Furcanthicus gen. nov., a New Genus of Oriental Anthicini (Coleoptera, Anthicidae), with Description of Three New Species

Simple Summary A new genus of ant-like flower beetle, Furcanthicus, is described along with three new species. Due to a unique combination of morphological characters, we are proposing this new genus separate from Anthicus. Three little-known species are redescribed. Habitat photos of some species of the new genus are provided, which is helpful for understanding the lifestyle of these species. An identification key to all species of the new genus is provided. The important morphological characters, distribution, and diagnosis of the new genus are briefly discussed. Abstract Furcanthicus gen. nov. (Anthicinae: Anthicini) and three new species from the Oriental region are described: Furcanthicus acutibialis sp. nov. (China: Tibet), F. telnovi sp. nov. (China: Yunnan), and F. validus sp. nov. (China: Sichuan). Some critical morphological characters of this genus are discussed. Eight new combinations are established for the following taxa: Furcanthicus punctiger (Krekich-Strassoldo, 1931) comb. nov., F. rubens (Krekich-Strassoldo, 1931) comb. nov., F. maderi (Heberdey, 1938) comb. nov., F. monstrator (Telnov, 2005) comb. nov., F. vicarius (Telnov, 2005) comb. nov., F. lepcha (Telnov, 2018) comb. nov., F. vicinor (Telnov, 2018) comb. nov. (all from Anthicus Paykull, 1798), and Nitorus lii (Uhmann, 1997) comb. nov. (from Pseudoleptaleus Pic, 1900). Two informal species-groups are established: F. maderi and F. rubens species-group. The little-known species F. maderi, F. rubens, and F. punctiger are redescribed, diagnosed, and illustrated. The distribution map and key to species of this new genus are provided.

Head. Smooth, 1.1 times as long as wide, evenly rounded posteriorly; frontoclypeal suture present; tempora longer than a diameter of eye, and converging toward rounded base; temporal angles indistinct; eyes medium-sized, moderately convex, interfacetal setae short; punctures of head sparse and shallow, absent at median of head; setation subdecumbent, light, pointing to the median; tactile setae long, erect ( Figure 1B); antennae filiform, extending beyond base of elytra; antennomeres I-VII yellow, I slightly widened, II shorter than III, III-VII similar length; antennomere X longer than wide, XI elongate cylindrical with apex pointed, 1.8 times as long as the penultimate.
Pronotum. Longer than wide, 1.3 times as long as wide; with anterior rim and antebasal sulcus distinct; pronotum rounded anteriorly and laterally, slightly constricted posterolaterally then slightly expanding before base in dorsal view; punctures on disc larger and denser than those on lateral sides and on head; pubescence yellow, appressed, directed to disc on lateral sides and posteriorly on disc; tactile setae erect ( Figure 1C). Scutellar shield. Triangular, slightly rounded distally. Elytra. Glossy, postbasal impression shallow; 1.7 times as long as wide; elytra with wide yellow band on postbasal impression; elytra base black above yellow band, the black area not interrupted on suture and not reaching to lateral margin; apical 2/3 of elytra black; elytral humeri distinct, broadly rounded; punctures moderately dense, with intervening spaces 2-3 times as large as punctures, punctures gradually smaller and shallower toward apex; pubescence yellow, long, sparse, subdecumbent, directed posteriorly; tactile setae erect, length as setation ( Figure 1J). Metathoracic wings fully developed.
Legs. Yellowish-brown, with femora slightly thickened distally; tarsi, base of femora, and apices of tibia paler; basal metatarsomere as long as combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Sexual dimorphism. Male protibiae modified, with small, blunt, dent-like protrusion at midlength of inner side, setae dense from here to apex. Female externally similar to male while protibiae simple.
Ecology. This species was mostly collected by sweeping or beating grass on paths beside forests or open space from China at elevations of 1300-2500 m ( Figure 9C,E).

Furcanthicus maderi
Head. Round, glossy, length as long as width, evenly rounded posteriorly, with basal margin broadly rounded; frontoclypeal suture straight; tempora as long as a diameter of eye, subparallel, then converging toward rounded base; temporal angles rounded; eyes medium-sized, convex, interfacetal setae short; punctures of head large and shallow, absent at median of basal half; setation decumbent, yellow, point to the median; tactile setae long, erect ( Figure 2B); antennae filiform, extending beyond base of elytra; first antennomere slightly widened, II antennomere shorter than III, III-VI with similar length, VII-X gradually widened, penultimate antennomere length longer than width, terminal antennomere elongate cylindrical with apex pointed, 2 times as long as X antennomere.
