Skip to main content

Hidden orange mark fungus beetle (Micrencaustes occulta), Micrencaustes divisa and Micrencaustes navicularis

Hidden orange mark fungus beetle (Micrencaustes occulta), Micrencaustes divisa and Micrencaustes navicularis

NEWS - Hidden orange mark fungus beetle (Micrencaustes occulta Yang & Li, sp. nov.) was collected from Yunnan as a new species, specimens of Micrencaustes divisa Arrow 1925 and Micrencaustes navicularis Arrow 1921 collected from Hainan and Guangdong recorded for the first time from China.

Micrencaustes Crotch 1876 (Coleoptera, Cucujoidea, Erotylidae, Erotylinae, Encaustini) includes 44 species known worldwide, 11 species have been reported in China. In recent years, species of the genus Micrencaustes in China have been continuously discovered, mainly distributed in southern China.

M. occulta has a body length: 13.2 mm; width: 6.2 mm, elongate-oval, convex in lateral view, general color black, moderately lustrous. Pronotum with three distinctive teardrop-shaped orange marks. Each elytron with two orange marks, the first mark reaching the basal edge and with a wave at posterior edge; the second mark at basal three fourths, transverse and curved, with a wave at anterior edge.

Head coarsely punctured on vertex. Clypeus finely punctured, anterior edge straight. Clipofrontal sulcus incomplete. Eyes large, coarsely faceted; interocular distance about 0.47 times width of head.

Antennae long, almost extending to posterior edge of pronotum, covered with golden setae; antennome 1 swollen, barrel-shaped; antennomere 2 spherical; antennomere 3 long, slightly swollen at apex, 1.6 times as long as antennomere 4; antennomere 9-11 transverse and compact, forming the antennal club, antennomere 9 expanded apically; antennomeres 10 crescent-shaped, 2.0 times as wide as long; antennomere 11 nearly fan-shaped; relative lengths of antennomeres 2-11: 1.5: 3.6: 2.1: 2.2: 2.3: 2.2: 2.2: 2.8: 2.0: 2.2.

Maxillary terminal palpomere transverse, strongly expanded, nearly triangular, 2.8 times as wide as long. Labial terminal palpomere dolabriform. Mentum small, nearly pentagonal, with middle area triangularly depressed; submentum nearly trapezoidal, with a few coarse punctures in the middle and two extremely coarse punctures at the base.

Pronotum 2.2 times as wide as long, nearly trapezoidal, dorsally convex, with extremely sparse punctures. Anterior edge curved opposite the head; lateral edge curved, with expressed border and slightly narrowing apically; basal edge weakly sinuate, with a few coarse punctures on each side of base.

Anterior angles blunt and slightly protruded, posterior angles almost rectangular. Scutellar shield sparsely punctured, nearly heart-shaped, 1.6 times as wide as long. Each elytron with seven distinct striae, intervals sparsely punctured.

Prosternum finely and sparsely punctured, covered with fine and short setae, anterior edge narrow, posterior edge emarginated. Prosternal process nearly long bell-shaped, prosternal process distinctly and abruptly expanded apically, apical edge of prosternal process emarginated, only slightly extending beyond anterior edge of mesoventrite.

Mesoventrite sparsely punctured, with a triangular depression in middle of posterior edge. Metaventrite finely and sparsely punctured and two elongated transverse depressions at posterior edge. Abdomen sparsely punctured, covered with short setae.

Legs with tibiae gradually widening to apices, tibiae and tarsus covered with golden setae. Male genitalia with median lobe slightly curved, median strut straight, apex slightly wide, 2.3 times as long as median lobe.

The species is named for three indistinct teardrop-shaped orange markings on the pronotum, visible when strong light is shone on the pronotum. The specimen was recorded in Yingjiang, Yunnan Province, China.

M. occulta is similar to M. lunulata (Macleay, 1825) in shape and color. The two species are distinguished by the absence of postmesocoxal stripes, each elytron with seven distinct striae, pronotum with a few coarse punctures on each side of its base, body somewhat shiny (vs. M. lunulata has postmesocoxal stripes, each elytron with eight distinct striae, pronotum with evenly distributed fine punctures, body shiny).

Original research

Yang Y, Zhang X, Liu J, Li J (2024). A new species and two newly-recorded species of the genus Micrencaustes (Coleoptera, Erotylidae) from China. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e134304, DOI:10.3897/BDJ.12.e134304

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...
Read more

Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar (Amanita javanica)

OPINION - Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar ( Amanita javanica ) is a mysterious fungus species and has been enigmatic since it was first reported by Boedijn in 1951 and after that no explanation or reporting of specimens is believed to be the same as expected. Boedijn (1951) described A. javanica which grew on Java island as having the characteristics covered in the Amanita genus. Corner and Bas in 1962 tried to describe Javan mocca and all species in Amanita based on specimens in Singapore. Over time some reports say that they have found A. javanica specimens in other Southeast Asia including also China, Japan, India and Nepal. But there is no definitive knowledge and many doubt whether the specimen is the same as described by Boedijn (1951). I was fortunate to have seen this species one afternoon and soon I took out a camera for some shots. In fact, I've only met this mushroom species once. Javan mocca is an endangered species and I have never seen in my experience in...
Read more

Javanese grasshopper (Valanga nigricornis)

Wooden grasshopper or Javanese grasshopper ( Valanga nigricornis ) is an animal species of Acrididae, grasshoppers that have at least 18 subspecies, insects with very wide diversity in color and size, sexual dimorphism in which females are larger in size and paler in color. V. nigricornis in males has a length of 45-55 millimeters and females 15-75 mm. The head is square and green or yellow or brown or black in color. A pair of antennas has a black color. The eyes are large and gray or white or brownish. The hind legs are very large and have a green or yellow or brown or black color, plain or brindle. The limbs have two rows of large and long spines with black tips facing backward. The wings have a length exceeding the belly, a rough surface and are brown or green or yellow or black in color with pulse lines forming spaces filled with black color. The hind wings are rose red which will be visible when flying. Nymphs are pale green or yellow or brown or blackish in color. Javanese gr...
Read more