Contribution to the knowledge of the subgenus Scymnus ( Parapullus ) Yang , 1978 ( Coleoptera , Coccinellidae ) , with description of eight new species

Eight new species of the subgenus Scymnus (Parapullus) Yang, 1978 from China are described and illustrated: S. (P.) hastatus sp. n., S. (P.) baxianshanensis sp. n., S. (P.) laojielingensis sp. n., S. (P.) annuliformis sp. n., S. (P.) papillatus sp. n., S. (P.) dichotomus sp. n., S. (P.) shenmuensis sp. n. and S. (P.) yanzigouensis sp. n. Diagnoses and distributions are provided for each species. An updated key to the Chinese species of the subgenus Parapullus is given. A catalogue to all known species of this subgenus is also presented.


Introduction
The subgenus Scymnus (Parapullus) was created by Yang (1978), with type species Scymnus (Parapullus) secula Yang, 1978 described from Taiwan.The distinguished characters includes: abdominal postcoxal lines distinctly incomplete laterally, antennae composed of ten antennomeres, parameres of the tegmen usually with two groups of long setae inserted in different directions.
Parapullus is a small subgenus of Scymnus, currently comprising of 12 described species worldwide and mainly distributed in the Old World (Yang 1978, Pang and Yu 1993, Yu et al. 2000, Chen et al. 2012).In China, eight species have been documented prior to the present work (Chen et al. 2012).In present study examination of ladybird specimens newly collected from various parts of China was done together with coccinellid collection of South suture from base to apex including scutellum; elytral width (EW), equal to TW; pronotal length (PL), from the middle of anterior margin to the base of pronotum; pronotal width (PW), at widest part; head width (HW), at widest part including eyes.
External morphology was observed with a dissecting stereoscope (SteREO Discovery V20).Male and female genitalia were dissected, cleared in 10% solution of NaOH by boiling for several minutes, and examined on slides with an Olympus BX51 compound microscope.After examination, the genitalia were transferred to a small card covered with neutral balsam and pinned beneath the specimen.Photographs of the whole beetles and their genitalia were executed on digital cameras (Coolsnap-Procf & CRI Micro*Color and AxioCam HRc) and composite images generated with IMAGE-PRO PLUS 5.1 and AXIO VISION REL.4.8 softwares.The final plates were prepared using ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS 8.0.
Morphological terminology use in this paper follows Ślipiński (2007) and Ślipiński and Tomaszewska (2010).Type specimens designated in the present paper are deposited in the Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China (SCAU).Diagnosis.This species is easily confused with several species having unicolourous reddish brown body in this subgenus, but can be recognized by the stout penis guide with a hook-like appendage at apex in lateral view (Fig. 1h).
Head with fine frontal punctures, as large as eye facets, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.51 times head width.Pronotal punctures as large as those on frons, 2.0-3.0 diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures larger than those on pronotum, separated by 2.5-3.0 diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, distinctly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines weakly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 1d), reaching 6/7 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines coarsely punctate, broadly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in male with apex truncate.
Male genitalia: penis stout, unevenly sinuated (Fig. 1e).Penis capsule highly sclerotized with small inner arm and large outer arm (Fig. 1e).Apex of penis strongly curved with distinctly membranous appendage (Fig. 1f).Tegmen extremely stout (Fig. 1g-h) with penis guide narrowest at base, gradually expanding to a spade-like apex bearing with a digitations in ventral view (Fig. 1g); in lateral view, penis guide strongly raised at middle with a hooklike appendage at apex (Fig. 1h).Parameres slender with rounded apex, slightly longer than penis guide, densely covered with two groups of long setae at apices (Fig. 1h).
Female unknown.Diagnosis.This species is most similar to Scymnus (Parapullus) alishanensis Pang & Yu, 1993 in general appearance and male genitalia, but can be distinguished from it by having parameres as long as half length of penis guide (Fig. 2h) and penis guide constricted at middle part in ventral view (Fig. 2g).In S. (P.) alishanensis, its parameres are longer than half length of penis guide and penis guide constricted near middle part in ventral view.
Head with fine frontal punctures, slightly smaller than eye facets, 0.5-1.0diameter apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.49 times head width.Pronotal punctures larger than those on frons, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures much larger than those on pronotum, separated by 1.0-2.0diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, slightly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines weakly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 2d), reaching 6/7 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines finely punctate, narrowly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in both sexes with apex truncate.
