Some taxonomic notes on the genus Oberea Dejean, 1835 from Asia (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae).

In the current work, the following taxonomic changes of genus Oberea Dejean, 1835 are proposed: Oberea flavescens Breuning, 1947, rest. stat.; Oberea toi Gressitt, 1939, rest. stat.; Oberea sylvia Pascoe, 1858, rest. stat.; Oberea taiwana Matsushita, 1933 = Oberea taihokuensis Breuning, 1962, syn. n.; Oberea sumbana Breuning, 1961 = Oberea antennata Franz, 1972, syn. n.; Oberea brevithorax Gressitt, 1939 is newly recorded from Vietnam.

Introduction

The genus Dejean, 1835, belonging to the subfamily , family , consists of more than 300 species worldwide. The two monographic books on the taxonomy of from China (Gressitt 1951) and Laos (Rondon and Breuning 1970), the most important works on in Asia, treated 77 and 20 species, respectively. worldwide was revised by Breuning (1960–1962). Some species were downgraded to infrasubspecific rank in Breuning’s work basing on the similarity of body coloration (Breuning 1960-1962), and some of them were restored or described as new species (Kurihara and Ohbayashi 2007; Kurihara 2009; Li et al. 2014, 2016). During the recent study, some further taxonomic clarification of the genus is presented in the current work, based on examination of types.

Material and methods

Pictures of adult morphology are composites taken using a digital camera mounted onto a Leica MZ Apo dissecting microscope and subsequently processed using Automontage® software. For detailed examination, genitalia were extracted from specimens softened in water, cleared in 10% KOH, observed in water on glass microscope slides, then transferred into ethanol 70% and stored in capsules mounted on the same pin as the specimens. Drawings were made using a drawing tube mounted onto a compound microscope.

The following collection abbreviations are used in the text.

BMNH

The Natural History Museum, London, UK

MNHN

Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France

MHNG

Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland

MHNL

Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France

NMB

Musée d’Histoire Naturelle de Bâle, Basel, Switzerland

SWU

Insect Collection of Southwest University, Chongqing, China

SYSU

Sun Yat-sen University (ex Lingnan National History Museum or Zhongshan University), Guangzhou, China

Taxonomy

Breuning, 1947 rest. stat.

Figs 1 , 2

Figure 1.

Habitus of Breuning, 1947, a–c holotype, female, from Sichuan a dorsal view b lateral view c label (not to scale) d male, from Sichuan, dorsal view. Scale bar 5.0 mm.

Figure 2.

, male genitalia, a tergite viii b tegmen, dorsal view c tegmen, lateral view d parameres, dorsal view e parameres, ventral view f median lobe, ventral view g sclerities in endophallus. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Breuning, 1947: 146. Type locality: China, Sichuan.

:

Redescription.

Body (Fig. 1) 17.5–17.9 mm long and 3.0 mm wide. Head ochreous, apical mandible dark brown; antennae reddish brown, scape dark brown; ventral surface (except the abdominal sternite II and III black) and legs pale yellowish brown, tarsi darker. Body clothed with short golden pubescence and some erect hairs on pronotum, base of elytra and ventral surface of the basal antennal segments. Head slightly narrower than prothorax, vertex distinctly depressed at middle with a groove; eyes very large, inferior lobes twice as long as the gena in male and 1.5 times in female. Antennae distinctively shorter than body, reaching the apical fourth of elytra, antennomere ratio: 12.3: 2.5: 16.0: 15.8: 15.8: 15.9: 15.7: 15.4: 13.5: 12.6: 12.5 in males and 14.1: 3.0: 14.8: 14.2: 14.1: 14.9: 15.3: 15.1: 14.8: 14.4: 13.6: 13.5 in females. Prothorax wider than long; apical and basal margins slightly emarginated; sides rounded at middle, slightly constricted basally and apically; pronotum raised in middle, finely and densely punctured. Scutellum squared, slightly emarginated. Elytra very long, nearly 5.5 times as long a humeral width, and 4.5 times as long as head and prothorax combined, slightly narrowed from behind base to apical quarter, basal punctured arranged in 6 longitudinal series, and the punctures large and deep at basal area, gradually finer and irregular towards apex. Metepisternum and sides of abdominal segments finely punctured. Hind femora reaching posterior edge of abdominal segment I; hind tibiae almost twice as long as tarsi. Abdominal sternite V with a shallow triangular concave in males and with a median longitudinal groove in females.

