Cyphochilus leducthoi Sabatinelli 2020, n. sp.
Creators: name: Sabatinelli, Guido
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Melolonthidae
Cyphochilus
Cyphochilus leducthoi

description: Cyphochilus leducthoi n. sp.
Figs 68-70, 85
Holotype: MHNG (MHNG-ENTO-81695); 1 ♂, VIETNAM: // North VIETNAM / Tam Dao / 10-20.V.1993 (P) // HOLOTYPUS ♂ / Cyphochilus / leducthoi mihi / G. Sabatinelli, 2020 (T on red) //. (Fig. 85).
Paratype: 18 specimens.
VIETNAM: PCAR; 1 ♂; N. Vietnam, Tam Dao, 400- 900 m; 18.IV.2012; leg. Hoa Binh. – MHNG; 8 ♂, 8 ♀; same locality than previous, 29.IV.1991; leg. M. Fujoka & R. Muramoto. – MHNB; 5 ♂; N. Vietnam, Tam Dao, Vinh Phu Prov., 20-28.VI.1990; leg. Jan Strnad.
Description of the holotype male: Size – BL: 20 mm, BW: 8.3 mm, BWX: 11.2 mm, situated at midpoint of elytra. Color – Integument light brown; surface with white scales aggregated along the sides of pronotum and margins of elytra. Head – CW/L: 3; anterolateral edges of clypeus rounded, lateral edges of clypeus curved divergent posteriad; frons large, making eyes relatively small (F/O: 5.5); frons concave; antennal club slightly shorter than antennomeres 2-7 (A2-7/CL: 1.2). Pronotum – Transverse (PnW/L: 2.2), strongly convex; apical angles and lateral margins narrowly flattened, apical angles right, not protuberant; basal lateral margins curved, basal angles largely rounded. Elytra – With striae slightly visible among the scales but not elevated. Thoracic sterna – Surface with short, white pubescence and scales, mesosternum slightly developed anteriorly (MstL: 0.35 mm) however, visible between the mesocoxae in lateral view. Abdomen – Sternites with sparse scales except the median part of the eight sternite; pygidium convex with apical margin narrowly reflected. Legs – Protibiae tridentate with the basal tooth well developed; slender apical tooth as long as the middle tooth. Aedeagus – Parameres strongly asymmetric with four appendices (Figs 68-70).
Variability: BL: 18-22.5 mm (x = 19.8, n = 17).
Females: BL: 19-22.5 mm, BW: 8.7 mm, BWX: 11.5 mm; antennal club ovate, shorter than preceding antennomeres (A2-7/CL: 1.5).
Etymology: Le Dúc Thọ was a Vietnamese general, diplomat, politician, and awardee (but refused to accept) of the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, for his efforts in negotiating between the U.S.A. and Vietnam, the country from where the new species of Cyphochilus is described.
Type locality: Tam Dao National Park is a protected area in North Vietnam, about 85 km northwest of Hanoi. Its exact location is at 21°21’ to 21°42’ North latitude, 105°23’ to 105°44’ East longitude.
Distribution: Cyphochilus leducthoi is known only from specimens collected in Tam Dao. The National Park is based in the Tam Dao range, which is one of the terminal spurs of a larger mountainous area in the Northwest region of Vietnam; it runs 80 km from northwest to south east with altitudes of over 1000 m.
Remarks: This species is morphologically close to C. orbachi n. sp. having small body size, elytral striae slightly visible, mesosternum slightly developed and parameres with four appendices. The two species can be readily separated from all other congeners and from each other by the unique form of the parameres strongly asymmetric with four appendices (Figs 68-70).
description: Published as part of Sabatinelli, Guido, 2020, Taxonomic notes on the genus Cyphochilus Waterhouse, 1867 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Melolonthinae) with description of 10 new species, pp. 157-181 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 127 (1) on pages 174-176, DOI: 10.35929/RSZ.0014, http://zenodo.org/record/5743429