A revision of the click beetle genus Ctenoplus Candèze, 1863 (Coleoptera: Elateridae, Synaptina) Author Fuller, E. Author Platia, G. text Zootaxa 2006 2006-05-26 1217 1 1 76 https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1217.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.1217.1.1 1175­5334 5064796 FECFEC7C-0DBF-45E5-AEB6-95B1943902AF Ctenoplus balli n. sp. Figures 1, 5, 7, 9, 10 , 53 , 64, 81, 102, 112 Diagnosis Large­sized, uniformly reddish brown Ctenoplus with relatively short, wide prosternal spine, subquadrate pronotum and indistinct lobe on tarsomere 4. C. balli is similar to C. gigas n. sp. , but can be distinguished by body size and male genitalia. C. balli is smaller than C. gigas ( 10.5 mm vs. 12.5–15 mm ), and the apices of the parameres are straight ( Fig. 81 ), whereas C. gigas is larger, and the apices of the parameres are slightly curved laterally ( Fig. 83 ). Description Body including antennae and legs uniformly dark reddish­brown, elytra lighter reddish­brown; setae opaque pale yellow. Length: 10.5 mm ; width 2.0– 2.5 mm . Head. Punctures shallow, almost contiguous throughout; setae erect, subequal in length to antennomere 3. Eyes: ocular index, males, 65–67 (c.f., C. gigas ). Antenna: antennomeres 2 and 3 elongate, subcylindrical, antennomeres 4–10 elongate, length slightly more than 2X apical width; cuticle microrugose; antenna extending posterad apex of pronotal hind angles by about length of antennomere 11; anterior margin of antennomeres 4–10 with sparse fringe of erect setae in both sexes. Prothorax. Pronotum slightly wider than long (length:width ratio 0.91–0.97), hind angles slightly divergent; apex of hind angles bluntly pointed; carina of hind angles slightly less than 1/2 length of pronotum; lateral carina weakly sinuate; punctures as on head, very slightly more widely spaced on disk, size equal throughout; posterior 1/2 glabrous along midline; setae as on head; posterior margin adjacent to scutellum transverse, not sinuate. Hypomeron ( Fig. 9 ) glabrous on posterior 1/4; smooth mesal border ( Fig. 9 , mb) with ca. 5 setae anterad procoxae; mesal smooth border bearing triangular projection at level of procoxa ( Fig. 9 , pr); punctures and setae as on head, but separated by up to 1/2 own diameters; posterolateral angle in ventrolateral aspect set off from margin adjacent to epipleuron, angle obtuse. Prosternum: punctures grading from subequal to hypomeral punctures anteriorly to minute around procoxal cavities; prosternal spine ( Figs. 9 , 53 ): ventrolateral carinae remaining separate until apex, continued anteriorly slightly anterad margin of procoxal cavities ( Fig. 9 ); ventral surface slightly narrower than dorsal surface ( Fig. 9 ), margins subparallel, with median carina posterad procoxae, ventral apex very slightly produced, forming ventral surface of U­shaped ridge around posterior vertical margin, U­shaped ridge accentuating medial ridge on posterior surface. Mesothorax. Scutellum flat; punctures minute, almost contiguous; anterior margin straight and transverse, posterior margin slightly produced. Mesosternum with posterior margin distinctly raised above mesocoxae, horizontal in lateral aspect, concave in ventral aspect; declivity anterad level of mesocoxae angled at ca. 45°; setae finer than pronotal setae. Mesepisternum with anterior groove bearing setae laterally, elsewhere almost glabrous with less than 6 punctures anterolaterally and 3–4 punctures posteromesally in some specimens. Elytra somewhat attenuated posteriorly (Fig. 64); punctures relatively deep, slightly smaller than pronotal punctures; intervals with relatively dense, minute punctures, punctures separated by slightly more than own diameter; apices of elytra dehiscent, sutural interval with small triangular tooth. Metathorax. Metasternum densely punctured, punctures separated by less than 1/2 own diameters, punctures subequal in size to median prosternal punctures; setae as on mesosternum; carina posterad mesocoxae up to 2X as long as basal width. Legs. Profemur without obvious dark microspines. Tarsomere 4 with inconspicuous ventral lobe ( Fig. 7 ); claws robust ( Fig. 5 ). Abdomen. Terga relatively lightly sclerotized, spiracles partially enclosed on terga 3–6. Ventrite 5 about as long as basal width; punctures as in metasternum except becoming separated by about own diameters along midline; dorsal submarginal carina of ventrite 5 broadly rounded. Ventral setae grading from same as metasternum along midline to same as pronotum laterally. Apex of sternum 9 of male with 2 lateral and 1 medial stout setae. Male genitalia, Fig. 81 ; parameres converging anteriorly, separated by width of ejaculatory duct along midline; ventral surface of median lobe with elliptical sclerite like C. girardianus . Female genitalia, Fig. 102 ; bursal plates subreniform, symmetrical; tubular extension: about 2X length of bursa, with 1 distal coil, expanded distally, bearing reticulate pattern of grooves; spines coarse, with conspicuous bases; proximal spines in single row, distal spines in 2 rows; spermatheca absent. Material examined and range 3♂ , 1♀ . THAILAND : Holotype male, “ THAI 24–29.IV.1992 , DOI SUTHEP, Pacholatko & Dembicky leg”. [ CPG ] . Paratypes : 1♂ , “ THAILAND . CHIANG MAI : Doi Inthanon NP, 1300m , UV light 1900–2300h, 1 MAY 1990 , EF#90037; E. Fuller ”[ ERFC ] ; 1♂ , same data except: “ 4 MAY 1990 , on plants, EF#90043A” [ ERFC ] ; LAOS : 1♀ , “ LAOS , 600–700 m , Luang Namtha , 13–24.v.1997 , leg Hergovitz” [ CCW ]. This species is known from northwestern Thailand and western Laos ( Fig. 112 ), but see Discussion below . FIGURE 112. Distribution of Ctenoplus species. Etymology The species is named in honour of Dr. George E. Ball, carabidologist, University of Alberta . Natural history Specimens have been collected between 24 April and 24 May, and between 600 and 1600m in elevation. At Doi Inthanon, both specimens were collected in predominantly pine forest; one specimen was attracted to UV light, the other hand­picked from roadside vegetation . Discussion The males and female of the type series were not collected at the same time or place. Given the presence of externally indistinguishable species pairs in Ctenoplus , the association must be regarded as tentative.