Table Of ContentElytra,Tokyo,37(2):297(cid:1)304,November14,2009
The True A$nity of the Genus Sasajia M6HJBDID et A@>I6
(Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea), with Description of
a New Ocholissa from the Ryukyu Islands
Kimio MASUMOTO
InstituteofHumanCultureStudies,OtsumaWomen’sUniversity,
Tokyo,102(cid:1)8357Japan
and
Katsumi AKITA
Hisai-iba-chˆo66,D-304,TsuCity,MiePref.,514(cid:1)1108Japan
Abstract Sasajia M6HJBDID et A@>I6, 2007, described as a member of the
subfamilyColydiidaeinthefamilyZopheridae,istransferredtothefamilySalpingidae
andsynonymizedwiththegenusOcholissa. SasajiahiroyukiiM6HJBDIDetA@>I6is
changed to Ocholissa hiroyukii comb. nov. A problematical species, Szekessya hypo-
phloeoides K6HO67, originally described as a member of thefamilyTenebrionidae,is
now known as amemberofSalpingidae. Itstypespecimenisre-examined,andtheir
habitus and male genitalia are shown in this paper. A new species of the genus
Ocholissa,O.hiranoisp.nov.isdescribedfromtheRyukyuIslands,SouthwestJapan.
Species of the genus Ocholissa of the family Salpingidae possess a rather small,
flattened and subparallel-sided body with the tarsal fomula 4(cid:1)4(cid:1)4. Nine species of the
genus have hitherto been known from South Africa, India, Ceylon, Tasmania and
Samoa. Thetypespeciesofthegenus,OcholissalaetaP6H8D:,1863,wascollectedfrom
the “Amazons Valley”(cid:1)
The first record of a Japanese species of this genus was made by S6IˆD (1982) as
“Ocholissa sp.” from Minami-Iwojima ((cid:2)Minamiiwˆo-tˆo) Island. It was regarded as a
member of the family Colydiidae. Later, M6HJBDID and A@>I6 (2007) erected the
genusSasajiaforasmallunknownspecies from the Ogasawara Islands as a member of
the subfamily Colydiinae in the family Zopheridae.
Recently, some entomological friends of the first author kindly suggested that
SasajiaresemblesthegenusOcholissaP6H8D:,1863,andthereforeshouldbelongtothe
familySalpingidae. Sincethen,ithasbeenre-examinedcarefully,andtheauthorsfinally
concluded that Sasajia should be a genus of the family Salpingidae and could not be
298 KimioM6HJBDIDandKatsumiA@>I6
separated from the genus Ocholissa.
Meanwhile,thegenusSzekessyawaserectedbyK6HO67(1955)forS.hypophloeoi-
des from Samoa Island as a member of the family Tenebrionidae. KJAO:G (1957)
describedtwospeciesbelongingtothisgenusfromMicronesia,theCarolineIslandsand
the Marshall Islands, respectively. N6@6C: (1970) recorded a “Szekessya” from the
Ogasawara Islands (Hahajima Island). The true systematic position of this genus
remained problematical because of unclear status of its components. Finally, it was
placed in the subfamily Prostominiinae of the family Salpingidae by L6LG:C8: and
N:LIDC (1995).
Onthisoccasionwealsore-examinedSzekessya,andherewithshowitshabitusand
the shape of male genitaila.
Before going into further details, they would like to express their cordial acknow-
ledgementtoDr.Wolfgang S8=6L6AA:G, Staatliches Museum f¨ur Naturkunde, Stutt-
gart, Dr. Ott´o M:G@A, Term´eszettudom´anyi M´uzeum, Budapest, Mr. Maxwell
B6G8A6N,TheNaturalHistoryMuseum,London,forloaningtypesandmaterials. Dr.
Hermes E. EH86ADC6 G., FAGRO-Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dr. Eric G.
M6II=:LH, South Australian Museum, Mr. Yukihiko H>G6CD, Odawara City, Dr.
Jun-ichi AD@>, Tokyo, Mr. Satoshi IC696, Urasoe City, and Mr. Haruki K6GJ7:,
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum, for o#ering precious materials for this study.
They also thank Dr. Makoto K>J8=>, Tsukuba City, for taking clear photographs
inserted in this paper. Finally, they wish to express their deepest appreciation to Dr.