Male genitalia: penis stout (Fig. 2e).Penis capsule deeply emarginated medially with small inner arm and large outer arm.Apex of penis slender, forming a hook-  shaped (Fig. 2f).Tegmen stout (Figs 2g-h) with penis guide slightly constricted at middle part, expanding toward apex, then tapering abruptly to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 2g).Parameres narrow, as long as half length of penis guide, densely covered with two groups of long setae at apices (Fig. 2h).
Etymology.The specific epithet refers to its type locality, Baxianshan National Nature Reserve, Tianjin.Diagnosis.This species is similar to Scymnus (Parapullus) parallelicus Chen, Ren & Wang, 2012 in general appearance and male genitalia, but can be distinguished from it by having strongly sinuated apex of penis with membranous appendage (Fig. 3f), the apical 1/4 length of parameres covered with several long setae at inner sides in lateral view (Fig. 3h), and the area enclosed by the abdominal postcoxal lines with coarse punctures (Fig. 3d).
Head with fine frontal punctures, as large as eye facets, 0.5-1.0diameter apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.47 times head width.Pronotal punctures similar to those on frons, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures larger than those on pronotum, separated by 2.0-3.0 diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2.5 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, distinctly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines weakly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 3d), reaching 5/6 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines coarsely punctate, narrowly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in male with apex rounded.
Male genitalia: penis stout (Fig. 3e).Penis capsule with small inner arm and large outer arm.Apex of penis strongly sinuated with membranous appendage (Fig. 3f).Tegmen stout (Fig. 3g-h) with penis guide with parallel sides from base to 3/4 length, then tapering gradually to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 3g) and its apex slightly curved outwardly in lateral view (Fig. 3h).Parameres longer than half length of penis guide, densely covered with a group of long setae at apices, and its apical 1/4 length covered with several stout setae at inner sides (Fig. 3h).
Female externally similar to male but with abdominal ventrite 5 truncate apically.
Etymology.The specific epithet refers to its type locality, Laojieling National Nature Reserve, Henan Province.Diagnosis.This species is similar to Scymnus (Parapullus) parallelicus Chen, Ren & Wang, 2012 in general appearance and male genitalia, but can be separated from it by having slender, ring shaped apex of penis (Fig. 4f) and the abdominal postcoxal lines strongly recurved toward base of ventrite (Fig. 4d).It also resembles Scymnus (Parapullus) malleatus Chen, Ren & Wang, 2012, particularly the ring shaped apex of penis, but can be recognized from it by having narrow and short parameres (Fig. 4h) and the different shape of penis capsule.
Head with fine frontal punctures, as large as eye facets, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.49 times head width.Pronotal punctures larger than those on frons, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures larger than those on pronotum, separated by 2.0-3.0 diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2.5 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, slightly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines strongly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 4d), reaching 5/6 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines finely punctate, broadly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in both sexes with apex truncate.
Male genitalia: penis moderately stout (Fig. 4e).Penis capsule with small inner arm and large outer arm.Apex of penis slender, ring shaped (Fig. 4f).Tegmen stout (Fig. 4g-h) with penis guide parallel sided from base to 3/4 length, then tapering gradually to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 4g).Parameres stout with obliquely truncate apex, longer than half length of penis guide, densely covered with two groups of long setae at apices (Fig. 4h).Diagnosis.This species is similar to Scymnus (Parapullus) solus Chen, Ren & Wang, 2012 in general appearance and male genitalia, but can be separated from it by having a papilla bearing a stout seta at the apical 1/3 length of paramere (Fig. 5h).
Head with fine frontal punctures, as large as eye facets, 0.5-1.0diameter apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.50 times head width.Pronotal punctures larger than those on frons, 1.5-3.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures as large as those on pronotum, separated by 1.0-2.0diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2.3 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, distinctly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines weakly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 5d), nearly extending to posterior margins of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines finely punctate, narrowly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in male with apex truncate.
