European Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12

http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2016.189

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

ISSN 2118-9773

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2016 • Liu et al.

Research article

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C05A64BE-EF55-4761-BAEF-14A0DDF43691

A new Oriental genus of bostrichid beetle (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae:

Xyloperthini), a new synonym and a lectotype designation for

Octodesmus episternalis (Lesne, 1901)

Lan-Yu LIU 1 *, Roger A. BEAVER 2 & Sunisa SANGUANSUB 3

1 Department of Science Communication, National Pingtung University, No.4-18, Minsheng Rd,

Pingtung City, Pingtung County 90049, Taiwan.

2 161/2 Mu 5, Soi Wat Pranon, T. Donkaew, A. Maerim, Chiangmai 50180, Thailand.

3 Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University,

Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhonpathom 73140, Thailand.

^Corresponding author: [email protected]

2 rogerbeaver6@gm ail, com

3 [email protected]

1 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:8A4ECE7C-2607-440D-BlBC-6E3B05EF02BB

2 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:EEF5C471-ECFB-4786-8E2F-13C5B5EC4F0D

3 um:lsid:zoobank.org:author:65EBEA67-515A-4CC7-AE93-DAD47765971E

Abstract. A new genus and species of bostrichid beetle, Octomeristes gen. nov. and Octomeristes

pusillus gen. et sp. nov., in the tribe Xyloperthini is described from litchi (. Litchi chinensis Sonn.) wood

in Thailand. The genus is compared to Octodesmus Lesne, 1901, the only other xyloperthine genus with

eight-segmented antennae, and to the xyloperthine genera, Xylion Lesne, 1901, Xylionulus Lesne, 1901

and Xylobosca Lesne, 1901. Anew combination, Octomeristes minutissimus (Lesne, 1932) comb, nov., is

transferred from Octodesmus Lesne, 1901. A lectotype is designated for Octodesmus episternalis Lesne,

1901, the type species of Octodesmus. Octodesmus kamoli Chujo, 1964 is designated a new synonym of

Paraxylion bifer (Lesne, 1932). A key is provided to the species of Octodesmus and Octomeristes gen. nov.

Key words. Octomeristes gen. nov., Octodesmus , Paraxylion , lectotype, new synonymy.

Liu L.-Y., Beaver R.A. & Sanguansub S. 2016. A new Oriental genus ofbostrichid beetle (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae:

Xyloperthini), a new synonym and a lectotype designation for Octodesmus episternalis (Lesne, 1901). European

Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2016.189

Introduction

The family Bostrichidae, the bostrichid beetles, can be divided into nine subfamilies (Borowski &

Wggrzynowicz 2007; Liu & Schonitzer 2011), of which the largest is the Bostrichinae. The Bostrichinae

comprises three tribes, of which the most genus-rich is the Xyloperthini with 33 genera (Borowski &

W^grzynowicz 2007; Park et al. 2015). The tribe is characterized by the lamelliform intercoxal process

of the first abdominal ventrite, which is visible only as a narrow carina and does not have a ventral face.

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European Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12 (2016)

and by the mandibles crossing at their tips (Lesne 1921; Fisher 1950; Liu & Schonitzer 2011). The tribe

has a worldwide distribution, but the individual genera are mostly confined to a single zoogeographical

region or subregion (Borowski & Wggrzynowicz 2007). There is little information available on the

biology of the majority of xyloperthine species, probably because they are not major, economically

important pests. A few species have been studied by Beeson & Bhatia (1937) and Liu et al. (2008). The

adults are polyphagous, usually attacking a taxonomically wide variety of host trees. They bore into

twigs and branches, where they construct a short gallery, usually consisting of a circumferential and

one or more longitudinal branches (Liu et al. 2008) in which the eggs are laid. The larvae bore through

the wood making extensive galleries filled with fine wood particles and excreta. The new generation of

adults emerges through the bark, but may reattack the same stem, so that the whole of the sapwood is

eventually converted into fine powder (Liu et al. 2008). The development time is variable depending on

local conditions, and may vary from a few weeks to over a year (Beeson & Bhatia 1937).