Legs. Yellowish-brown; femora slightly enlarged apically but not stick-like; basal metatarsomere slightly shorter combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Sexual dimorphism. Male protibiae and metatibia curved inward. Female externally similar to male while protibiae and metatibiae simple.
Variation. Body length in the range of 1.68-2.03 mm. Some specimens collected from China are lighter in color and uniformly yellow.
Ecology. The habitat of F. punctiger from China is similar to that of F. maderi. They were mostly collected by sweeping or beating grass on path beside forest or open space at elevations of 500-3100 m ( Figure 9D,E). Label record "Low herbage in open oak forest" according to Telnov [31].
Sexual dimorphism. Male protibiae and metatibia curved inward. Female externally similar to male while protibiae and metatibiae simple.
Variation. Body length in the range of 1.68-2.03 mm. Some specimens collected from China are lighter in color and uniformly yellow.
Ecology. The habitat of F. punctiger from China is similar to that of F. maderi. They were mostly collected by sweeping or beating grass on path beside forest or open space at elevations of 500-3100 m ( Figure 9D,E). Label record "Low herbage in open oak forest" according to Telnov [31].
Head. Brownish-black, glossy, round, with base margin rounded, slightly flattened in lateral view; tempora longer than a diameter of eye, slightly converging toward rounded base, temporal angles indistinct; eyes medium-sized, moderately convex, interfacetal setae distinct; frontoclypeal suture present; punctures on head large and shallow, with intervening spaces shorter than one diameter of punctures, sparser at median of head; setation of head subdecumbent, brownish, pointing towards different directions; tactile setae inconspicuous ( Figure 3B); antennae yellowish-brown, filiform, extending beyond base of elytra; first antennomere brown, slightly widened; II-VI yellowish-brown (some paratypes with antennomeres II-IV or only II yellowish-brown) with similar length, VII-X gradually widened and darkened, antennomere X hardly longer than width, antennomere XI elongate cylindrical, 1.9 times as long as the penultimate.
Pronotum. Brownish-black, slightly lighter than head and elytra, glossy, 1.2 times as long as wide, disc flattened in lateral view, with anterior rim and antebasal sulcus distinct, rounded anteriorly and laterally, slightly constricted posterolaterally then slightly extended before base in dorsal view; punctures on pronotum larger and denser than those on head, with intervening spaces 0.2-0.5 times as large as punctures, punctures on side somewhat smaller but also dense; pubescence denser than those on head, brown, subdecumbent, indistinctly directed posteriorly; tactile setae erect, inconspicuously ( Figure 3C).
Legs. As brownish-black as pronotum, basal tarsomere, base of femora and apices of tibiae paler; femora slightly enlarged but not stick-like; male protibiae modified, with obvious, blunt, dent-like protrusion at inner side near basal third, setae dense from here to apex ( Figure 3J); basal metatarsomere hardly longer than combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Sexual dimorphism. Male metatibia not obviously curved inward but more curved than that in females; Female with protibiae and metatibiae simple, and last visible ventrite broadly rounded distally.
Variation. Body length in the range of 1.93-2.21 mm. Variable coloration of antenna, II-IV or II-VI antennomeres yellowish-brown, or gradually darkening from 2nd toward terminal antennomere.
Diagnosis. This species resembles Furcanthicus monstrator (Telnov, 2005)    Color. Body glossy, head and pronotum orange, elytra black, each elytron with wide yellow band near the basal third, antennae yellow in antennomeres I-VI, gradually darkening to black toward apex; mouthparts and legs orange, apices of antennae and bases of tibiae darker ( Figure 4A); ventral forebody and first visible ventrite orange, ventrites IV-VII black.
Head. Glossy, 1.2 times as long as wide, evenly rounded posteriorly; frontoclypeal suture present; tempora slightly longer than a diameter of eye, and converging toward rounded base, temporal angles indistinct; eyes moderately large, convex, interfacetal setae short; punctures of head sparse and shallow, absent at median of head; setation subdecumbent lighter, point to the median of head base; tactile setae erect ( Figure 4B); antennae filiform, extending beyond base of elytra; antennomeres I-VI yellow, I slightly widened, II shorter than III, antennomeres III-V with similar length, VII-XI black, X antennomere  Color. Body glossy, head and pronotum orange, elytra black, each elytron with wide yellow band near the basal third, antennae yellow in antennomeres I-VI, gradually darkening to black toward apex; mouthparts and legs orange, apices of antennae and bases of tibiae darker ( Figure 4A); ventral forebody and first visible ventrite orange, ventrites IV-VII black.
