Elmomorphus prosternalis Hinton 1935
Creators: name: Selnekovič, Dávid
name: Jäch, Manfred A.
name: Kodada, Ján
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Dryopidae
Elmomorphus
Elmomorphus prosternalis

description: Elmomorphus prosternalis Hinton, 1935
Figs 39A, 110E
Elmomorphus prosternalis Hinton, 1935: 171 (original description).
Elmomorphus prosternalis – Shepard & Sites 2016: 93.
Differential diagnosis
Elmomorphus prosternalis is characterised by the presence of a plastron on the dorsal cranial surface (except for a small area on the vertex), on the anterolateral portions of the pronotum, and the lateral sides of the elytra. Elytral punctures are scattered over the entire surface, striae absent. The species most closely resembles E. montanus and E. paramontanus sp. nov. but differs in the prominent and strongly arched median keel of the prosternal process and the presence of a short median keel along the posterior part of the metaventrite (Fig. 39A).
Type material
Holotype
THAILAND – Nakhon Si Thammarat Province • ♀; “PENINSULAR SIAM [last third of the “M” cut off] NAKON SRI TAMARA [last “A” slightly cut off at the end] [modern spelling: Nakhon Si Thammarat] KHAO RAM [all printed] at light 750 [handwritten, with printed underlining] FT. [printed] March 2 sd [handwritten, with printed underlining] 1922 H. M. PENDLEBURY [printed] | Type [printed on cirular label with red frame] | comp.type [printed] prosternalis [handwritten] H.E. Hinton [printed] [pink rectangular label] | H. E. Hinton collection. B.M. 1977—566 [printed on white label] | Elmomorphus prosternalis HINTON det. Kodada & Jäch [printed on white label]”; NHMUK. Photographs of the holotype and its labels are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nhm_beetle_id/52809944410/in/album-72177720297734809 (holotype, labels); https://www.flickr.com/photos/nhm_beetle_id/52809739549/in/album-72177720297734809/ (holotype, ventral view); https://www.flickr.com/photos/nhm_beetle_id/52809538071/in/album-721777 20297734809/ (holotype, dorsal view).
Remarks
The holotype is an immature female of light brown colour; femora, tibiae and tarsi of hind legs missing.
Type locality
South Thailand, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, ca 230 m a.s.l. According to the label data, the holotype was collected at a place called “Khao Ram”, which was spelled “Khao Rom” in the original description (Hinton 1935). It probably refers to Khao Ram Rome [mountain], which lies inside Khao Luang National Park, east of the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Redescription of holotype
Measurements (mm): TL: 3.20; PL: 0.70; PW: 1.20; EL: 2.50; EW: 1.40.
Body elongate oval, moderately convex dorsally, widest close before midlength of elytra; brown, legs slightly paler. Dorsal plastron present on frontoclypeus, anterolateral portions of vertex, anterolateral portions of pronotum and lateral bands on elytra. Ventral plastron absent on prosternal process, median part of metaventrite, and middle of first two ventrites.
Cranial surface with round setiferous punctures, each about as wide as an eye facet, separated by approximately a puncture diameter. Plastron present on frontoclypeus and anterolateral portions of vertex, posteromedian portion without plastron about as wide as eye (dorsal aspect). Labrum transverse, exposed portion microreticulate, with decumbent setae along anterior margin.
Pronotum moderately convex, widest at base, PW/PL: 1.71; round setiferous punctures slightly larger than those on head; plastron confined to anterolateral angles; anterior margin slightly arcuate; anterolateral angles strongly deflexed, acute. Prosternal process with lateral edges rounded; lateral margins posteriorly expanded and distinctly separated from conspicuously strongly arched median keel (Fig. 39A). Metaventrite convex, median portion without plastron; discrimen distinct, with short keel and adjacent groove posterior of metakatepisternal suture (Fig. 39A). Elytra moderately convex, EL/ EW: 1.79; weakly microreticulate; punctures scattered on entire surface; plastron forming two lateral bands, almost reaching elytral base, slightly widening posteriorly and connecting at elytral apices.
Ventrites covered with plastron, except for middle of ventrites 1–2.
Secondary sexual dimorphism
Male unknown.
Distribution
Southern Thailand (Fig. 110E). This species (and the genus Elmomorphus) was erroneously recorded as new for Thailand by Shepard & Sites (2016).
description: Published as part of Selnekovič, Dávid, Jäch, Manfred A. & Kodada, Ján, 2024, Taxonomic revision of the genus Elmomorphus Sharp, 1888. II. Redescription of the genus and review of the species from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (Coleoptera: Dryopidae), pp. 1-229 in European Journal of Taxonomy 957 on pages 84-86, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.957.2651, http://zenodo.org/record/13773385