Reticulated beetles or Cupedidae is the largest family among the four extant families in the suborder Archostemata “the oldest beetles” known for considerable diversity during the Triassic, but surviving with approximately 40 species to the present day (Hörnschemeyer, 2016, Wang and Hájek, 2018). The genus Tenomerga is currently the most speciose genus of cupedid beetles, comprising 17 known species (Neboiss, 1984;Miyatake, 1985, 1986;Ge and Yang, 2004;Yoshitomi, 2016;Wang and Hájek, 2018).

In the Korean Peninsula, only one species, Tenomerga anguliscutis (Kolbe) has been recorded new to science with specimens collected from Seoul by Kolbe (1886). This species is known from Korea to China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Laos (Löbl, 2003;Yoshitomi, 2016).

In this paper, we report Tenomerga mucida (Chevrolat, 1829) for the first time in the Korean fauna. Tenomerga mucida was originally described from the philippines. Neboiss (1984) synonymized Cupes clathratusSolsky, 1871 recorded from East Siberia. We provide the brief diagnosis and information and the photographic images of the species.

Materials and Methods

All materials for this study were collected with Lindgren funnel trap and deposited in the collection of Research Institute of Forest Insect Diversity (RIFID, Namyangju, Korea) and Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources (NNIBR, Sangju, Korea). Morphological characters were examined using a stereoscopic microscope (S8Apo, Leica, Heerbrugg, Switzerland). Photographs were taken with Canon 5D digital camera and Canon Macro Photos Lens MP-E 65 (Canon, Tokyo, Japan). The final deep focus images were created with Helicon Focus 7.7.4 stacking software. Adobe Photoshop 22.2.0 was used for post-processing.

The morphological terminology follows Neboiss (1984) for the male genitalia and Hörnschemeyer (2009) for the protuberances of the head (P1: protuberances above antennal insertions; P2: protuberances above eyes; P3: median protuberances).

Taxonomic Accounts

Suborder Archostemata Kolbe, 1908 원시딱정벌레아목

Family Cupedidae Laporte, 1836 곰보벌레과

Subfamily Cupedinae Laporte, 1836 곰보벌레아과

Genus TenomergaNeboiss, 1984 (Type species: Cupes mucidaChevrolat, 1829)

Key to the species of Korean Tenomerga

Tenomerga anguliscutis (Kolbe, 1886) 곰보벌레 (Figs. 1A-B, 2A)

Cupes anguliscutisKolbe, 1886: 200 (Type locality: Korea).

Cupes formosanusTamanuki, 1928: 251 (Type locality: Taiwan).

Diagnosis. Body 11.9-14.3 mm, oblong, flat on ventral side. Coloration of body reddish brown. Scales on head, pronotum and elytra short, oblong, recumbent, yellowish gray to blackish brown except short hairs on antennae and legs. Yellowish gray scales covered with most of area except blackish brown stripes on elytral intevals. Head slightly wider than pronotum at widest area. Eye large, strongly prominent. Protuberances: P1 rectangularly but weakly projected; P2 round and higher than P1; P3 slightly narrow but distinctly projected. Antennae long, relatively stout and reaching about apical 1/4 of elytra. Pronotum quadrate, wider than long, almost parallel-sided. Middle of pronotum longitudinally prominent and prominent area divided into three parts anteriorly. Elytra parallel-sided, with 9 longitudinal rows of window-punctures; window-punctures square and regularly arranged. Antennal interval 3 distinctly elevated at basal area; interval 5 elevated from near base to connecting point with interval 3; interval 7 elevated from humeral part to connecting point with interval 3 and 5.

Specimens examined. 1♀, Eorayeon, Sangdong-ri, Yeongwol- eup, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do, 16.vii.2011, Sangwook, Park; 1♀, Gwandae-ri, Nam-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do, 23.vii.2014, Sangwook, Park; 1♀, Deokgari, Sabeol-myeon, Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 12.vi-4.vii.2019, Sangwook, Park; 1♀, ditto, 4-23.vii.2019, Sangwook, Park.

Distribution. Korea, China, Taiwan, Laos, Vietnam (Yoshitomi, 2016).

Remark. Female is similar to male in general appearance, but has thick tempora and head of female is widest at tempora (Fig. 2A). Male has somewhat narrow tempora (Wang and Hájek, 2018)

Tenomerga mucida (Chevrolat, 1829) 암갈색곰보벌레 (신칭) (Figs. 1C-F, 2B-C, 3A-I)

Cupes mucidusChevrolat, 1829: 58 (Type locality: Philippines).

Cupes clathratusSolsky, 1871: 370 (Type locality: Russian Far East).

Cupes ocularisPascoe, 1872: 319 (Type locality: Japan).

Cupes clathratus var. fuscusTamanuki, 1928: 251 (Type locality: Japan).

Diagnosis. Body 9.8-13.5 mm, oblong, flat on ventral side. Coloration of body reddish brown. Scales on head, pronotum and elytra short, oblong, recumbent, yellowish gray to blackish brown except short hairs on antennae and legs. Yellowish gray scales covered with concave areas of head and pronotum, four fifth area on lateral margin of elytra and apical area of elytra. Head apparantly wider than pronotum at widest area. Eye large, strongly prominent. Protuberances: P1 rectangularly projected; P2 round and smaller than P1; P3 weak and slightly projected. Antennae long, relatively narrow and reaching about apical 1/4 of elytra. Pronotum quadrate, wider than long, slightly narrowing posteriorly. Middle of pronotum longitudinally prominent and prominent area divided into three parts. Elytra parallel-sided, with 9 longitudinal rows of window-punctures; window-punctures square and regularly arranged. Antennal interval 3 distinctly elevated at basal area; interval 5 elevated from near base to connecting point with interval 3; interval 7 elevated from humeral part to connecting point with interval 3 and 5.

Specimens examined. 1♂, Heuksan Is., Jin-ri, Sinan-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, 27.vi-27.vii.2020, Sangwook, Park; 1♂, ditto, 27.vii-28.viii.2020, Sangwook, Park; 2♀♀, Heuksan Is., Ye-ri, Sinan-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, 1.vii-5. viii.2021, Sangwook, Park; 8♂♂, Bansongjae-ro, Ilun-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 27.v-9.vii.2020, Sangwook, Park.

Distribution. Korea (new record), China, Japan, Russian Far East, Oriental Region (Löbl, 2003).

Remark. Female is similar to male in general appearance, but tempora of female is thicker than that of male (Figs. 2B-C).