Anthelephila strigosa ( Heberdey, 1934 ) Kejval & Mz & Ch-, 2018

Kejval, Zbyněk, Mz, Leica & Ch-, Olympus, 2018, Review of the Anthelephila maindroni complex, and description of four new species from the Indian subcontinent (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1), pp. 1-10 : 9

Anthelephila strigosa ( Heberdey, 1934) stat. nov. ( Figs 26–32 )

Formicomus maindroni strigosus Heberdey, 1934: 6, Fig. 203.

Type locality. India, Karnataka, Coorg district, Fraserpet.

Type material. LECTOTYPE (hereby designated):, ‘ Fraserpet Coorg. [p] // F. R. I. Sandal Insect Survey [p] // male sex-mark [p] // 13.II.30 [p+h] // 1197 [p; number of slide] // TYPE [p; red label] // coll. Heberdey [p] // Formicomus strigosus Hbdy. Dr. R. F. Heberdey [p+h] // s. strigosus nov. [h; ochraceous label, black frame]’ ( NHMW) . PARALECTOTYPES: INDIA: KARNATAKA: 1, same data, except: ‘10.II.30 // 1186’ and lacking the last label ( NHMW) . TAMIL NADU: 1, ‘Jawalagiri North Salem. [p] // F. R. I. Sandal Insect Survey [p] // male sex-mark [p] // 1.IV.30 [p+h] // 1183 [p; number of slide] // TYPE [p; red label] // coll. Heberdey [p] // Formicomus strigosus Hbdy. Dr. R. F. Heberdey [p+h]’ ( NHMW) ; 1 ♀, ‘Daverbetta, North Salem [p] // F.R.I. Sandal Insect Survey [p] // coll. Heberdey [p] // Formicomus strigosus Hbdy. Dr. R.F. Heberdey [p+h]’ ( NHMW) .

Additional material. SRI LANKA: SOUTHERN PROVINCE: 1, Hambantota env., 26.–30.vi.2003, O. Mehl lgt. ( ZKDC) .

Variation. Body length (♀) 3.1–4.2 mm. Fringed setae on margin of profemoral process thin and rather inconspicuous ( India) to coarse ( Sri Lanka). The single male from Jawalagiri is moderately aberrant in male characters, having more distinctly widened protibiae (median margin clearly sinuous), and slight tuft/fringe of longer setae at base of prongs laterally.

Differential diagnosis. Anthelephila strigosa is nearly identical with A. maindroni , differing only in several details of male characters: the profemoral process with a distinct setose fringe ( Fig. 26 , see Variation); protibiae with a slightly sinuous median margin, that is somewhat narrowed distally, the lobule on the inner margin is more prominent; the median process of sternum VII is shorter, projecting at the posterior margin of the sternum, being wider in ventral view, its apical margin is at most somewhat uneven (not distinctly denticulate, Figs 27, 28 ); tergum VII is at most slightly emarginate apically ( Fig. 29 ); the paired prongs of the sternum are somewhat wider, being moderately arcuate in lateral view, lacking the laterobasal bunch of setae and subapical denticle ( Fig. 30 ).

Distribution. India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu), Sri Lanka.

Remarks. HEBERDEY (1934) described Formicomus maindroni strigosus from a series of specimens collected at the localities Fraserpet, Jawalagiri and Daverbetta. It is regarded herein as a separate species, very close to Anthelephila maindroni . However, further material from more localities is needed to confirm this status. A lectotype is designated with respect to the different origins of the syntypes (three distant localities), and the differences mentioned above for the male specimen from Jawalagiri.

All three male syntypes from NHMW were dissected, with parts of the abdomen mounted on microscope slides in Canada balsam by R. F. Heberdey. In all cases, Heberdey did not separate sternum and tergum VIII, and consequently published ( HEBERDEY 1934) a confusing drawing of the whole segment in ventral view. For these reasons, only a male from Sri Lanka was used for illustration of the male characters.

The record of Formicomus maindroni strigosus from Kottur ( HEBERDEY 1934: 3) is probably based on the type specimens of Anthelephila semistrigosa sp. nov., which is described above.

Figures

Figs 26–32. Anthelephila strigosa (Heberdey, 1934), male, Hambantota (ZKDC): 26 – front leg; 27 – sternum VII; 28 – median process of sternum VII, laterally; 29 – tergum VII; 30 – prong of sternite VIII; 31 – tergite VIII; 32 – apical portion of tegmen. Scale (0.5 mm): A – Fig. 19; B – Figs 15, 16; C – Figs 14, 17. (0.2 mm): C – Figs 18, 20.