Therates pseudovitalisi subsp. tibetana Matalin et Wiesner 2023, ssp. n.

Therates pseudovitalisi tibetana Matalin et Wiesner, ssp. n.

Figs 11, 38, 39, 60, 61, 94, 95, 135.

Therates fruhstorferi vitalisi W. Horn, 1913 — Sawada &Wiesner 2006: 463; Wu 2011: 31.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, 1♂— China, Tibet, Cha Yu [= Zayü] County, Xia-Cha-Yu, 1900–2600 m, 1– 28.7.2004 (JW); PARATYPE, 1♀ —same labeled as the holotype (JW).

Diagnosis. This new subspecies is best distinguished from the nominotypical form by the shape of antennomeres 9–11 (Figs 38, 39 vs. Figs 36, 37); by the proportions of hind tibiae and tarsi—mean HTbL/HTaL = 1.25 vs. HTbL/ HTaL = 1.32; by virtually transverse, clearly dilated in lateral portion central dot (Figs 11, 94, 95 vs. Figs 9, 10, 90–93) and by shorter elytra—mean EL/AL = 2.48 vs. mean EL/AL = 2.61.

Description. TL = 10.2 mm in male, 11.6 mm in female.

Head shining black-blue with light violet reflection; orbital plates slightly striated in posterior third; frons semi-circular (see above), slightly downward anteriorly (see at the side), smooth, frontal sulci deep and indistinctly convergent in anterior 2/3, shallow and sharply divergent in posterior third; occiput flat or slightly concave in anterior margin. Mandibles in male brown underside, pale-yellow topside with brown teeth and apical molar; in female dark brown except yellow-brown basal half of topside. Two basal labial palpomeres light brown, palpomere 3 pale-yellow with brown apex, apical palpomere dark brown; palpomeres 1 and 2 of maxillary palpi brown, palpomeres 3 and 4 brown-black. Antennae barely extend shoulders, antennomeres 9–11 in males distinctly dilated and slightly club-shaped, antennomeres 9 and 10 with protruding downward anterior lower margins, antennomere 11 with sharply cut straight anterior margin (Fig. 39); antennomeres 9 and 10 in female only slightly protruding downward, antennomere 11 oval with protruding apex (Fig. 38). Labrum as long as width (LL = LW— 1.2 mm in male; 1.5 mm in female), in male black-brown with medium-sized yellow-brown apical spot clearly separated from central apical teeth (Fig. 60), in female with small barely visible brown spot in anterior third (Fig. 61).

Pronotum shining black-blue; indistinctly transverse, PW/PL = 1.05–1.06 (mean = 1.05, n = 2), apical lobe indistinctly wider in central portion; thorax shining blue with light golden reflection.

Fore femora yellow-brown with blue-tinged posterior side; middle femora in male black-brown with yellowbrown base and light blue-tinged anterior margin, in female entirely brown with blue tinge; hind femora pale-yellow in basal third and black with blue tinge in apical 2/3; fore and middle tibiae in male light brown in basal third and dark-brown blue-tinged in apical third; hind tibia entirely black with violet reflection; in female all tibiae black with blue lustre; tarsi black with indistinct blue tinge; HTbL/HTaL = 1.24–1.25 (mean = 1.25, n = 2).

Elytra shining blue with light purple-violet reflection; indistinctly divergent toward apex, EL/EW = 1.95–1.97 (mean = 1.96, n = 2); punctuation deep and regular between base of humeral hump and central dot, shallower and sparse in the middle and practically absent in apical quarter; scutellum black with blue tinge; apical margin clearly cut. Elytral pattern consists of pale-yellow very small basal portion of humeral lunule (see in front) and elongate practically transverse central dot clearly dilated in lateral portion; basal dot virtually invisible in male, entirely absent in female (Figs 11, 94, 95).

Aedeagus gradually sinuate with elongate rounded apex lacking lateral carinae (Fig. 135); AL = 2.6 mm, EL/AL = 2.48.

Etymology. This new species is named after the type area—Chinese Tibet Autonomous Region.

Distribution. CHINA: Tibet Autonomous Region (Cha Yu [= Zayü] County) (Fig. 184).