convex anterior half, posterior half impressed. Anterior margin moderately concave, unbordered. Lateral margins bordered, slightly rounded in anterior half, straight and parallel posteriorly. Posterior margin moderately rounded, bordered. Anterior very short setae also on lateral margin and, more densely, also on posterior margin. Scutellum impunctate, glabrous, subtriangular, with rounded apex.

Elytra dull, 2.10 times as long as wide and 0.72 times as long as body, densely covered with fine small confused punctures.

Legs. Mesotibiae strongly curved in apical two thirds, flattened and triangularly extended in apical fifth (Fig. 26). Metatibiae laterally flattened on its whole length and moderately rounded in dorsal view. All first tarsomeres enlarged. Protarsomere 1 widely elongate, convergent basaly, twice as long as wide, distinctly wider than protarsomere 2. Length ratio of protarsomeres 1–4 equals 18-20-6-17. Mesotarsomere 1 widely elongate, convergent basaly, outer margin nearly straight, inner margin slightly rounded. Metatarsomere 1 extremely modified, subtriangular, very wide, 0.75 as long as wide. Metatarsomere 2 very long and extremely narrow, moderately extended in apical fifth (Fig. 35). Length ratio of metatarsomeres 1–4 equals 16- 35 -7-19. Claws bifurcate with inner branches somewhat shorter.

Ventral surface subopaque, finely punctate, covered with pale setae. Abdomen simple, last ventrite with small shallow impression in middle of posterior half, posterior margin of last ventrite widely concave with small subtriangular process in the middle bent inwards (Fig. 29).

Male genitalia. Aedeagus parallel in middle part, basally narrowed, apex triangular with tip cut and straight (Fig. 23).

Female. Interocular space wider, 1.7 times as wide as transverse diameter of eye. Interantennal space wide, 0.8 times as wide as transverse diameter of antennal socket. Antennae filiform. Mesotibia not modified. All first tarsomeres normal, not enlarged. Spermatheca with cornu C-shaped, apical half shorter than basal half, nodulus poorly delimited, proximal duct thin, connected to nodulus in axis 90° (Figs 38–39). Sternite VIII almost circular, anterior margin covered with short setae, longer setae cummulated at apical third of the disc, tignum 2.1 times longer than sternite VIII (Fig. 43). Gonocoxae connected in apical quarter, extreme apex with 4 long setae, additional two setae laterally, most constricted in apical third, base widely semicircular (Fig. 41).

Differential diagnosis. The males of Hoplasoma thailandicum are very similar to male of H. andrewesi sp. nov. Both species share similar structure of mesotibiae (curved in apical two thirds in H. thailandicum, curved and flattened in apical quarter in H. andrewesi sp. nov.) (Figs 26–27), peculiar metatarsi with metatarsus 1 short and very wide, metatarsomere 2 very long, thin and laterally flattened (cf. Figs 35–36) and antennae with last five antennomeres flattened and widened (wider in H. thailandicum) (cf. Figs 32–33).

The female of H. andrewesi sp. nov. is unknown, however the females of H. vithala sp. nov. and H. thailandicum are extremely similar. Some difference can be found on mesotibia (slightly curved in H. thailandicum, almost straight in H. vithala sp. nov.) and on spermatheca (proximal duct gradually narrowing and connected with nodulus in axis 90° in H. thailandicum, in same plane in H. vithala sp. nov.) (Figs 38–40). Dorsal coloration of H. thailandicum is brown to orange, each elytron often with ill-defined dark longitudinal band, while elytra of H. vithala sp. nov. are uniformly brown in all specimens examined.

Distribution. Thailand.