Petalocephala latifrons Walker
Petalocephala latifrons (Walker) Figs 7D–J, 18D–F, 20K, 21M–P, 28A–H. Ledra latifrons Walker 1851: 824. Petalocephala latifrons (Walker): Stål 1862, 494; Distant 1908: 166, fig. 110. Destinoides latifrons (Walker): Sun et al. 2014: 80, figs 1–9. Destinoides fasciata Cai & He 2000:57-58, fig. 13-1, synonymized by Sun et al. 2014: 80. Diagnosis. Male pygofer elongate, triangular about 2.7× as long as height in lateral view, with one prong-like short ventral process that does not reach dorsal margin. Male style with ventrally abruptly directed apical part acutely pointed with subapical tooth and with a tuft of short setae at the point of ventral bend. Aedeagal shaft with one pair of short dorsally directed lateral processes and one unpaired median process on dorsal surface near apex. This species closely resembles P. conspicua (Distant) described from Singapore that differs in lacking the lateral paired subapical processes of the aedeagus. Female sternite VII with straight anterior margin, lateral margins straight slightly convergent posteriorly, posterior margin rounded laterally, medially concavely excavated much more deeply than in the similar P. uniformis (Fig. 20K). Female genitalia. Valvula I slightly curved dorsally, narrow in mid-region, sculptured area occupying distal 0.33 area, sculpturing strigate, strigae narrow proximally occupying half-width in distal half-length of sculptured area (Figs 21 MN). Valvula II much straighter than valvula I, narrow in proximal 0.33 distance then more or less of uniform width, without prominent tooth before start of regular toothed area (Fig. 21 OP). Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, “367”, “31 [on reverse]”, “ Ledra latifrons ”, “Type” (BMNH). Other material. INDIA: Meghalaya: 1♂, Ri-Bhoi, ICAR RC NEH, Umiam, 1031m, 8.vi.2013, Yeshwanth, H.M. (UASB); Assam: 1♂, Golaghat, Konar, 15.v.2015, at light, Shivaprakash, T.H.M. (NBAIR); Tripura: 1♂, Chabimuna, 15.v.2010, D. Lashkar; 1♂, Trishna, 6.i.2009, D. Laskar (UASB); 1♂, Honat, 2200 m, Tehrigarhwal 12.x.1988, Swept from grasses, V.V. Ramamurthy (NPC). Remarks. This species was described from a single specimen (holotype). Distant (1908) adequately redescribed the external features of this species and Sun et al. (2014) illustrated the male genitalia. P. latifrons, P. nigrilinea (Walker) and P. uniformis males resemble each other and have similar color pattern including cinnamon brown markings on forewings, however, they have different male genitalia structures.
Publication Details
- Journal
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Published
- 2025-04-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15324752
- Primary Topic
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00