Here, we describe a new genus and species of xyloperthine bostrichid beetle from Thailand. The

new genus is compared with Octodesmus Lesne, 1901, the only other xyloperthine genus with eight-

segmented antennae, and with the possibly related xyloperthine genera, Xylobosca Lesne, 1901, Xylion

Lesne, 1901 and Xylionulus Lesne, 1901. Octodesmus minutissimus Lesne, 1932 is transferred to the

new genus. A lectotype is designated for Octodesmus episternalis Lesne, 1901. Octodesmus kamoli

Chujo, 1964 is designated a new synonym of Paraxylion bifer (Lesne, 1932). A key is provided to

distinguish the species of Octodesmus and Octomeristes gen. nov.

Material and methods

Specimens of the new genus and species were collected by the junior author (SS) during the course of

studies of the wood-boring beetles attacking fruit trees in Thailand. Its generic status has been ascertained

from studies by the senior author (LYL) of all available xyloperthine types, and other specimens, in the

Paris Museum (MNHN) and other major European museums, and the Kyushu University Museum,

Japan. We have examined type material or reliably identified specimens of 30 out of 33 previously

described genera of Xyloperthini, and have checked the descriptions of the remaining 3 genera. We have

also examined specimens in the private collections of LYL and RAB.

The following abbreviations are used for Museums and other collections:

KSU = Entomology Department, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen

KUM = Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka

LYL = Private collection of Liu Lan-Yu, Yilan

MNHN = Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris

NHML = Natural History Museum, London

QSBG = Entomology Division, Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, Chiang Mai

RAB = Private collection of Roger A. Beaver, Chiang Mai

Photographs were taken with a Nikon Coolpix 4500 digital camera, combined with the program

CombineZP, and optimized with Adobe Photoshop CS2.

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LIU L.-Y. et al., A new genus of bostrichid beetle

Results

Superfamily Bostrichoidea Latreille, 1802

Family Bostrichidae Latreille, 1802

Subfamily Bostrichinae Latreille, 1802

Tribe Xyloperthini Lesne,1921

Octomeristes Liu & Beaver, gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4D659DlD-561C-445C-A256-AFA66495D93C

Type species

Octomeristespusillus Liu & Beaver, gen. et sp. nov., here designated.

Diagnosis

A member of the tribe Xyloperthini, characterized by the lamelliform intercoxal process of the first

abdominal ventrite, and the mandibles crossed at the tips (Lesne 1901; Fisher 1950; Liu & Schonitzer

2011). Distinguished from other genera of Xyloperthini by the following combination of characters:

Frons weakly convex, without a crown of hairs on the head in either sex. Mandibles symmetrical,

sharply pointed; antenna with eight antennomeres, the funicle and club each trimerous, antennomeres

of club lacking stiff, erect hairs, with two indistinct c-shaped sensory impressions near the apex of

antennomeres 6 and 7, but not on the last antennomere; pronotum without a lateral carina; posterior

part of elytral disc with more than one pair of costae, each ending in a small process at the upper

margin of the elytral declivity; protibiae normal, without small teeth on posterior face; female with third

abdominal ventrite projecting over and concealing fourth ventrite, its posterior margin with lobes or

teeth; fifth abdominal ventrite of male with pleural pieces.

Etymology

The genus name is masculine, and refers to the eight-segmented antenna.

Description

Body elongate, cylindrical. Head deeply inserted in prothorax, not visible from above. Frons convex or

slightly impressed, with scattered, fine, upwardly-directed hairs, which are denser and coarser laterally;

fronto-clypeal suture indistinct at sides, impressed in middle; clypeus strongly transverse, anterior

margin with a very short median lobe or projection, an emargination on each side of the lobe; labrum

transverse with a fringe of hairs along anterior margin. Mandibles subequal, sharply pointed. Eyes small,

oval, globose, strongly projecting. Antenna with 8 antennomeres, first antennomere elongate, about

twice as long as the oval second, antennomeres 3-5 forming a loose funicle, each antennomere short,

strongly transverse, the fifth widest, together slightly shorter than second antennomere; antennomeres

