Studies and Reports Taxonomical Series 17 (2): 345-348, 2021 A new species of Simplocaria Stephens, 1829 from Japan (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae) Takanobu KITANO #101, 6-17-8 Toro, Surugaku, Shizuoka Prefecture, 422-8033 Japan e-mail: [email protected] Taxonomy, new species, Coleoptera, Byrrhidae, Simplocaria, Lamprobyrrhulus, Byrrhus, Japan Abstract. A new species Simplocaria sakaii sp. nov. from Japan is described, illustrated and compared with similar Japanese species. INTRODUCTION The genus Simplocaria Stephens, 1829 is poorly studied in Japan, because many undescribed species are deposited in my cabinet. One species is described as a new species in the present paper. Pütz (2002a) provided a key to species of this genus based on various characters and classified into Simplocaria bicolor species group and Simplocaria hakonensis species group. At this point, the Japanese species belonging to this group, S. yamashitai Ohtsuka & Yoshitomi, 2018, should be transferred to the genus Horiella Takizawa, 1983 by the absence of the elytral striae and the apical process of the male genitalia according to the original description (Ohtuka & Yoshitomi, 2018). This new species should belong to the S. hakonensis species group by having a sutural stria on the elytron and a slender body. Additionally, I note diagnoses of Lamprobyrrhulus aino Nakane, 1983 and Byrrhus shinanensis Nakane, 1963. MATERIAL AND METHODS The holotype will be deposited in the Osaka Museum of Natural History, Osaka. The others belong to the author’s collection. This study is based only on male specimens. TAXONOMY Simplocaria sakaii sp. nov. (Figs. 1-3) Type material. Holotype (♂): Mt. Sasayama, Tsushima-cho, Ehime Prefecture, 1.x.2005, T. Kitano leg. Paratypes: (3 spec.): Kanayamadani, Kumakougen-cho, Ehime Pref., 24.iv.2005, T. Kitano leg.; (1 spec.): Mt. Iwaguro, Kumakougen-cho, Ehime Pref., 23.x.2005, T. Kitano leg.; (1 spec.): Tsuchigoya, Kumakougen-cho, Ehime Pref., 4.v.2006, T. Kitano leg.; (1 spec.): Shirataki park, Ozu-shi, Ehime Pref. 21.vi.2006, T. Kitano leg., ; (2 spec.): Irazu- keikoku, Tsuno-cho, Kochi Pref., 10.x.2005, T. Kitano leg. 345 Description. Male. Body (Fig. 1) rather small, 2.7 mm in length, 1.5 mm in width, strongly convex above. Colour: body metallic dark green: antennae, mouth parts, tarsi, and claws pale brown. Integument well shining, with short and subrecumbent pubescence; elytral long yellowish pubescence forming indistinct mottled pattern. Head moderately convex above, finely and sparsely punctate. Antennae 11-segmented: 3rd twice as long as 4th; 5 apical segments forming club. Pronotum transverse, finely punctate, 0.57 times as long as wide: anterior angles weakly constricted. Elytra finely and sparsely punctate, 1.34 times as long as wide, with sutural stria and without humeral striae: punctures denser than those of pronotum; elytral pubescence rather longer than the interval of punctures. Prosternum rather sparsely punctate. Metasternum finely punctate: punctures becoming denser toward sides. Legs slender: front tibiae finely dilated; middle and hind tibiae scarcely dilated. Male genitalia (Fig. 3) trilobed, relatively slender: apex of median lobe straightly tapering apicad; lateral lobe slender, weakly sinuate at the lateral margin, with a small process near apex. Female. Not identified. Differential diagnosis. This species resembles two species, S. oharai Pütz, 2002 and S. munetoshii Pütz, 2002 by hiving elytral long pubescence. The elytra of this new species covered with yellowish pubescence, while those of the latter two species covered with whitish ones. Etymology. The specific epithet is dedicated to Masahiro Sakai who devoted many years of his life to the study of beetles. Lamprobyrrhulus aino Nakane, 1983 (Fig. 4) Material examined: (1 spec.): Obihiro, Hokkaido, 11-17.v.1996, A. Ohkawa leg, Coll., Y. Hirano. Remarks. This species was compared with L. hayashii Fiori, 1967 on their external characters in the original description by Nakane (1983). However, Pütz (2003) treated this species as a junior synonym of L. hayashii Fiori, 1967 by the similarity of the male genitalia. This species is distinguishable from the latter by having the denser punctures of pronotum, the more strongly arcuate male genitalia, the faintly sinuate lateral lobes of the tegmen (Fig. 4). Byrrhus shinanensis Nakane, 1963 (Fig. 5) Material examined: (2 spec.): Mt. Houou, Yamanashi Pref., 28.viii.1989, K. Hosoda leg.; (1 spec.): Mt. Daibosatsu, Hagiwara, Enzan-shi, Yamanashi Pre., alt. 1400-1700 m, 13.viii.2005, T. Kurihara leg.; (1 spec.): Sengendaru, Takane-mura, Ohno-gun, Gifu Pref., 8.viii.2001, K. Toyoshima leg. Remarks. Takizawa & Nakane (1977) compared Byrrhus fasciatus Forster, 1771 with B. f. shinanensis based on the many characters. Furthermore, the sharper apex of median lobe 346 Figs. 1-3 Simplocaria sakaii sp. nov.: 1- habitus of holotype; 2- habitus of paratype; 3- male genitalia of holotype, dorsal view. Figs. 4-5. Male genitalia: 4- Simplocaria sakaii sp. nov.; 5- Lamprobyrrhulus aino Nakane, 1983; 5- Byrrhus shinanensis Nakane, 1963. (Fig. 5) is diagnostic, so that I treat it as an independent species. However, Pütz (2002a) treated this species as a junior synonym of B. fasciatus by the similarity of the male genitalia. I wrongly treated this species as B. fasciatus in the key to the species of the genus Byrrhus (Kitano, 2018). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I am grateful to Kozo Mizuno, Kentaro Toyoshima and Yukihiko Hirano, Takashi Kurihara (all Japan) for me with providing specimens. 347 REFERRENCES Kitano T. 2018: Description and note on Japanese Byrrhus Linnaeus, 1767 (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae). Studies and Reports, Taxonomical Series 14(1): 97-100. Nakane T. 1963: New or little-known Coleoptera from Japan and its adjacent regions. Fragmenta Colepterologica 11: 43-46. Nakane T. 1983: New or little-known Coleoptera from Japan and its adjacent regions, 36. Fragmenta Coleoptelogica 35/37: 139-150. Ohtsuka S. & Yoshitomi H. 2018: A new species of the genus Simplocaria (Coleoptera, Byrrhidae) from Japan, with description of the larva of S. hispidula. Elytra, N. S. 8(2): 343-348. Pütz A. 2002a: Ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Pillenkäfer Japans (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae). Entomologische Zeitschrift 112: 184-190. Pütz A. 2002b: Revison der Simplocaria-Arten Japans (Col., Byrrhidae) Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte 46: 251-258. Pütz A. 2003: Zur Verbreitung und Taxonomie der Pillenkäfer Japans (Col., Byrrhidae). Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte 47: 91-102. Takizawa H. & Nakane T. 1977: Byrrhus Linné and Cytilus Erichson (Coleoptera, Byrrhidae) from Japan and its adjacent areas. Bulletin of the National Science Museum, series A (Zoology) 3: 55-65. Received: 20.12.2020 Accepted: 30.1.2020 Printed: 5.10.2021 348