Male terminalia: (Fig. 2) Tergite VIII broader than long, apex truncated and slightly emarginated, densely clothed with short setae (Fig. 2a); tegmen curved in profile, parameres elongate, mostly covered with long setae at the apical half; base of each parameres transversely and obliquely ridged on ventral side; the ridge covered with dense fine hairs (Fig. 2b-e); Median lobe 1.1 times as long as tegmen and slightly curved in profile; the median struts 3/5 times as long as the whole median lobe in length; dorsal plate slightly longer than ventral plate; apex of ventral plate rounded; median foramen rounded (Fig. 2f); endophallus with 2 pairs of rods at apical portion; longer pair very slender baculiform, about 3.5 times as long as shorter pair (Fig. 2g).

Type material examined.

Breuning: Holotype, ♀, Chine, Szetschuan, Tatsienlu (MNHG).

Additional material examined.

China, Sichuan: 1♂, Chine, Szetschuan, Tatsienlu (MHNG) [a mislabeled paratype]

Distribution.

China (Sichuan).

Remarks.

This species was first described by Breuning in 1947 based on a specimen from Sichuan Province, China but it was downgraded to a variety ofPageBreakPageBreak Pic, 1916 in his revisionary work (1960–1962). A careful examination and comparison of the types of and (Figs 4–5) show that they are different species. differs from in having longer elytra and shorter antennae. They can be distinguished by having differently shaped male genitalia, the long pair of rods being 3.5 times as long as the short pair (1.5 times as long as in ) and the short pair consisting of two simple short rods.

Figure 4.

Habitus of Pic, 1916, a–c holotype, female, from Yunnan a dorsal view b lateral view c label (not to scale) d–e male, from Yunnan d dorsal view, e lateral view. Scale bar 5.0 mm.

Figure 5.

, male genitalia, a tergite viii b tegmen, dorsal view c tegmen, lateral view d parameres, dorsal view, e parameres, ventral view f median lobe, ventral view g sclerities in endophallus. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Gressitt, 1939 rest. stat.

Fig. 3

Figure 3.

Habitus of Gressitt, 1939, holotype, female, from Guangdong, a dorsal view b lateral view. (not to scale).

Gressitt, 1939a: 106. Type locality: China, Guangdong.

:

Gressitt: Holotype, ♀, Lung-ping-hui, Lien District, N. Kwangtung Prov., 16. V. 1934, F. K. To Coll. (SYSU).

China, Jiangxi: 1♀, Kiukiang (MNHG).

China (Guangdong, Jiangxi).

Gressitt, 1939 was originally described by Gressitt from Guangdong, China, and then was downgraded to a variety of by Breuning (1960–1962). It was regarded as the synonym of (Löbl & Smetana, 2010); PageBreakhowever, the examination of the types shows that they are different species. Despite the similar color pattern of their bodies, differs from in the following characters: antennae as long as the body in female, and hind femora exceeding the posterior edge of abdominal segment I. Therefore, we suggest restoring Gressitt, 1939 from synonymy of Pic, 1916.

Pic, 1916

Figs 4 , 5

Pic, 1916: 17. Type locality: China, Yunnan.

Description.

Male terminalia: (Fig. 5) Tergite VIII broader than long, apex truncated and slightly emarginated, rounded at side, densely clothed with short setae (Fig. 5a); tegmen curved in profile, parameres stouter, mostly covered with long hairs; transverse and oblique ridge at basal lobe on ventral side with dense fine hairs (Fig. 5b–e); penis 1.25 times as long as tegmen and curved in profile; the median struts 4/5 times as long as the whole median lobe in length; dorsal plate slightly longer than ventral plate; apex of ventral plate rounded; median foramen rounded (Fig. 5f); endophallus with two pairs of sclerites apically, the long pair very slender baculiform, the short pair fused at base forming a “Y” (Fig. 5g).