6-8 forming the elongate, compressed club, each antennomere with a dense covering of short, recumbent

hairs, two indistinct c-shaped sensory impressions on the surface of antennomeres 6 and 7 near apex, but

absent from antennomere 8; antennomeres 6 and 7 subquadrate to subtriangular, subequal in length, last

ante nn omere elongate, oval, length variable from 1.5-1.9 times longer than the previous antennomere,

but subequal in width.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, widest about one-third from base, anterior angles with a strong,

upcurved tooth on margin, anterior margin between teeth straight, not depressed behind the margin;

semicircular area above the anterior margin smooth and without teeth; sides broadly rounded, converging

more strongly anteriorly, posterior angles broadly rounded, without a lateral carina, postero-lateral area

with fine rugulosities; disc smooth, shining, very indistinctly punctured, glabrous; anterior slope with 3

or 4 large, upcurved teeth antero-laterally on each side behind the marginal tooth, with short, semi-erect

hairs between the teeth.

3

Table 1 . Comparison of characters of Octomeristes Liu & Beaver with selected genera of Xyloperthini.

European Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12 (2016)

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LIU L.-Y. et al., A new genus of bostrichid beetle

Scutellum, small, punctate. Elytra subequal to pronotum in width, strongly convex, smooth, shining,

indistinctly punctured anteriorly, the punctures larger and deeper near the declivity, posterior part of disc

with more than one pair of costae, each costa ending in a small tooth or projection at upper margin of

declivity; declivity weakly convex, glabrous, the postero-lateral margin emarginate.

Legs subequal in length, procoxae contiguous, mesocoxae narrowly separated; tibiae expanded toward

apices, protarsi equal in length to protibiae, meso- and meta-tarsi longer than their respective tibiae.

Intercoxal process of first abdominal ventrite lamelliform. Female with third abdominal ventrite

projecting over and concealing fourth ventrite, its posterior margin with lobes or teeth. Last visible

abdominal ventrite of male with pleural pieces.

Remarks

The genus Octomeristes gen. nov. (abbreviated here as Om.) is noteworthy because the antennae have

only eight segments. The only other genus of Xyloperthini with 8-segmented antennae is Octodesmus

Lesne (abbreviated here as Odd). Other xyloperthine genera have 9- to 11-segmented antennae. There

are presently four species in Octodesmus : the type species, Od. episternalis (Lesne, 1901), Od. parvulus

(Lesne, 1897), Od. minutissimus (Lesne, 1932) and Od. kamoli Chujo, 1964 (Borowski & Wegrzynowicz

2007). The senior author has examined syntypes of Od. episternalis (MNHN), the holotype of Od.

parvulus (MNHN), and the holotype of Od.kamoli (KUM). We have been unable to examine type

material of Od. minutissimus. However, it has been possible to show (see discussion below) that it

should be transferred to Octomeristes gen. nov., and it is considered here as a member of that genus.

When Lesne (1932) described Octodesmus minutissimus , he suggested that it formed a link between

Octodesmus on the one hand, and the genera Xylion Lesne, 1901 ,Xylionulus Lesne, 1901 and Xylobosca

Lesne, 1901 on the other. Since then, the genus Xylion has been split up (Lesne 1940; Vrydagh 1955),

and the genus restricted to a more closely related group of seven species (Vrydagh 1955). Following

Lesne’s (1932) suggestion, we compare Octomeristes gen. nov. (including Om. minutissimus comb,

nov.) to the four genera listed by him, using Xylion in the restricted sense of Vrydagh (1955) (Table 1).

A more wide-ranging study of the genera of Xyloperthini would be valuable, but is beyond the scope of

the present paper.

The genus Octomeristes gen. nov. can be distinguished from all other xyloperthine genera by the

combination of the 8-segmented antenna, with the funicle length much shorter than the first antennomere

of the antennal club, and the thickened and modified third abdominal ventrite, which overlaps and

conceals the fourth ventrite. Octomeristes gen. nov. is further distinguished from Octodesmus by the

absence of sensory impressions on the apical segment of the antennal club (present in Octodesmus ), the

sculpture of the elytra (Table 1), and the presence in the male of well-developed pleural pieces (absent

in Octodesmus ). It is likely that the reduction in the number of antennal segments in the two genera is

related to the small size of the species, and is not an indication of a close relationship. Xylion, Xylionulus

and Xylobosca all have 10-segmented antennae.

