Integrative taxonomy of New Caledonian beetles: species delimitation and definition of the Uloma isoceroides species group (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Ulomini), with the description of four new species
Author
Soldati, Laurent
Author
Kergoat, Gael J.
Author
Clamens, Anne-Laure
Author
Jourdan, Herve
Author
Jabbour-Zahab, Roula
Author
Condamine, Fabien L.
text
ZooKeys
2014
415
133
167
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.415.6623
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.415.6623
1313-2970-415-133
6DB22FE610424E38BA188174028FA452
6DB22FE610424E38BA188174028FA452
Uloma
isoceroides (Fauvel, 1904)
Figs 2B, 3
G-H
Melasia isoceroides
Fauvel, Revue
d'Entomologie
23: 180, 182.
Uloma isoceroides
Fauvel, Gebien H. 1911,
Tenebrionidae
III. In: Schenkling S (Ed) Coleopterorum Catalogus. Vol. 18: 402.
Type locality.
Baie du Prony, Mont Mou, Ourail, Kanala.
Type specimens.
Lectotype male and paralectotypes (designated by
Kaszab 1982
) males and females of
Melasia isoceroides
Fauvel (IRSNB), none examined.
Diagnosis.
Uloma isoceroides
is one of the four species of the group in which the mentum of the male is completely glabrous and flat. It can be separated from
Uloma caledonica
by the shorter metaventrite, (between meso- and metacoxae hardly longer than half of the length of a mesocoxa) and the humeri not developed. It differs from
Uloma jourdani
by the outer margin of terminal ventrite (anal sternite) regularly arcuate, without lateral sinuosities, the mentum as long as broad or longer, not cordate. Moreover, all the male antenomeres are shining and the aedeagus is different. It differs also from
Uloma kergoati
by the elytral striae of punctures normally marked and developed to the apex, the pronotum quite densely and sharp punctate, and the different aedeagus. Its size is also smaller in average (7.0-8.8 mm). Aedeagus (Fig. 3G, H) similar to the one of
Uloma caledonica
(with the parameres bottleneck-shaped) but truncate (not notched) at the apex.
Distribution.
Kaszab (1982
: 86) cited this species from the following localities: Baie du Prony, Mt Mou, Ourail, Mt Rembai, Mt Do, Kanala [Canala], Plaine des Lacs, Pic du Pin,
Riviere
Bleue, Mt Koghi,
Noumea
. "Neukaledonien (Grande Terre, Zentral Massiv und SW".
Additional localities.
Monts Koghis (
22°10.63'S
,
166°30.49'E
, ca 460 m) 4.III.2008, L. Soldati, G.J. Kergoat & H. Jourdan rec. (CBGP);
Reserve
Botanique de Bois du Sud (
22°10.41'S
,
166°45.83'E
, ca 210 m) 8.III.2008, L. Soldati, G.J. Kergoat & H. Jourdan rec. (CBGP); Plateau de Dogny (
21°37.03'S
,
165°53.05'E
, ca 920 m) 29.X.2008, L. Soldati, G.J. Kergoat & F.L. Condamine rec. (CBGP); Massif forestier de la Tchamba (
21°00.71'S
,
165°15.58'E
, ca 200 m) 8.IV.2009, L. Soldati, G.J. Kergoat, H. Jourdan & F.L. Condamine rec. (CBGP).
Discussion:
As underlined by the results of the PTP molecular species delimitation analyses, there is potentially some level of cryptic diversity for this species. One putative species corresponds to the material collected in the Plateau de Dogny, whereas the other putative species corresponds to material collected in the Tchamba forest mountain range. Further studies based on a larger sampling from additional localities should clarify this finding and possibly discern one or more cryptic species.