Head. Glossy, 1.2 times as long as wide, evenly rounded posteriorly; frontoclypeal suture present; tempora slightly longer than a diameter of eye, and converging toward rounded base, temporal angles indistinct; eyes moderately large, convex, interfacetal setae short; punctures of head sparse and shallow, absent at median of head; setation subdecumbent lighter, point to the median of head base; tactile setae erect ( Figure 4B); antennae filiform, extending beyond base of elytra; antennomeres I-VI yellow, I slightly widened, II shorter than III, antennomeres III-V with similar length, VII-XI black, X antennomere length longer than width; XI elongate cylindrical with apex pointed, 1.7 times as long as the penultimate.
Pronotum. Pronotum 1.15 times as long as wide, rounded anteriorly, constricted posterolaterally then slightly expanding before base in dorsal view; pronotum with anterior rim and antebasal sulcus distinct, punctures on disc larger and denser than those on lateral sides and on head; pubescence denser than those on head, brownish-black, appressed, directed to disc on lateral sides and posteriorly on disc; tactile setae long and erect ( Figure 4C).
Scutellum. Triangular, slightly rounded distally. Elytra. Glossy, postbasal impression indistinct, 1.9 times as long as wide, elytra with wide yellow band near the basal third; elytra base black above yellow band, the black area interrupted on suture and not extended to lateral margin of elytra, apical half of elytra black, extended lateral margin and suture; elytral with humeri distinct, broadly rounded; punctures of elytra uniform, sparse, with intervening spaces 1-2 times as large as punctures; punctures gradually smaller and shallower toward the apex; pubescence yellow, long, sparse, subdecumbent, somewhat directed posteriorly; tactile setae erect, thick, length as setation ( Figure 4J). Metathoracic wings fully developed.
Legs. As orange as pronotum, base of tibiae darker; femora slightly thickened distally not stick-like; basal metatarsomere hardly longer than combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Venter. Glossy, forebody and ventrite III orange, black everywhere else; mesoventrite lateral margins slightly arcuate, extend in the apical third and near basal margin; punctures on mesoventrite small, indistinct, setation sparse; mesepisterna slightly separated by mesoventrite; mesepimera, posterior angle of mesoventrite and the posterior margin of mesepisternum with fringed setation ( Figure 4D).
Sexual dimorphism. Male protibiae modified, with small, blunt swelling at middle inner side, setae dense from here to apex; the inner side of metatibia emarginate at apical third, setae dense from here to apex; last visible ventrite of male rounded distally ( Figure 4E); male tergum VII strongly dented distally ( Figure 4F). Female with simple proand metatibiae, and last visible ventrite broadly rounded distally.
Variation. Body length in range of 1.98-2.24 mm. A specimen of paratypes paler in color than the holotype with all legs yellowish and only the last 4 antennomeres being slightly darker. The black area of elytral apex not extended lateral margin of elytra but still extends to suture.
Diagnosis. This species strongly resembles F. maderi (Heberdey, 1938) from Thailand and China (Yunnan), F. lepcha  from India (Sikkim), and F. vicinor  from Nepal. It can be easily distinguished from F. maderi according to the coloration of forebody and elytra, distinguished from F. lepcha with larger eyes, shorter tempora and without shallow postbasal transverse impression on elytra.
Etymology. This species is named after Dr. Dmitry Telnov to demonstrate our sincere respect for his numerous contributions to anthicid taxonomy, especially his contribution to the study of maderi species-group.
Ecology. This species was collected by sweeping bamboo leaf on roadsides at elevations of 1340 m ( Figure 9C).
Distribution. Only known from Baoshan City, Yunnan, China.

Furcanthicus rubens Species-Group
Diagnosis. Small sized, Surface glossy, usually with large punctures. Pubescence yellowish, dense, and appressed. Head square to triangular, tempora subparallel to somewhat diverging, head base straight, with posterior temporal angles distinct ( Figures 5B  and 6B). Pronotum generally wider than head across eyes, broadly rounded anteriorly, obvious lateral expansion in the apical third, moderately narrowed posteriad, antebasal sulcus present but indistinct ( Figures 5C and 6C). Elytra conjointly rounded apically. Protibiae and metatibiae of male usually simple.
