Parena (Bothynoptera) heteronycha Shi & Liang 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Shi, Hongliang
name: Liang, Hongbin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Parena
Parena heteronycha

description: [10] Parena (Bothynoptera) heteronycha sp. nov.
Habitus: Figs 26A, 26B. Gonocoxites of ovipositor: Fig. 11A.
Type locality. NE Laos. Houaphan Prov., Mt. Phu Pane, N20°12' E103°59', 1200–1900 m.
Type material. Holotype (IZAS, Fig. 26A): female, body length = 8.5 mm, board mounted, "NE LAOS / Hua Phan Prov., MT. Phu Pane / 1200–1900 m, 18.V.-2.VI.2012 / 20°12'N 103°59'E / St Jakl and Lao Collectors Lgt. ", "HOLOTYPE / Parena (Bothynoptera) / heteronycha sp. nov. / des. Shi H.L. 2022" [red label] <Figs 26C, 26D>. Paratype: 1 female (CRS), " LAOS NE / PHU PANE prov. / BAN SALUEI 900–1400 M / 10.- 25.6.2010 / ST. JAKL LGT. ", "PARATYPE / Parena (Bothynoptera) / heteronycha sp. nov. / des. Shi H.L. 2022" [red label] <Figs 4F, 5F, 6F, 11A, 26B, 26E, 26F, 26G>.
Diagnostic characters. Elytra gradually turned from dark brown at base to light yellow at apex; elytra dorsal pores forming black umbilicular spots, in sharp contrast with yellow background; pronotum lateral margins strongly sinuate before posterior angles; pronotum base and sixth interval of elytra with small humps; mandibles moderately widened with strongly extended apical hooks; claws asymmetric: outer claw normal, inner claw elongate with pectinations restricted on basal half (opposite for prolegs).
Comparisons. The new species is conspicuous in the genus, and different from other congenetic species by its distinctive color, asymmetric claws, and many other special features mentioned above.
Description. Body length 8.5–8.7 mm; body relatively narrow in the genus, elytra subconvex, widened to apex; dorsum without microsculpture. Color. Head dark brown, clypeus, frons, and genae distinctly lighter; antennae largely light yellow, antennomere 1 slightly darkened; labrum dark brown; mandibles yellow, gradually darkened to apex; mentum yellow, terminal labial and maxillary palpomeres black with yellow apex, other palpomeres yellowish brown. Pronotum dark brown with pale yellow narrow lateral margins. Elytra base dark brown, gradually turned to pale yellow before middle, background of apical half evenly pale yellow; elytral dorsal pores black, forming dark umbilicular spots in sharp contrast with light background; epipleura same color as elytra. Scutellum dark brown. Prosternum light yellow with darker lateral sides; venter of meso- and metathorax dark brown; abdominal sternite yellow, basal two segments slightly darker. Legs pale yellow, meso- and metafemora with dark brown and light yellow stripes, setose area near mesotibiae apex dark brown. Head. Vertex finely punctate and rugose, occiput finely punctate; eyes large and strongly prominent; tempora very short, abruptly narrowed behind eyes, length of tempora plus neck-constriction one-third of diameter of eye; postgenae with a pair of short suborbital setae, suborbital setae about one-third as long as supraorbital ones. Antennae slightly exceeding pronotum base. Labrum quadrate; mandibles distinctly longer than other species of the genus, lateral margins moderately widened at middle, apical hooks extended and pointed, not evidently turned inward, retinacular ridge of right mandible about two-thirds length of terebral ridge; mentum with a pair of very short median setae, lateral lobes short and narrow, inner margins strongly oblique, outer margins slightly curved, epilobes rather wide. Pronotum narrow, PW/PL = 1.19–1.20, slightly narrower than head, PW/HW = 0.88–0.92; widest at anterior third, constricted to base and then widened, posterior margin only slightly narrower than widest point; lateral explanations narrow; lateral margins slightly rounded at anterior half, and then strongly sinuate before posterior angles; posterior angles acute, sharply pointed outwards, apex rounded; anterior margin nearly straight at middle; posterior margin oblique at sides. Disc convex, with very fine and sparse punctures and transverse wrinkles, with a pair of small humps near base; median line interrupted at middle, forming shallow dimples near anterior and posterior ends. Elytra uneven at base, interval 6 with two small humps at basal quarter and middle, interval 8 shallowly uneven through its length. Striae not incised, replaced by rows of very fine punctures; intervals with fine and sparse punctures. Elytral basal pore present on base of first stria; interval 3 with three large discal pores in black color: first one on a level much behind scutellar apex, adjacent to stria 3, second one on middle, adjacent to stria 3, third one largest, on apical twelfth; interval 9 with 21–22 umbilicular pores, with six or seven small ones near outer apical angles yellow, the others larger and black; interval 7 with one black pore near apex. Apical truncation distinct, nearly straight; outer apical angles distinct; sutural angles slightly pointed, forming short denticles. Legs. Metatarsomere 4 asymmetrically bilobed, outer lobe much longer than inner one; tarsomere 5 slightly longer and slenderer than in other species of the genus, with lobes of tarsomere 4 only reaching its basal third; claws asymmetrical: inner claw of meso- and meta-legs longer than outer one (opposite for prolegs), with seven or eight pectinations restricted to basal half of claw and shorter than those on outer claw, apical half smooth and elongated; outer claws as in other species, with seven or eight longer pectinations. Venter. Metasternum densely and shortly setose; abdominal sternite III to VI with a few accessory setae; in females, apex of abdominal sternite VII straight, with two setae on each side. Female genitalia. Gonocoxite II of ovipositor nearly quadrate, length slightly greater than basal width, apex curved, with six ensiform setae nearly evenly arranged. Male unknown.
Distribution (Map 5, red). Only known from NE Laos, Houaphan Province. Localities of two known specimens are very close to each other, both not far from Ban Saleuy (20°13'30" N 103°59'26" E).
Etymology. The scientific name of the new species is composed of two Greek roots, " hetero- " meaning unequal and " onych- " meaning claw, referring to its asymmetric claws.
Remarks. The highly derived external features of this species, in particular the elongated mandible apex (Fig. 26C) and asymmetric claws (Figs 26E–G), suggest a specialized habitat. However, no biology data are available for this species.
description: Published as part of Shi, Hongliang & Liang, Hongbin, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the genus Parena Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini, Metallicina), pp. 1-144 in Zootaxa 5286 (1) on pages 48-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5286.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7958937