Strattis maculatus, Devi & Ray & Ramamurthy, 2016

Devi, Salam Rita, Ray, D. C. & Ramamurthy, V. V., 2016, Descriptions of three new species of Strattis Pascoe, 1883 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cryptorhynchinae) from the Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 4085 (2), pp. 199-218 : 204-206

Strattis maculatus sp. nov.

( Figs 4–6 , 11, 14, 17, 20, 27–37, 58–68, 115, 121, 122, 128–133)

Description. Length: 4.52–5.42 mm; width: 2.08–2.76 mm.

Integument reddish brown, slightly paler at apex of rostrum and antennae; with dense, whitish, dusty grey, and greenish brown, broad, recumbent scales; those on pronotum broader than those on elytra, basal portion with dusty grey, variegated with oblique, greenish brown scales, with whitish scales apically; elytra with X-shape markings of whitish scales over dusty greyish scales at middle, with whitish scales apically; interstria with buff pale brown scales and ventrally with pale brown scales ( Figs 4, 5, 6 ). Head shallowly punctate, each puncture filled with sparse brown, recumbent scales, not covering integument; frons slightly narrower than base of rostrum, without any distinct frontal fovea ( Fig. 11). Rostrum almost straight, 2.0–2.85 x as long as broad, slightly constricted at point of antennal insertion ( Fig. 11), punctate and with scales basally, with remaining area with fine punctures in female, rugose in male, with smooth, shining median line. Antennae inserted laterally at middle, scrobe ventrolateral; scape 3.35–3.37 x as long as broad; funicle segments with fine, elongate, whitish setae, article 1 of funicle 2.0–2.05 x as long as broad, longer than other segments and 1.03–1.11 x as long as and broader than article 2 of funicle, article 2 of funicle 2.25–2.31 x as long as broad, articles 1 to 2 of funicle elongated, while articles 3 to 7 of funicle transverse; club compact, ovate, segments distinct, 1.52–1.54 x as long as broad. Pronotum strongly transverse, only 0.6–0.66 x as long as broad, shallowly constricted at middle, abruptly constricted slightly beyond middle, and shallowly constricted towards apex; dorsum without any median carina, apex slightly rounded, base bisinuate (Figs 14, 58); ocular lobe present ( Fig. 6 ). Scutellum bare, subquadrate, finely granulate, 1.14–1.15 x as long as broad, integument with inner core pale reddish while dark brown outwardly (Fig. 17). Elytra 1.45–1.56 x as long as broad, without any distinct humeri, parallel to middle and shallowly constricted towards apex, with subapical callus indistinct; abruptly elevated after scutellum, roundly convex medially, sinuate at base and slightly tapering towards apex; stria 0.57–0.61 x as broad as interstria, with oblong punctures, each with broad scales; protuberance basally on interstria 1 more distinct than others, interstria 9 slightly costate ( Fig. 20 ). Ventrally with the prosternal canal ending between meso-coxae; receptacle nearly U-shaped, cavernous, and transverse ( Fig. 115 ). Metasternum with small, median sulcus posteriorly. Anapleural suture without conspicuous sclerolepidia. Abdomen with ventrite 1 1.28–1.32 x as long as ventrite 2, suture between ventrites 1 and 2 sinuate; ventrite 2 1.54–1.58 x and ventrite 5 1.07–1.15 x as long as ventrites 3 and 4 combined; ventrite 3 nearly as long as ventrite 4. Legs with the femora edentate, sulcate beneath, with sulci bare ( Fig. 121 ); tibiae crenulate at outer margin basally, slightly angulate basally and tapering apically; tibial apex without uniform outer setose fringes; uncus prominent, mucro feebly present or absent ( Fig. 122 ). Abdomino-femoral stridulatory structures present, with stridulatory file present on inner lateral aspect of meta-femora ( Figs 130–133 ), with patches of plectra on lateral side of ventrite 1 ( Figs 128, 129 ). Male genitalia with aedeagus 6.09–6.16 x as long as broad, its aedeagal apodeme nearly 2.24–2.27 x as long as median lobe, median lobe arcuate in profile ( Fig. 28 ), subcylindrical and truncate apically, with fine dotted structure; endophallus at median lobe with a V-shaped sclerite ( Figs 27 , 59 ); tegmen with manubrium very short, basal piece membranous, with parameres as two lobes ( Figs 29 , 60 ); spiculum gastrale with two arms symmetrical and T-shaped, with two arms set with few setae ( Figs 30 , 61 ). Tergite VII strongly transverse, 0.40–0.43 x as long as broad, devoid of stridulatory structures ( Figs 31 , 62 ); tergite VIII 0.62–0.70 x as long as broad ( Figs 32 , 63 ). Female genitalia with spermatheca hook shaped, globulose; ramus apart from collum ( Figs 33 , 64 ); hemisternite elongate, stylus cylindrical, 2.51–2.76 x as long as broad, with dense, elongate setae apically ( Figs 34 , 65 ); spiculum ventrale sclerotised, pouch Y-shaped, with spicule straight, slightly broad basally, apically with two plates of 8th sternum, apex set with stout, erect spines ( Figs 35 , 66 ). Tergite VII 0.72–0.78 x as long as broad, with two patches of spine like structures ( Figs 36 , 67 ), tergite VIII crenulate apically, 1.0 3–1.10 x as long as broad ( Figs 37 , 68 ).