Male genitalia: penis stout and long (Fig. 5e).Penis capsule with outer arm large and inner arm strongly curved.Apex of penis unevenly curved, forming a large hook (Fig. 5f).Tegmen stout (Fig. 5g-h) with penis guide narrowest at base, expanding toward apex, then tapering abruptly to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 5g).Parameres obliquely truncated apically, longer than half length of penis guide, densely covered with a group of long setae at apices, and its apical 1/3 length with a papilla bearing a stout seta on inner side (Fig. 5h).
Female externally similar to male but with abdominal ventrite 5 rounded apically.
Etymology.The specific epithet refers to its paramere with a papilla on the inner side of the apical 1/3 length.
Head with fine frontal punctures, as large as eye facets, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.49 times head width.Pronotal punctures larger than those on frons, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures similar to those on pronotum, separated by 2.0-3.0 diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, slightly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines weakly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig.  6d), reaching 4/5 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines finely punctate, broadly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in male with apex truncate.
Male genitalia: penis slender (Fig. 6e).Penis capsule stout with outer arm large and inner arm strongly curved upwardly.Apex of penis simple (Fig. 6f).Tegmen stout (Figs 6g-h) with penis guide narrowest at base, expanding toward apex, then tapering abruptly to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 6g) and strongly curved outwardly in lateral view (Fig. 6h).Parameres slightly constricted at base, distinctly shorter than penis guide, densely covered with two groups of long setae at apices (Fig. 6h).
Female unknown.Diagnosis.This species is similar to Scymnus (Parapullus) secula Yang, 1978 in general appearance and male genitalia, but can be separated from it by the brown pronotum with a large black marking (Fig. 7a-b) and the apex of penis stout, hook-shaped (Fig. 7f).
Head with fine frontal punctures, slightly larger than eye facets, 0.5-1.0diameter apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.50 times head width.Pronotal punctures as large as those on frons, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures larger than those on pronotum, separated by 2.0-3.0 diameters.Prosternal process trapezoidal, 2 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, extending to anterior margin of prosternum, slightly convergent anteriorly.Abdominal postcoxal lines strongly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 7d), reaching 5/6 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines irregularly punctate, narrowly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in male with apical margin shallowly emarginated medially.
Male genitalia: penis stout (Fig. 7e).Penis capsule with small inner arm and large outer arm.Apex of penis stout with membranous appendage, hook-shaped (Fig. 7f).Teg-men stout (Figs 7g-h) with penis guide narrowest at base, expanding toward apex, then tapering abruptly to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 7g) and its apex slightly curved outwardly in lateral view (Fig. 7h).Parameres slightly curved at base, distinctly shorter than penis guide, densely covered with two groups of long setae at apices (Fig. 7h).
Female unknown.Diagnosis.This species is similar to Scymnus (Parapullus) nanlingicus Chen, Ren & Wang, 2012 in general appearance and male genitalia, but can be separated from it by having broad area enclosed by abdominal postcoxal lines (Fig. 8d) and the parameres narrowest at base, expanding toward apex in lateral view (Fig. 8h).
Head with fine frontal punctures, as large as eye facets, 0.5-1.0diameters apart.Eyes densely faceted, interocular distance 0.47 times head width.Pronotal punctures similar to those on frons, 1.0-2.0diameters apart.Surface of elytra with punctures larger than those on pronotum, separated by 2.0-3.0 diameters.Prosternal process rectangular, 2 times as long as its width at base; with lateral carinae distinct, parallel, extending to anterior margin of prosternum.Abdominal postcoxal lines strongly recurved and distinctly incomplete laterally (Fig. 8d), reaching 7/8 length of abdominal ventrite 1, area enclosed by lines irregularly punctate, broadly smooth along line.Abdominal ventrite 5 in male with apex truncate.
Male genitalia: penis stout (Fig. 8e).Penis capsule with outer arm stout and inner arm strongly curved, hookshaped.Apex of penis simple (Fig. 8f).Tegmen stout (Fig. 8g-h) with penis guide parallel sided from base to 4/5 length, then tapering abruptly to blunt apex in ventral view (Fig. 8g).Parameres narrowest at base, expanding toward apex, distinctly shorter than penis guide, densely covered with two groups of long setae at apices (Fig. 8h).
Female unknown.

(Parapullus) shenmuensis sp. n.
The specific epithet refers to its apex of paramere densely covered with two groups of long setae.