The genus Xylobosca is distinguished from Octomeristes gen. nov. and the other genera considered here

by the form of the protibia, which is atypical for the Xyloperthini, and is widest towards the middle (not

at the apex), and lacks a flat external face. The sexual dimorphism of the elytra of Xylobosca is also quite

different from Octomeristes gen. nov. However, it is interesting to note the presence of a pair of spines

on the fourth ventrite of the female in some species of Xylobosca , as in Octomeristes gen. nov. The

genus Xylion is distinguished from Octomeristes gen. nov. and the other three genera by the presence of

a lateral carina at the posterior angles of the pronotum, and the remarkable enlargement and modification

of the second abdominal ventrite of the female.

The genus that is morphologically most similar to Octomeristes gen. nov. is Xylionulus, with very similar

characters of the frons, pronotum and elytra (Table 1). However, the two genera can be distinguished by

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European Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12 (2016)

characters of the antennae (Table 1), and the modification of the fourth and fifth ventrites of the female

abdomen in Xylionulus and not the third ventrite.

Xylion and Xylionulus are Afrotropical genera, Xylobosca is an Australian genus, whilst Octodesmus and

Octomeristes gen. nov. are Oriental genera, but the morphological similarities of the five genera might

indicate a co mm on origin in Gondwana.

Distribution

India, northern Thailand.

Octomeristes pusillus Liu & Beaver, gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:49448B21-C6F2-4868-A919-F350D93E89B8

Figs 1-3

Etymology

The species name refers to the diminutive size of the beetle, which is one of the smallest species of

Bostrichidae.

Type material

Holotype

THAILAND: 1 § (NHML[E]/2013-96), “Chiang Mai, Doi Pui, Khun Chang Highland Research Station,

c. 1300m, QxLitchi chinensis, 18.V.2013 (S. Sanguansub)” .

Fig. 1. Octomeristes pusillus Liu & Beaver, gen. et sp. nov., paratype (LYL). A. Dorsal view. B. Front

view of head and right antenna. C. Antenna showing position of impressed sensory areas on 6 th and 7 th

antennomeres. Scale bars: A = 1 mm : B-C = 0.5 mm

6

LIU L.-Y. et al., A new genus of bostrichid beetle

Allotype

THAILAND: 1 S (NHML[E]/2013-96), same data as for the holotype.

Paratypes

THAILAND: 1 $, 1 S (RAB), same data as for the holotype; 2 $ $ (LYL), same data as for the holotype;

THAILAND: 1 S (KSU), same data as for the holotype; 1 S (damaged, QSBG), “Nan, Doi Phu Kha NP,

Office 14, 19°12.488'N, 101°4.907'E, 1375m, pan trap, 2-3.xii.2007 (Charoen & Nikhorn)”.

Description

Body 1.9-2.1 mm long, about 2.7 times (male) or 2.8 times (female) as long as wide, cylindrical;

piceous, shining, labrum brown, palps, first five antennomeres and legs pale yellowish or yellowish-

brown, except for blackish anterior tibiae. Frons convex, almost smooth and finely punctured in

middle, towards sides a series of long, concentrically arranged, fine rugae extending to vertex (Fig. IB),

Fig. 2. Octomeristes pusillus Liu & Beaver, gen. et sp. nov., paratype, $ (LYL). A. Lateral view.

B. Ventral view. C. Posterior view of elytral declivity. D. Proleg showing long, curling hairs on ventral

side of tarsi and dense, fine hairs on inner face of tibia. E. Latero-ventral view of abdomen showing

modified 3 rd to 5 th ventrites. F. Ventral view of abdomen. Scale bars: A-B = 1 mm ; C-F = 0.5 mm (in

E-F: I to V are the 1 st to 5 th ventrites, O is the ovipositor.).

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European Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12 (2016)

scattered, fine, upwardly-directed hairs denser, coarser and more erect near eyes and antennal insertions.