Shun-Ichi U´:CD, Emeritus Curator of the National Museum of Nature and Science,
Tokyo, for his constant guidance on their taxonomic study.
1. Systematic Position of the Genera Sasajia and Szekessya
Genus Ocholissa P6H8D:, 1863
OcholissaP6H8D:,1863,J.ent.,2:85.Typespecies:O.lætaP6H8D:(asagenusofColydiidae).
SasajiaM6HJBDIDetA@>I6,2007,Ent.Rev.Japan,Osaka,62:18.Typespecies:S.hiroyukiiM6HJBDIDet
A@>I6(asagenusofColydiinaeinZopheridae).[Syn.nov.]
Original description of the genus Ocholissa. “Caput retractum, subtriangulare,
antice rotundatum, oculis prominulis. Antennæ 11-articulatæ, basi tectæ, clava triar-
ticulata. Palpi crassi, breves, labiales obtusi, maxillares oblique truncati. Prothorax
quadratus, lævis. Elytra parallela, lævia. Tibiæ subtrigonnatæ, breviter calcaratæ.
Tarsigraciles,articulistribusprimisbrevibus. Corpuselongato-ovatum,subdepressum.
Nearly allied to Aulonium, from which it di#ers in the smooth prothorax, slender,
simple tibiæ, and shorter tarsi. Other species of this genus have been detected by Mr.
W6AA68: in New Guinea, and are found also in Batchian, Mysol, Sula &c.”
Notes. P6H8D:didnotmentionaboutthetarsalfomura4(cid:1)4(cid:1)4whichisoneofthe
important characteristics. Structures of ventral sides are also very important for
identification of the genus, subfamily and family.
TrueA$nityofSasajiaandaNewOcholissafromtheRyukyuIslands 299
Genus Sasajia M6HJBDID et A@>I6, 2007
SasajiaM6HJBDIDetA@>I6,2007,Ent.Rev.Japan,Osaka,62:18.Typespecies:S.hiroyukiiM6HJBDIDet
A@>I6(asagenusofColydiinaeinZopheridae).
ThegenusSasajiawaserectedbyM6HJBDIDandA@>I6(2007)forS.hiroyukiiin
the subfamily Colydiinae of the family Zopheridae. It is characterized as follows:
“Body rather elongate, subparallel-sided, only weakly convex dorsad, not serrate
along outer margins; each surface almost glabrous, without granules or humps. Head
trapezoidal, gently inclined apicad, with rather long clypeus. Antennae 11-segmented,
with the apical three segments moderately clavate. Eyes rather elongate. Pronotum
nearly quadrate, weakly convex, flattened in major central part, impressed at base on
both sides, with all margins finely bordered and rimmed, front angles rounded, hind
angles bisinuous and angulate at the corners. Scutellum medium-sized, semicircular.
Elytrapunctato-striate,gently convex, flattened in major interior parts; lateral margins
rathernoticeablyborderedandrimmed,particularlysoinbasalparts. Pygidiumvisible
from above.
Terminal segment of maxillary palpus somewhat hatchet-shaped; mentum nar-
rowed; gula longitudinally subelliptical, finely bordered. Prosternum rather wide,
obtrapezoidal, gently convex medially, with area between procoxae weakly raised,
prosternal process feebly produced posteriad, weakly depressed and truncate at apex;
mesosternumsomewhatelongatedobpentagonal,weaklyconvexmedially,ratherclosely
punctate;distancebetweenmesocoxaeabouthalfthediameterofamesocoxa;metaster-
numsubquadrate,gentlyconvexmedially,with a longitudinal depression along median
line; metacoxae not touched but rather close to each other. Abdominal sternites
becoming shorter apicad.
Legs medium-sized in the related species; femora widened in middle; tibiae gently
widened and curved outwards, protibia with an apical spur on exterior side; mesotibia
with an apical spur at interior side; metatibia with an apical spur on interior side; tarsi
subcylindrical, of the formula 4(cid:1)4(cid:1)4, not specially modified, without tufts on ventral
sides; claws falciform.”
Notes. The first two abdominal ventrites of Sasajia are connate. The postcoxal
extensions of the pronotum (hypomeron) do not meet with the prosternal process. In
salpingids all the ventrites are movable, or just the first two are connate, and the
procoxal cavities appear to be externally open. The characters mentioned above are in
common with Ocholissa. This genus is one of a few salpingids which has a 4(cid:1)4(cid:1)4
formula.
