Anthelephila nandi, 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 : 4-5

Anthelephila nandi sp. nov.

( Figs 8–13 )

Type locality. India, Karnataka, Nandi Hills.

Type material. HOLOTYPE:, ‘ INDIA, Karnataka Nandi Hills , 1200 m. X–5–1985 C. W. & L. B. O’Brien [p] // Formicomus sulcipes Pic det. G. Uhmann 1997 [p+h]’ ( BMNH).

Description. Male (holotype). Body length 3.7 mm. Head and pronotum reddish; elytra largely reddish-brown, with paler basal fourth/third; legs and antennae reddish.

Head 1.2 times as long as wide, oval, its base somewhat produced but well-differentiated from short neck; tempora distinctly narrowing posteriad, temporal angles absent. Eyes medium sized, rather convex. Dorsal surface glossy, distinctly punctate, somewhat uneven/corrugated anteriorly; punctures distinctly separated. Setation subdecumbent; scattered long tactile setae. Antennae moderately enlarged in terminal third; antennomere X 1.4 times, XI about twice as long as wide, moderately asymmetric.

Pronotum 1.4 times as long as wide, distinctly narrower than head including eyes, evenly rounded anteriorly, narrowed and strongly impressed (constricted) postero- -laterally in dorsal view; pronotal disc convex, somewhat flattened posteriorly in lateral view (slight indication of posterior bulge). Dorsal surface distinctly, longitudinally corrugated in median portion, with indication of median longitudinal impression, some transverse wrinkles before smooth and glossy antebasal area; antero-lateral convex sides rather glossy, minutely and sparsely punctate, impunctate near procoxal cavities; postero-lateral impression finely wrinkled and adjacent basal area rugose dorso-laterally; dorsal median punctation concealed by corrugation. Setation as on head.

Mesoventrite with slight, flat median longitudinal bulge, merging into prominent, setose median carina posteriorly. Metaventrite with short, submedian, longitudinal, setose carinae posteriorly.

Elytra elongate, 1.7 times as long as wide; humeri distinct; postscutellar impression moderate but distinct. Surface glossy, distinctly punctate; punctation double, setiferous punctures rather widely spaced. Setation evenly developed, sparse, distinctly longer and more raised than on head, decumbent, scattered erect setae.

Metathoracic wings fully developed.

Fore legs modified ( Fig. 8 ); profemoral process rather strong, with short apical submarginal carina and setose fringe; protibiae moderately widened and flatly impressed, with distinct angulation of lateral margin in distal half; mesotibiae with slight denticle apically on inner side; penultimate tarsomere widened/flattened distally, with terminal tarsomere articulated dorsally near base in all tarsi.

Abdominal sternum VII ( Fig. 9 ) emarginate posteriorly, with narrowly produced lateral lobes and conspicuous, simple median process of posterior margin. Tergum VII produced and deeply incised apically ( Fig. 10 ). Sternite VIII with simple paired prongs ( Fig. 11 ). Tergite VIII ( Fig. 12 ); paired sclerites narrowly connected medially, subtruncate, with distinct postero-lateral projections.Aedeagus ( Fig. 13 ); apical portion of tegmen 0.6 times as long as basal-piece, simple, somewhat unevenly, widely rounded apically.

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Anthelephila nandi sp. nov. is undoubtedly very close to A. semistrigosa sp. nov., differing by the following details of the male characters: profemoral process dent-like, with an evenly convex outer margin, the protibiae with a distinct angulation on the inner side, the median process of sternum VII is wider, the prongs of sternite VIII are simply narrowed apically, with numerous coarse, blunt setae (cf. Figs 8, 9, 11 versus 20, 21, 23).

Etymology. Named after the type locality. Noun in apposition.

Distribution. India (Karnataka).

Figures

Figs 8–13. Anthelephila nandi sp. nov., male, holotype: 8 – front leg; 9 – sternum VII; 10 – tergum VII; 11 – prong of sternite VIII; 12 – tergite VIII; 13 – apical portion of tegmen. Scale (0.5 mm): A – Fig. 10; B – Fig. 12; C – Fig. 8; D – Figs 9, 13. (0.2 mm): C – Fig. 11.