Female with one extremely long hair on each side inserted close to eye. Fronto-clypeal suture indistinct

at sides, impressed in middle. Clypeus slightly convex, granulate-punctate, depressed along posterior

margin in median half, anterior margin with very short median lobe, weakly concave anteriorly, a small

emargination on each side of lobe. Labrum transverse, a fringe of yellowish hairs along anterior margin.

Antennae with a few erect hairs on inner and outer margins of first two antennomeres, a single hair on

each side of antennomeres 3-5, antennomeres 6 and 7 subtriangular, subequal, eighth antennomere

1.8-1.9 times longer than antennomere 7, elongate-oval (Fig. 1B-C).

Pronotum 1.1-1.2 times wider than long, widest about one-third from base, anterior angles with a strong,

upcurved tooth on margin, semicircular area above anterior margin with scattered, fine punctures; sides

of pronotum broadly rounded, converging more strongly anteriorly, posterior angles broadly rounded,

without lateral carina, postero-lateral area with fine rugulosities; anterior slope with 3-4 large upcurved

teeth antero-laterally on each side, remaining teeth gradually reduced in size towards summit, and

arranged approximately in arcs; discal surface smoooth and very indistinctly punctate on basal half,

postero-lateral areas with small, widely-spaced, slightly elongate rugulosities. Anterior slope with short,

semi-erect hairs between teeth, disc glabrous, small, recumbent hairs on sides.

Elytra about 1.8-1.9 times longer than wide, slightly more elongate in female than male, 2.2-2.3

times longer than pronotum, subequal to pronotum in width, sides parallel in female, slightly widened

posteriorly in male; basal margin slightly convex, raised between humerus and scutellum, elytral disc

Fig. 3. Octomeristes pusillus Liu & Beaver, gen. et sp. nov., paratype, S (KSU). A. Lateral view.

B. Postero-lateral view of elytral declivity. C. Ventral view of abdomen. D. Proleg showing short,

straight hairs on tarsi. Scale bars: A = 1 mm ; B-D = 0.5 mm

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LIU L.-Y. et al., A new genus of bostrichid beetle

slightly depressed behind margin, basal two-thirds of disc extremely finely, sparsely punctured; posterior

part of disc with three pairs of costae, slightly converging towards suture, costae and grooves between

them with larger and deeper punctures, each costa ending in a small tooth with a rounded tip at upper

margin of elytral declivity, tooth projecting slightly over declivity (Figs 1A; 2A, C); declivity weakly

convex, glabrous, rather sparsely, shallowly, coarsely punctured, punctures decreasing in size and density

toward apex; suture gradually more strongly raised from one-third from base, most strongly raised in

middle of declivity; postero-lateral margin raised; elytral apex broadly rounded with a short, rounded

projection on either side, a V-shaped emargination at the suture, and a shallow arcuate emargination

lateral to apex (Figs 2C; 3B).

Legs subequal in length, tibiae expanded towards apex, a fringe of short hairs on outer margin, hairs

shorter on protibiae; anterior surface of protibia flattened, matt, surface slightly roughened; apical spine

of protibia longer in male than female. Inn er face of female protibia with dense fine hairs (Fig. 2D).

Protarsi of female with numerous, long, curling hairs on ventral side; male protarsi with shorter and

straighter hairs (Figs 2D; 3D).

Female abdomen with first ventrite about 1.5 times as long as second, 3 rd ventrite about as long as 1 st

and extending over 4 th , concealing it, its apical third curved ventrally, apical margin thickened to form

a projecting median lobe, and a larger rounded lobe at each side, thinner and depressed between these

thickened areas. On dorsal surface of depressed areas on apex of 3 rd ventrite a pair of dorsally projecting

spines, separated by width of median lobe. Apical margin of 4 th ventrite thickened to form a projecting

median lobe, a pair of small spines extending posteriorly from each side of lobe. Apical margin of 5 th

ventrite thickened at sides, a bunch of coarse hairs extending posteriorly from middle of apical margin

(Figs 2B, E-F).

Male abdomen with first ventrite about 1.5 times as long as 2 nd ; 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th subequal, 5th with well-

developed pleural pieces. Surface of abdominal ventrites smooth, shining with sparse, recumbent hairs,

a fringe of hairs on apical margin of 5 th ventrite (Fig. 3C).