As compared with O. læta P6H8D: (Figs. 1 & 5(cid:1)6), the type species of Ocholissa,
thatofSasajiapossessesmoreelongatebody,witheachsurfacemorestronglypunctate,
lateralmarginsofthepronotumhookedandweaklysinuateamonghooks,andtheelytra
more noticeably striated. Except for these, the present authors are unable to find any
distinctpeculiarities. Thus,SasajiashouldberegardedasajuniorsynonymofOcholissa.
300 KimioM6HJBDIDandKatsumiA@>I6
Figs.1(cid:1)11. Ocholissa spp. and Szekessya hypophloeoides K6HO67.(cid:2)(cid:2)1 & 5(cid:1)6, O. laeta P6H8D:,
type; 2, O. hiroyukii(M6HJBDID et A@>I6), holotype,(cid:1);3&11,O. hiranoisp.nov.,holotype,
(cid:1);4&7(cid:1)10, SzekessyahypophloeoidesK6HO67,paratype, (cid:1);1(cid:1)4,Habitus;5&7,prothoraces;6
& 8, meso- and metathoraces; 9 & 11, male genitalia (dorsal view); 10, same (lateral view).
Scales:0.5mmfor5(cid:1)8;0.1mmfor9(cid:1)11.
TrueA$nityofSasajiaandaNewOcholissafromtheRyukyuIslands 301
In European Museums, e.g., Staatliches Museum f¨ur Naturkunde, Stuttgart,
Term´eszettudom´anyiM´uzeum,Budapest, there are other specimens from tropical Asia
to Oceania more closely allied to “Sasajia hiroyukii” but apparently belonging to
undescribed species.
Genus Szekessya K6HO67, 1955
SzekessyaK6HO67,1955,Proc.Hawai.ent.Soc.,15:661.Typespecies:S.hypophloeoidesK6HO67.
Szekessyahasbeenanotherquestionablegenus. Itisseeminglysimilartothegenus
Hypophloeus F67G>8>JH, 1790(cid:1)Corticeus P>AA:G et M>II:GE68=:G, 1783, of the
familyTenebrionidae,butsomestructuresofthebodyarequitedi#erent. W6II(1974,
p.389) supposed that Szekessya belongs to the family “Prostomidae?”. L6LG:C8:
(1977)placedOcholissaandSzekessyainthesubfamilyofTrogocryptinaeofthefamily
Othnidae. Later,L6LG:C8:andN:LIDC(1995)placedtheminthefamily Salpingi-
dae.
Onthisoccasion,were-examinedthe type species of Szekessya and confirmed that
thegenusalsobelongstothefamilySalpingidae,subfamilyProstominiinae. Thepresent
authorsaregoingtoshowthephotographsofthehabitusanddrawingsof the pro- and
mesosterna and the male genitalia of S. hypophloeoides K6HO67 in the present paper
(Figs. 4 & 7(cid:1)10).
Ocholissa hiroyukii (M6HJBDID et A@>I6, 2007), comb. nov.
[Japanesename:Ogasawara-hoso-chibi-kikawa-mushi]
(Fig.2)
SasajiahiroyukiiM6HJBDIDetA@>I6,2007,Ent.Rev.Japan,Osaka,62:19. (figs.1(cid:1)10).
Distribution. OgasawaraIslands:Haha-jimaandChichi-jimaIsls.(BoninIslands),
Minamiiwˆo-tˆo Is. (Volcano Islands) [New record].
Specimens examined. Minamiiwˆo-tˆo Is.: 4exs., “Col to Summit, 24. VI. 2007, H.
K6GJ7: leg.”; 2exs., “Col to 750m, 24. VI. 2007, H. K6GJ7: leg.”; 3exs., “near
Summit, 24(cid:1)25. VI. 2007, H. K6GJ7: leg.”; 1ex., same data, Yasuhiko IIˆD leg.
2. Description of a New Ocholissa Species from Japan
Ocholissa hiranoi sp. nov.
[Japanesename:Okinawa-hoso-chibi-kikawa-mushi]
(Figs.3&11)
Reddish brown to dark reddish brown, with eyes, lateral margins of head, prono-
302 KimioM6HJBDIDandKatsumiA@>I6
tum,andelytrablackish,antennaeandlegslighterincolor,hairsonantennaeandtarsi
pale; dorsal surface moderately shining, ventral surface dully so. Body subparallel-
sided, only weakly convex dorsad.