Material examined. Holotype, male, India: Tamil Nadu, Nilgiri hills, Coll. H. L. Andrewes (NPC-1) . Paratypes, 1 male, 2 female: female, with data same as holotype (NFIC-1); female, India: Karnataka, Chikkaballapura, Nandi hills, 1460m, 13 0 22.24’N 77 0 41.02’E, 7.vi.2011, Coll. M. Sudha, sweepnet ( NFIC) ; male, Sri Lanka: Ratnapura , 09.ix. ( NPC) .

Remarks. This new species is distinct in its unique X-shaped marking of whitish scales over the dusty greyish scales of the elytra, with two subtriangular patches of median blackish scales.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the X-shaped marking on the elytra.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Habitus (dorsal, ventral and lateral view) of Strattis Pascoe: Figs 1 – 3. S. pascoei sp. nov., Figs 4 – 6. S. maculatus sp. nov., Figs 7 – 9. S. srilankaiensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 20 – 21. Elytra: Fig. 20. S. maculatus sp. nov., Fig. 21. S. srilankaiensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 114 – 122. SEM images: Figs 114 – 116. Mesosternal receptacle of: Fig. 114. S. pascoei sp. nov., Fig. 115. S. maculatus sp. nov., Fig. 116. S. srilankaiensis sp. nov.; Figs 117 – 120. S. srilankaiensis sp. nov., Fig. 117. lateral view of rostrum, Fig. 118. anapleural suture, Fig. 119. Scutellum, Fig. 120. Tubercles on scutellar suture; Fig. 121. S. maculatus sp. nov., meso-leg; Fig. 122. Tibial apex, showing uncus (UN) and mucrouncus (MUN).

FIGURES 128 – 133. Abdomino-femoral stridulatory organs of S. maculatus sp. nov., Fig. 128. Patches of plectrum-like ridges on ventrite 1, Fig. 129. Higher magnification of ridges on ventrite 1, Fig. 130. Meta-femora, inner lateral aspect; Fig. 131. Longitudinal convex area on inner lateral aspect, Fig. 132. File like structures on convex ridge of femora, Fig. 133. Higher magnification of stridulatory file.

FIGURES 27 – 37. Male and female genitalia of S. maculatus sp. nov.: Figs 27 – 28. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral, Fig. 29. Tegmen, Fig. 30. Spiculum gastrale, Fig. 31. Tergite VII, Fig. 32. Tergite VIII, Fig. 33. Spermatheca, Fig. 34. Stylus, Fig. 35. Spiculum ventrale, Fig. 37. Tergite VII, Fig. 37. Tergite VIII.

FIGURES 58 – 68. Line illustration of S. maculatus sp. nov.: Figs 58. Pronotum, Fig. 59. Aedeagus, Fig. 60. Tegmen, Fig. 61. Spiculum gastrale, Fig. 62. Tergite VII, Fig. 63. Tergite VIII, Fig. 64. Spermatheca, Fig. 65. Stylus, Fig. 66. Spiculum ventrale, Fig. 67. Tergite VII, Fig. 68. Tergite VIII.