Distribution

Northern Thailand.

Octomeristes minutissimus (Lesne, 1932) comb. nov.

Octodesmus minutissimus Lesne, 1932: 662.

Although Lesne (1932) deposited syntypes of Octodesmus minutissimus Lesne in MNHN, they can

no longer be found (LYL, pers. obs. 2008; A. Taghavian, pers. comm. 2013). The remaining syntypes

were deposited at the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun in India (Lesne 1932), and are unavailable

for study. Specimens of this species could not be located in any of the fifteen major European museums

visited by LYL, and none are in the large collection of M. Ivie (pers. comm. 2013). We have been unable

to borrow specimens from India, the only country in which the species has been collected. However,

we have been able to examine photographs of three specimens of Od. minutissimus in the National

Pusa collection of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Unfortunately, the antennae of

these specimens were missing or damaged, and we have no photograph of the ventral side of a female.

However, we have been able to check other characters against the original description of Lesne (1932),

and the redescription and figure of Rai (1971). It should be noted that there are some discrepancies

between Rai’s (1971) and Lesne’s (1932) descriptions. In particular, Rai (1971) does not mention or

figure the emarginations of the elytral declivity described by Lesne (1932), nor does he mention the

modifications of the female abdomen, nor the lateral pieces of the fifth abdominal ventrite of the male.

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European Journal of Taxonomy 189: 1-12 (2016)

The reasons for this are unknown. We believe that Lesne’s (1932) original description is correct with

regard to all these characters.

Following Lesne’s (1932) description, the species possesses the antennal characters of Octomeristes gen.

nov. rather than those of Octodesmus (Table 1), and the characters of the male and female abdomen are

those of Octomeristes gen. nov. The sculpture of the elytral declivity with a pair of costae on the upper

margin is closer to that of Om. pusillus gen. et sp. nov., than to the large declivital spines found in Od.

episternalis and Od. parvulus. Accordingly, we here transfer Od. minutissimus Lesne from Octodesmus

to Octomeristes gen. nov.

Octomeristes minutissimus comb. nov. can be distinguished from Om. pusillus gen. et sp. nov. by the

presence of two costae on each elytron and not three, and in the female by the presence of two long and

t hin spines in the middle of the posterior margin of the 4 th ventrite (Lesne 1932). The spines are much

smaller and normally concealed by the 3 rd ventrite in the female of Om. pusillus gen. et sp. nov.

Additional nomenclatural notes

Octodesmus episternalis Lesne, 1901

Octodesmus episternalis Lesne, 1901: 618.

When he described the genus Octodesmus , Lesne (1901) did not designate a type species. Fisher (1950)

designated Octodesmus episternalis Lesne as the type species. The name is based on a series of syntypes

in several museums (Lesne 1901). The senior author has examined syntypes of the species in MNHN.

Amongst them is a specimen labelled as lectotype by J.M.Vrydagh, but the designation was never

published. In order to fix the identity of the species, we here designate this specimen as lectotype.

It bears the labels: “Carin/Asciuli Cheba/1200-13OOm/L. Fea I-88//c?//Octodesmus/episternalis Lesne/

type P. Lesne vid.// LECTOTYPE/J.M. Vrydagh”. Both Lesne (1901) and Fisher (1950) note that this

is the only known species of Bostrichidae in which the inn er margin of the metepisternum is convex

towards the ventral midline.

Paraxylion bifer (Lesne, 1932)

Xylion bifer Lesne, 1932: 659.

Octodesmus kamoli Chujo, 1964: 209. syn. nov.

Paraxylion bifer - Lesne 1940: 150.

The senior author has examined syntypes of P. bifer (MNHN), and we have compared photographs

of these with specimens collected in Thailand and Vietnam, and with the holotype, the only known

specimen, of O. kamoli (KUM) collected in Thailand. The holotype of O. kamoli has lost the antennal

club and the last two segments of the funicle on both sides, but there is no doubt that it is a specimen

of P. bifer , which is a common species in Southeast Asia. Accordingly, we here synonymise O. kamoli

with P. bifer.