Male. Head longitudinally subelliptical and gently inclind apicad, rather closely
punctate,outermarginsofgenaeandclypeusveryfinelyrimmed;clypeusfeeblyconvex
inmiddle, with apex subtruncate, fronto-clypeal border semicircular and finely sulcate,
intersectionalareasoffrons,genae and clypeus weakly depressed; genae hardly defined
fromfrons,withoutermarginsweaklyraisedandfeeblyproducedlaterad;frons gently
convex,weaklydepressedinpostero-interiorpartsofeyes,withdiatoneaboutfourtimes
thewidthoftransversediameterof an eye. Eyes elongated subovate, weakly produced
laterad. Antennaeclavate,reachingthemiddleofpronotum,withthreeapicalsegments
widened,the10thwidest,theterminal one the largest and subovate, ratio of the length
of each segment from base to apex: 0.06, 0.05, 0.02, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.04,
0.03, 0.07.
Pronotum subquadrate, slightly wider than long, weakly narrowed basad; apex
weakly produced anteriad, very feebly emarginate in middle, noticeably sinuous and
finely in lateral parts; base weakly produced, entirely rimmed; sides rather strongly
inclined laterad in anterior part, gently so in medial and posterior parts, with lateral
marginsfinelyborderedandrimmed,finelyhookedatapical1/6,atthemiddle,atbasal
2/5 and before hind angles, and weakly sinuate between respective hooks; front angles
subrectangular, hind angles finely pointed; disc gently convex, broadly flattened in
middle, rather closely punctate, the punctures longitudinally ovate, with a pair of
impressionsnearbase. Scutellumtransverselysemicircular,veryfeeblyraisedposteriad,
sparsely scattered with small punctures.
Elytra twice as long as wide, 1.2 times wider and 2.3 times longer than pronotum,
feebly produced laterad, widest at the middle; dorsum weakly convex, flattened in
middle;discwithrowsofsmallpunctures,whicharerathercloselysetandveryslightly
grooved in posterior parts; intervals weakly convex, odd intervals each with a row of
smaller punctures, which are irregularly set; humeri weakly swollen, finely toothed at
each outer corner, with outer margins grooved and finely rimmed.
Prosternum wide, rather closely, coarsely punctate; procoxal cavities margined in
intero-anterior parts, opened posteriad; prosternal process obtusely truncate; mesoster-
num rather wide and hardly depressed, more coarsely and closely punctate than
prosternum; mesocoxal cavities rather rhombic, approximate with each other (not
connected);metasternumwideandrathercloselypunctate,thepuncturesinmedialpart
small and sparse, with a shallow medial depression in posterior half; metacoxae trans-
verse. Abdomen closely punctate, the punctures rather longitudinally ovate; apex of
anal segment rounded; pygidium rather large, subcordate, feebly convex in middle.
Tibiaefeeblycurvedandweaklywidenedapicad;ratiosofthelengthsofpro-,meso-
andmetatarsalsegmentsfrombasetoapex:0.05,0.04,0.03,0.11;0.05,0.04,0.03,0.12;
0.04, 0.03, 0.03, 0.15.
Male genitalia as shown in Fig. 11.
TrueA$nityofSasajiaandaNewOcholissafromtheRyukyuIslands 303
Compared with male, pronotum in female not noticeably narrowed basad.
Body length: 2.2(cid:1)2.9mm.
Holotype: (cid:1), “JAPAN; Ryukyus/Okinawa-jima Is./Okinawa-shi/Kurashiki,
15.V.1998/SatoshiIC696leg.”//“K.A@>I6/Collection/KAC35822”.(National
Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo). Paratypes: 1(cid:2), “Chinufuku-Rindˆo, Kuni-
gami-son, Okinawa Pref., 20. Oct. 2000, Y. H>G6CD leg.”; 1(cid:2), “Taiho «Ogimi-son,
Okinawa Pref., 3. Oct. 2000, Y. H>G6CD leg.”; 1(cid:2), “Ada, Kunigami-son, Okinawa-
jima, 27(cid:1)I(cid:1)2009, J. AD@> leg.”; 1(cid:1), “JAPAN; Ryukyus, Okinawa-jima Is., Kunigami-
son, Yona(cid:1)Terukubiyama, 22.V.2008, Jun-ichi AD@> leg.”
