Fortepunctatum

Fortepunctatum group

Diagnosis. Body small, suboval, with very convex pronotum and elytra; apical segment of maxillary palpomeres moderately narrow, gradually narrowed from basal portion toward apex, significantly shorter than very wide preceding segment; apical portion of internal sac with moderately long thorn-shaped structures.

Species included. Anthobium flavoguttatum sp. n., A. fortepunctatum sp. n.

Remarks. The Fortepunctatum group differs from the remaining groups of the genus by the shape of small and suboval body with very convex pronotum and elytra, the significantly widened apicad preapical segment of the maxillary palpomeres, the less distinct lateral impressions of the pronotum, and the presence of elongate sclerotized structures of the apical part of the internal sac. Regarding the general shapes of the mouthparts, including the shape of the apical segment of the maxillary palpomeres, from widest basal portion gradually narrowed apicad, species of the Fortepunctatum group somewhat resemble some species of the Atrocephalum group (Shavrin 2020), from which they differs by the shorter body with larger punctation of the pronotum and the elytra, and the absence of a small deep notch between antennal insertions and apical margins of the eyes.

Key to species of the Fortepunctatum group

1 Pronotum distinctly less than twice as broad as long. Elytra more than twice as long as pronotum, with moderately large and sparse punctation. Apical portions of parameres wide (Fig. 20). Habitus as in Fig. 1. China: Gansu, Shaanxi ................................................................................................... A. fortepunctatum

- Pronotum 1.7–1.8 times as broad as long. Elytra about three times as long as pronotum, with distinctly larger, deeper and denser punctation. Apical portions of parameres moderately narrow (Fig. 22). Habitus as in Fig. 2. China: Sichuan .................................................................................................... A. flavoguttatum