Head. Subtriangular, 0.95 times as long as wide, straighten posteriorly; frontoclypeal suture present; tempora as long as a diameter of eye; tempora slightly expansive toward head base, head base straight; posterior temporal angles of head distinct angled; eyes medium-sized, convex, interfacetal setae distinct; punctures of head large and dense, confluent, with some punctures squeezed into hexagonal shapes; setation decumbent, light, dense, point to median of head base; tactile setae indistinct ( Figure 5B); antennae filiform, hardly extending to base of elytra; the first antennomere is slightly widened, antennomeres II-VI with similar length, VII-X gradually widen, X width wider than length; terminal antennomere elongate cylindrical, 2.5 times as long as the penultimate.
Pronotum. Pronotum 0.86 times as long as wide; pronotum obviously wider than head across eyes, with obvious anterior rim; lateral margins of pronotum angled in apical third, moderately narrowed posteriad, antebasal sulcus present but indistinct; punctures on pronotum as large as those on head, smaller on lateral side but still confluent, pubescence dense, yellow, appressed, pubescence directed posteriorly; tactile setae indistinct ( Figure 5C).
Legs. Yellowish; femora slightly thickened distally but not stick-like; protibiae and metatibiae simple in both sex; basal metatarsomere hardly shorter than combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Aedeagus. Tegmen bilobated apically, lateral margin of tegmen slightly constricted toward apex then expands at the proximal tegmen, parameral plate 1.45 times as long as phallobase, lateral margin of penis apex uniformly contracted, somewhat anteriorly acute ( Figure 5G,H). Sexual dimorphism. Female externally similar to male while last visible ventrite broadly rounded distally.
Variation. Body length in the range of 1.98-2.24 mm. Some specimens collected from Yunnan, China, have darker heads and elytra, and their antennae gradually darken toward the apex.
Ecology. The habitat of F. rubens from China is similar to that of F. maderi. They were mostly collected by sweeping or beating grass on path beside forest or open space at elevations of 500-2600 m ( Figure 9D,E).
Head. Subsquare, 0.82 times as long as wide; frontoclypeal suture present; tempora as long as a diameter of eye, subparallel; head base subtruncate, with posterior temporal angles rounded; eyes medium-sized, convex, interfacetal setae short; punctures of head dense, nearly confluent, with some punctures squeezed into hexagonal shapes; setation decumbent, light and dense, point to median of head base; tactile setae indistinct ( Figure  6B); antennae filiform, hardly extending to base of elytra; the first antennomere slightly widened, antennomeres II-VI with similar length, VII-X widened, penultimate antennomere width wider than length, terminal antennomere elongate cylindrical, 2 times as long as the penultimate.
Head. Subsquare, 0.82 times as long as wide; frontoclypeal suture present; tempora as long as a diameter of eye, subparallel; head base subtruncate, with posterior temporal angles rounded; eyes medium-sized, convex, interfacetal setae short; punctures of head dense, nearly confluent, with some punctures squeezed into hexagonal shapes; setation decumbent, light and dense, point to median of head base; tactile setae indistinct ( Figure 6B); antennae filiform, hardly extending to base of elytra; the first antennomere slightly widened, antennomeres II-VI with similar length, VII-X widened, penultimate antennomere width wider than length, terminal antennomere elongate cylindrical, 2 times as long as the penultimate.
Pronotum. Pronotum 0.82 times as long as wide; pronotum obviously wider than head across eyes, with anterior rim covered by head base, broadly rounded anteriorly, obvious lateral expansion in the apical third, moderately narrowed posteriad, antebasal sulcus present but indistinct; punctures of pronotum as large as those on head, smaller on lateral sides but still confluent; pubescence densely, yellow, decumbent, directed posteriorly. Tactile setae indistinct ( Figure 6C).
Legs. Brown; femora slightly thickened distally but not stick-like; protibiae and metatibiae of males simple; basal metatarsomere hardly longer than combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Aedeagus. Tegmen bilobated apically, rolled into a cylindrical shape and open ventrally, parameral plate 1.8 times as long as phallobase, lateral margin of penis apex drastically contracted and anteriorly pointed ( Figure 6G,H).
Sexual dimorphism. Last visible ventrite of male broad rounded with emarginated in middle distally ( Figure 6E); distal margin of last visible tergite in male weakly emarginate ( Figure 6F). Only one female specimen was examined in this study, it shows externally similar appearance to male while the last visible ventrite is broadly rounded distally.
Diagnosis. This species belongs to the F. rubens species-group, it is similar to F. rubens at morphological of male ventrite VII and tergite VII. It differs by its shorter pronotum (at least 0.86 times length as width in F. rubens), shorter elytra (at least 1.9 times length as width in F. rubens), and the morphology of male aedeagus.
Etymology. Named from the Latin "validus" [strong, mighty and valid] because of the wide body shape.
