Lathrobium hujiayaoi Peng

Lathrobium hujiayaoi Peng and Li, new species

(Figs 2 B, 4C–G)

Type material. (1 ♂). HOLOTYPE: ♂, labelled ‘ China: Guangxi Prov., Xingan County Mt. Maoershan, 25°54’N 110°27’E, alt. 1,550–1,750 m 24.vii.2012, Hu & Song leg.’ (SNUC).

Description. Measurements (in mm) and ratios: BL 10.84, FL 5.06, HL 1.38, HW 1.50, PL 1.80, PW 1.53, EL 0.80, AL 1.72, HL/HW 0.92, HW/PW 0.98, HL/PL 0.77, PL/PW 1.18, EL/PL 0.44.

Habitus as in Fig. 2 B. Body blackish brown with paler apex, legs dark brown to light brown, antennae dark brown to brown.

Head weakly transverse, weakly dilated posteriad; punctation rather fine and dense, somewhat sparser in median dorsal portion; interstices with distinct microreticulation, eyes of moderate size, 1/4 times as long as postocular region in dorsal view and composed of about 60 ommatidia. Antenna 2.3 mm long.

Pronotum moderately oblong, lateral margins convex in dorsal view; punctation slightly sparser than that of head; interstices without microsculpture; impunctate midline moderately broad.

Elytra short, 0.44 times as long as pronotum; punctation fine and dense. Hind wings completely reduced.

Abdomen with fine and dense punctation; interstices with distinct microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

Male. Sternites III–VI unmodified; sternite VII (Fig. 4 C) strongly transverse, with shallow median impression of triangular shape posteriorly, this impression with several short and stout dark setae, posterior margin broadly and weakly concave; sternite VIII (Fig. 4 D) symmetric and with pair of posteriorly diverging, shallow impressions posteriorly, these impressions with modified short black setae; posterior margin strongly bisinuate, i.e., the deep median excision with projection in the middle; sternite IX (Fig. 4 E) asymmetric; aedeagus as in Figs 4 F, 4G; ventral process long and asymmetric; dorsal plate moderately sclerotized and thin; internal sac with long and thin moderately sclerotized spine.

Female. Unknown.

Comparative notes. Lathrobium hujiayaoi sp. n. is characterized particularly by the distinctive shape of the aedeagus and additionally by the shape and chaetotaxy of the male sternite VIII. Based on the sexual characters, closer affiliations with other Lathrobium species are not evident. Aside from the sexual characters, it differs from the syntopic L. zhujianqingi and sympatric L. miaoershanum by the denser punctation of the head and pronotum, and from the syntopic L. maoershanense and L. proprium by the much larger body size, the darker coloration and larger eyes.

Distribution and biological notes. This species is currently known only from the type locality. The holotype was collected by sifting litter from the floor of a broad-leaved forest with beech and rhododendron at an altitude of 1,550–1,750 m, in one locality together with L. proprium, L. zhujianqingi and L. maoershanense (Hu, pers. comm.).

Etymology. The species is named after Jia-Yao Hu, who collected the holotype.