Diagnosis.

Body 17.9 mm long and 3.0 mm wide. The species is very similar to Breuning and Gressitt, especially in color patterns. The following combination of characters separates it from : shape of rods in the endophallus; elytra nearly 4.2 times as long as humeral width, and 3.7 times as long as head and prothorax combined.

Pic: Holotype, ♀, Yunnan (MNHN).

China, Sichuan: 1♂, Sichuan Province, 8.V.1985 (SWU); Yunnan: 1♂, China, Yun-nan-sen (MNHG).

China (Sichuan, Yunnan).

Matsushita, 1933

Fig. 6

Figure 6.

Habitus of Breuning, 1962, holotype, female, from Taiwan, a dorsal view b lateral view, c label (not to scale). Scale bar 5.0 mm.

Matsushita, 1933: 423. Type locality: China, Taiwan.

Breuning, 1962: 168. Type locality: China, Taiwan.

v.

Breuning: Holotype, ♀, Formosa, Taihoku, 20.IV.1932, coll. M. Chujo (MHNG).

China, Taiwan: 1♂, Formosa, Kosempo (MHNG) [holotype of v. flavosternalis]; 1♀, Formosa, Kurau [a mislabeled Paratype].

China (Taiwan).

Matsushita described from Taiwan, China in 1933. In Breuning’s revision (1960–1962) on worldwide , Matsushita was recorded without examining types and was described as a new species in 1962. Kurihara and Ohbayashi (2007) revised the species from Taiwan and re-described based on the original description. According to the original description of , the type was deposited in Hokkaido University, but Dr. Kurihara could not find any type there (Kurihara in litt.). After having compared photo and description of in Kurihara and Ohbayashi’s publication (2007) and the holotype of , it is suggested that Breuning, 1962 is junior synonym of Matsushita, 1933.

Pascoe, 1858 rest. stat.

Figs 7 , 8

Figure 7.

Habitus of Pascoe, 1958, holotype, male, from North China, a dorsal view b lateral view c label (not to scale). Scale bar 5.0 mm.

Figure 8.

, male genitalia, a tergite viii b tegmen, dorsal view c tegmen, lateral view d parameres, dorsal view e parameres, ventral view f median lobe, ventral view, g sclerities in endophallus. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Pascoe, 1858: 261. Type locality: “China, Borealis”.

Redescription

(Fig. Body 12.5–13.5 mm long and 2.3mm wide. Head black except for labrum yellowish brown to reddish brown, maxillary palpus and labial palpus pale yellowish brown; antennae reddish brown, scape dark brown. Prothorax, elytra and ventral surface (except for the abdominal segment V black) ochraceous; legs yellowish brown, apical half of hind tibia and tarsi darker brown. Body clothed with short golden pubescence and some erect hairs on pronotum, base of elytra and ventral surface of the basal antennal segments. Head short, with distinctly depressed vertex; eyes very large, inferior lobes 2 times as long as the gena in male. Antennae of males longer than body, antennomere III longer than pedicel and antennomere IV. Prothorax 1.2 times wider than long, slightly constricted basally and apically; pronotum with a tubercle in middle, finely and densely punctured. Scutellum squared, slightly emarginated. Elytra nearly three times as long as humeral width, and 3.6 times as long as head and prothorax combined, slightly narrowed from behind base to apical quarter, apex truncate; basal disc with large and deep punctures arranged in line, punctures becoming gradually finer and irregular towards apical quarter. Metepisternum and sides of abdominal surface finely punctate. Metafemora reaching posterior edge of abdominal segment I; metatibiae almost twice as long as tarsi. Abdominal sternite V with a shallow triangular concave in males.