Key to genera and species of Xyloperthini with 8 antennomeres

1. Ante nn a distinctly shorter than pronotum. Funicle subequal in length to first antennomere of

club. Last antennomere with two distinct circular, sensory impressions. Elytral declivity with a

large spine on each elytron. Female with unmodified third ventrite. Male without pleural pieces.

(< Octodesmus ) (Od.) .2

- Ante nn a distinctly longer than pronotum. Funicle much shorter in length than first ante nn omere

of club. Last antennomere without sensory impressions. Elytra with more than one costa, lacking

10

LIU L.-Y. et al, A new genus of bostrichid beetle

spines on declivity. Female with third ventrite thickened and modified, overlapping and concealing

fourth ventrite. Male with pleural pieces. ( Octomeristes gen. nov.) ( Om .) .3

2. Anterior angles of pronotum without a marginal tooth. Area above anterior margin of pronotum

finely rugose. Metathoracic episternum with its interior margin convex. Spines on elytral declivity

marginal. Larger species, 3.2-5.5 mm long. Od. episternalis Lesne, 1901

- Anterior angles of pronotum with a marginal tooth. Area above anterior margin of pronotum smooth

and shining. Metathoracic episternum with its interior margin straight. Spines on elytral declivity

inserted inside the margins. Smaller species, 2.0-2.5 mm long. Od. parvulus (Lesne, 1897)

3. Elytra bicostate, the costae not convergent towards suture. Female fourth ventrite with a pair of

long, thin spines in middle of posterior margin. Body reddish-brown with apical declivity darker.

1.8-2.5 mm long. Om. minutissimus (Lesne, 1932) comb. nov.

- Elytra tricostate, the costae slightly convergent towards suture. Female with spines on fourth

ventrite much smaller and concealed by 3 rd ventrite. Body pitchy-black. 1.9-2.1 mm long

. Om. pusillus Liu & Beaver, gen. et sp. nov.

Discussion

Park et al. (2015) have recently synonymised Calophagus Lesne, 1902 with Xylothrips Lesne, 1901.

Hence, the description of Octomeristes gen. nov. keeps the number of genera in the tribe Xyloperthini

at thirty-four (Borowski & W^grzynowicz 2007). The tribe has the most genera in the whole family,

and often shows characters which are continuously variable amongst genera (Liu & Schonitzer 2011).

The tribe is greatly in need of revision and further phylogenetic analysis. Liu and Schonitzer (2011)

suggest that the tribe is polyphyletic, but their study included only nine genera of Xyloperthini. A

study including as many genera as possible is needed. The morphological distinctions between some

of the genera are slight, and certain genera and species should possibly be synonymised (Liu, personal

observations). The present geographical distribution of the tribe covers all zoogeographic regions except

the Arctic-Siberian. Some genera are only distributed in limited areas, some are widely distributed, but

the phylogeography of the genera remains unknown. The present paper is the first in a larger project

which will try to resolve some of these problems.

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Toshiya Hirowatari and Dr. Satoshi Kamitani of Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of

Agriculture, Kyushu University for the loan of the holotype of Octodesmus kamoli. Ms. Azadeh Taghavian

was of great help when the senior author visited the Bostrichidae collection in MNHN, and later checked

the Octodesmus collection for the type of O. minutissimus. We thank M. Sharkey (University of Kansas)

and W. Srisuka (QSBG) for access to the specimens collected by the TIGER project, and the staff of

the Thai National Parks who collected them. We are especially grateful to Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Central

Muga Eri Research & Training Institute in Assam, who very kindly took photographs of specimens of

O. minutissimus in the National Pusa collection, New Delhi.

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Manuscript received: 16 November 2015

Manuscript accepted: 4 January 2016

Published on: 11 April 2016

Topic editor: Koen Martens

Desk editor: Kristiaan Hoedemakers

Printed versions of all papers are also deposited in the libraries of the institutes that are members of the

EJT consortium: Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France; Botanic Garden Meise, Belgium;

Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium; Natural History Museum, London, United

Kingdom; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium; Natural History Museum of

Denmark, Copenhagen, De nm ark

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