Distribution. Ryukyu Islands: Okinawa-jima Is.
Notes. This new species resembles Ocholissa hiroyukii (M6HJBDID et A@>I6,
2007),butcanbedistinguishedfromthelatterbythebodyshorterandlighterincolor,
with the head and pronotum less closely punctate, the antennae slenderer, eyes larger,
the number of hooks on the lateral margins of pronotum larger, and the elytra not
punctato-striate but with rows of sparser punctures.
The specific name is given after Mr. Y. H>G6CD, who collected the paratypes and
also gave the authors invaluable suggestion for this study.
(cid:1) (cid:2)
(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:11) Sasajia(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:17)(cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:20)(cid:21) (cid:22)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:25)(cid:26)(cid:27)Ocholissa(cid:28)(cid:12)1(cid:29)(cid:30) (cid:31) !
"#!$%&’()*(+,-. (cid:2)(cid:2) /012(cid:21) 34567(cid:27)(cid:12)89:%&’()*(+,(cid:12);
<=(cid:21) 2007>?Sasajiahiroyukiigen.etsp.nov.@@ABCDE’(FGHIJG(cid:21) K%&’(
)*(,ZopheridaeBCDE’(L,Colydiinae?MNO. P(cid:12)Q(cid:21) RS(cid:12)TU0V1(cid:21) WX(cid:30)
2"YZD[’(,Salpingidae?(cid:28)\](cid:12)^2:_V(cid:21) ‘OFa?Ocholissa(cid:28)?b_(cid:30)^cd
eF(cid:12)fg=h(cid:20)O. Pi^(cid:21) jklkmnopqr(cid:23)sOcholissa(cid:28)(cid:12)tu(cid:30)v(cid:3)=(cid:21) ‘O(cid:21)
wxjyz{|(cid:12)pqr(cid:23)sb}(cid:30)(cid:12)v(cid:3)=~s(cid:127)GH(cid:128)(cid:129)GO(cid:130)(cid:131)(cid:21) SasajiaFOcholissaF=
(cid:132)(cid:133)^(cid:134)](cid:135)2(cid:136)(cid:137)V^c]iF(cid:138)91V?:(cid:139)O. 3(cid:140)^2(cid:141)0=Q0(cid:12)(cid:29)(cid:142)((cid:143)(cid:144)’FG(cid:21)
SasajiahiroyukiiM6HJBDIDetA@>I6=Ocholissahiroyukii(M6HJBDIDetA@>I6),comb.nov.F
(cid:145)(cid:146)(cid:147)(cid:148)O. P(cid:149)?F(cid:150):_(cid:151)(cid:152)=(cid:153)(cid:154)@[(cid:155)BC"YZD[’(F(cid:156)(cid:157)\]. :(cid:22)(cid:21) Ocholissa
2"YZD[’(,(cid:12)Prostominiinae?M‘(cid:149)].‘O(cid:21)(cid:158)(cid:159)(cid:160)7¡¢£7V1(cid:29)O?I⁄GO.
¥1?(cid:25)(cid:26)7^(cid:150)(cid:133)(cid:30)(cid:138)ƒ§¥(cid:149)O(cid:12)^(cid:21) Ocholissahiranoisp.nov.(cid:153)Z¤[BC"YZD[’
(FGHIJGO.
:(cid:22)(cid:21)%&’()*(,(cid:12)(cid:150)(cid:12)FGHIJ¥(cid:149)OSzekessya(cid:28)2(cid:21)'_c_“«(cid:28)(cid:138)89^c(cid:139)
O(cid:138)(cid:21) 1995>J. F. L6LG:C8:(cid:22)(cid:23)(cid:24)A. F. N:LIDC, JG.?(cid:23)(cid:139)H(cid:21) "YZD[’(,(cid:12)Pros-
tominiinae(cid:12)(cid:150)(cid:12)F¥(cid:149)O. ii?2(cid:3)(cid:28)(cid:12)tu(cid:30)S.hypophloeoidesK6HO67(cid:12)‹tuv(cid:3)(cid:1)(cid:12)›
fi(cid:22)(cid:23)(cid:24)fl(cid:176):–†(cid:12)‡·(cid:181)(cid:12)¶=•JGH(cid:22)a.
304 KimioM6HJBDIDandKatsumiA@>I6
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