Male terminalia. (Fig. 8) Tergite VIII broader than long, apex truncated and slightly emarginated, rounded at sides, densely clothed with long hairs and short setae (Fig. 8a); Tegmen curved and penis curved in profile, parameres mostly covered with long setae on the apical half; base of each lobe in ventral side transversely and obliquely ridged; the ridge with dense fine hairs (Fig. 8b–e); penis 1.2 times as long as tegmen, dorsal plate slightly longer than ventral plate; the median struts 3/5 times as long as the whole median lobe in length; apex of the ventral plate rounded; median foramen rounded (Fig. 8f); apical endophallus with 2 pairs of baculiform rods, the long pair 2.8 times as long as short pair (Fig. 8g).

Pascoe: Holotype, ♂, N. China (BMNH).

China: 1♂, Chine (MHNL); 4♂♂, Chine (BMNH).

East China.

was originally described by Pascoe 1858 and regarded as synonym of (White, 1844) (Breuning, 1962). After comparing the types, , which distinctly differs from in male genitalia (Fig. 8), is restored to specific rank.

The holotype probably was collected by Robert Fortune. According to his book “Three years wandering in the north provinces of China”, the northern province of China included Shanghai, Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province; therefore “N. China” or “China borealis” might mean east China. Unfortunately, there is no detailed information about the location of the specimen that the first author examined.

Gressitt, 1936

Fig. 9

Figure 9.

Habitus of Gressitt, 1936, male, from Tonkin, a dorsal view b lateral view. Scale bar 5.0 mm.

Gressitt, 1936: 108. Type locality: China, Taiwan.

Gressitt, 1939b: 122. Type locality: China, Fujian.

:

:

:

Gressitt: Holotype, ♂, Cha Shan, Kien-ning District, Fukien Province, SE. China, VI. 22-28. 1933. D. C. Ngu coll. (SYSU).

China, Zhejiang: 1♂, Zhejiang province, Lin’an city, West Tianmushan, Dajingwu, , 828m, 9–11. VII.2012, leg. Jianyue Qiu and Hao Xu (SWU); Vietnam, 1♂, Chapa, Tonkin, J. Clemont coll. (MHNG); 1 ♂, Chapa, Tonkin (MHNG).

China (Fujian, Hainan, Zhejiang, Taiwan) ; Vietnam (new record).

was first described as a valid species by Gressitt in 1936 but was downgraded as a variety of Pic, 1915 by Breuning in his revision. Kurihara and Ohbayashi (2007) compared them and confirmed that they were two different species, easily distinguished from each other by different body proportions, antennal lengths, and male genitalia. The species was only recorded in China but recently, some specimens collected in Tonkin, Vietnam, were found in MHNG, and they are a new record to Vietnam.

Breuning, 1961

Figs 10 , 11

Figure 10.

Habitus of Breuning, 1961, holotype, male, from Sumba, a dorsal view b lateral view (without abdomen) c abdomen, lateral view d label. (not to scale).

Figure 11.

Habitus of Franz, 1972, a–c holotype, male, from Sumba a dorsal view b lateral view, c label (not to scale) d–f allotype, female, from Sumba d dorsal view e lateral view f label (not to scale). Scale bar 5.0 mm.

Breuning, 1961: 131.Type locality: Indonesia, Sumba.

Franz, 1972: 143. Type locality: Indonesia, Sumba.

Breuning: Holotype, ♂, Sumba (MHNG); Allotype: ♀, Waingapoe, 96, [P.] Everett [printed label faded] (MHNG). Franz: Holotype, ♂, O. Sumba: Melolo Iaewa, 28.V.1949, Dr. Bühler & Dr. Sutter leg. (NMB); Allotype: ♀, C. Sumba: Langgaliru, 6.10.1949. Dr. Bühler & Dr. Sutter leg. (NMB).

Indonesia.

After examining the holotypes of and , it is concluded that Franz, 1972 is junior synonym of Breuning, 1961.