Niponius obtusiceps Lewis, 1885


Niponius obtusiceps: Ohara, 1994, 72; Ohara, 1999a: 77.

Niponius obtusiceps Lewis, 1885b: 334 [Japan, Oyayama near Kumamoto in Higo, and Ishikari river in Yezo in 1883]; Gardner, 1926: 3; Reichardt, 1929b: 275; Gardner, 1935: 5, t. 1, fig. 2; Reichardt, 1941: 69; Kryzhanovskij and Reichardt, 1976: 78; Hisamatsu, 1985: 220 [key].

Japanese name: Tsuno-buto-hoso-emma-mushi.


Original description. "Cylindricus, elongatus, brunneus, punctatus. Antennis pedibusque fufis, epistomo obtuso subfurcato, thorace grosse necnon minute punctato. Elytris fasciis transversis medio nigris. Propygidio punctato, pygidio bisulcato. Long. 4 mm."


Ohara (1994)

Description. Body cylindrical, moderately stout. Cuticle shining, black; tarsi, antennae and projection of epistoma dark rufopiceous.

Projection of epistoma (Fig. 45 A, C) stout and long, its dorsal surface with two transverse carinae. Apical third of head densely covered with fine punctures and weakly transverse rugae, the punctures becoming sparser and coarser posteriorly; median third of the surface coarsely punctate, the punctures being separated by their own diameter to twice the diameter; basal third with much smaller punctures than on median third, the punctures being separated by three to five times their diameter; depression on mid line deep on apical fourth.

Pronotum completely with marginal stria on lateral side, the stria strongly carinate; surface irregularly scattered with deep, large and somewhat longitudinal oblong punctures (Fig. 45D) and other fine punctures intermingled among the large ones.

Epipleura of elytra completely with marginal elytral stria, which is carinate and of which the apical end attains to near the posterior margin of elytron; area between epipleural margin and elytral marginal stria impunctate and extremely finely strigate. All dorsal and sutural striae represented by rows of large punctures, the rows obsolete and their punctures becoming finer on apical third; intervals among the rows impunctate on basal two-thirds, but sometimes sparsely with several fine punctures, which are as large as the pronotal fine ones, separated by their own diameter to twice the diameter and become denser and finer posteriorly. Surface of elytra with weakly convex on humeral area, and deeply transverse excavation on near the basal margin.

Propygidium (Fig. 45F) without large foveae, and sparsely covered with coarse punctures which are twice as large as fine punctures of elytra, and other fine punctures densely intermingled among the coarse ones. Pygidium (Fig. 45F) with large, semicircular and deep foveae on basal two-thirds on lateral area; area inside fovea sparsely and finely punctate; surface between foveae sparsely covered with coarse punctures and intermingled fine ones among the coarse ones; fine punctures present also on apical third and along the margin.

Antennal grooves divided two parts; a deep furrow under eyes, and an oblong fovea on basal half of underside of head (Fig. 45B); surface of the groove densely clothed with fine punctures on apical half, the punctures much sparser on basal half.

Prosternal lobe (Fig. 45E) transverse and narrow, its anterior margin densely furnished with hair. Prosternal keel completely with two carinal striae, of which the basal ends are united with each other in an arch; surface of keel sparsely clothed with fine punctures.

Mesosternum longitudinally and shallowly sulcate on median third; area of lateral third sparsely clothed with several fine punctures. Meso-metasternal suture absent. Metasternum longitudinally, broadly and shallowly sulcate on mid line; lateral metasternal stria strongly carinate, its apical end extending posteriorly, and attaining to near apical fourth of metasternum. Intercoxal disk of metasternum sparsely covered with coarse and longitudinal oblong punctures. Lateral disk densely covered with coarse and round punctures, which are a little coarser than those of intercoxal disk, the punctures becoming sparser along the lateral metasternal stria.

Intercoxal disk of 1st abdominal sternum deeply striate on each lateral side, the striae nearly complete, but not attaining to the apical margin; surface densely and finely punctate, the punctures progressively sparser and finer posteriorly.

Protibia slender and with three denticles on outer margin.

Remarks. Niponius obtusiceps can readily be recognized by the absence of fovea on the propygidium and the short and stout projections of the epistoma.

No details are known about the habitat of this species. Specimens were collected under the bark. Hisamatsu (1985) noted that this species was found in tunnels made by cossonine beetles, Curculionidae.


Ohara (1999)

Additional description. Male genitalia as shown in Fig. 2. Ratio of paramera length to basal piece length about 0.73.


Ohara (1994)

Specimens examined. [Honshû] <Tôkyô-to> 1 ex., Mt. Takao, 19/ii/1981, K. Horie leg. <Fukui-ken> 1Åä, Ikegahara, Ôno-shi, 20/vi/1988, M. Saitô leg.

Distribution (Fig. 48). Japan (Honshû).


Ohara (1999a).

Specimens examined [additional records]. (Ohara, 1999a).

[Honshu] Aomori-ken: Oirase, Fukaura-machi (1 ex., 22/vii/1988, APM), A. Abe.

Fig. 2. Niponius obtusiceps Lewis. Male genitalia. A: Aedeagus, dorsal view. B: Ditto, lateral view. C: Ninth and 10th tergites, dorsal view. D: Ditto, lateral view. E: Ninth sternum (spicule), dorsal view. F: Eight tergite and sternum, dorsal view. G: Ditto, lateral view. (Ohara, 1999a).


Distribution. Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu).


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