Ecology. Unknown. Distribution. Only known from Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garzê, Sichuan, China. 3.4. Key to Species of Furcanthicus 1. Pronotum with width shorter than its length ( Figure 1C), not wider than head across eyes ( Figure 1A) .

Note:
Nitorus lii (Uhmann, 1997) comb. nov. (Figure 8 Remarks. This species, collected from central China, was recorded as similar to Anthicus maderi based on the original description and drawings [21] and is here transferred to Nitorus Telnov, 2007 according to the type material.
This species with the characters combination of Nitorus [21]: Glossy and rarely pubescent body; pronotum with lateral margins distinctly constricted in basal half; anterior part of pronotum more convex than posterior; mesoventrite lateral margins straight; mesepisterna glossy, without fringe of setae, sparse covered with very fine whitish appressed pubescence. Moreover, this species has more characters typical of Nitorus, such as setae on elytron sparse, suberect; metasternum short and broad; first visible abdominal sternite simple, short, and broad, laterally nearly as long as the metasternum. While this species has a similar appearance to some Furcanthicus spp., they can be easily distinguished by the forms of the aedeagus ( Figure 9B,C) and spiculum ( Figure 9D).    Yunnan, Kunming, Xishan mountain: F. monstrator (Telnov, 2005) and F. vicarius (Telnov, 2005); Yunnan, Baoshan, Longxing Village: F. telnovi sp. nov. and F. maderi (Heberdey, 1938

Discussion
This new genus primarily resembles Sapintus Casey, 1895, according to the following: (1) Pronotum with basal transverse sulcus continues laterally to foveae above procoxae; (2) mesepimera with conspicuous foveae, with setose fringe on margin of cavity; (3) abdominal ventrite III with intercoxal process pointed apically [3,26] but can be distinguish from: (i) Furcanthicus without foveae immediately behind metacoxae on ventrite III; (ii) Sapintus with setation of the elytra mostly heterogeneous, includes short, obliquely pointing undersetae; and (iii) Furcanthicus with phallobase basal margin rounded and tegmen bilobate apically. This genus also closely resembles Ischyropalpus LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849, from the New World due to the structure of mesoventrite, the phallobase being somewhat convex and basal margin rounded [33][34][35], Furcanthicus gen. nov. differs from it clearly in incompletely fused parameres (distinct separate parameres in Ischyropalpus) and parameres without setae on the apex (obvious setae in Ischyropalpus). In terms of other related genera in Anthicini, the genus differs from Anthicus in mesepimera due to more conspicuous foveae, extremely less sclerotized spiculum, and rounded phallobase basal margin. The difference between Furcanthicus gen. nov. and Odacanthicus Sakai & Ohbayashi, 1994, a subgenus of Anthicus, is that the new genus with process of mesoventrite is connected with metaventrite, and mesepisterna with foveae conspicuous (process of mesoventrite not reach the metaventral transverse carina, and mesepisterna reduced in Odacanthicus, furthermore, the male aedeagus similar to those of Anthicus [36]). Furcanthicus gen. nov. differs from Acanthinus LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849 in that mesepisterna slightly separated by mesoventrite and mesoventrite without fringe of evenly arranged setae on anterolateral margins (Acanthinus with mesepisterna touching medially [18] and mesoventrite bear fringe evenly arranged setae on anterolateral margins [26]); differs from Cyclodinus in that the mesepisterna with setose fringe on margin of cavity, without longer stiff setae near lateral angulation on mesepisterna, the aedeagus subcylindrical, the setae on forebody and elytra are longer and denser (Cyclodinus mesepisterna without setose fringe on margin of cavity, with anteriorly pointing longer stiff setae, aedeagus calamiforme [37], with setae on forebody and elytra short and sparse [25]); differs from Cordicomus by the setation of the mesepimera and the form of aedeagus (mesepimera with tuft of longer stiff setae on ventral side near lateral angulation, pointing anteriorly [17]; aedeagus calamiforme with tegmen apex hooks, teeth, or lateral expansions in Cordicomus [37]); Furcanthicus gen. nov. similar to Nitorus Telnov, 2007, and some Stricticomus Pic, 1894, with the body being glossy and pronotum having lateral margins distinctly constricted in the basal half, but they can be distinguished from Furcanthicus by the pronotum with a conspicuous lateral pit, thin and extremely less sclerotized spiculum and rounded phallobase basal margin.  Data Availability Statement: All data presented in this paper are included within the article and are available for use. All nomenclatural acts has been registered with ZooBank (https://zoobank.org/ accessed on 1 November 2022).