Styphlomerus striatus Akhil and Thomas, 2019

Akhil, S. V. & Thomas, Sabu K., 2019, New Species of Bombardier Beetles of the Genus Styphlomerus Chaudoir, 1875 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Southern India, with a Key to the Indomalayan and Palearctic Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (2), pp. 465-471 : 468-469

Styphlomerus striatus Akhil and Thomas , new species

Zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CCCD4CF7-BC89-412A-9AE2-64A6F83D3FCF ( Fig. 1e–g )

Specimens Examined. India: Kerala state: Tholpetty , 1 male, light attracted, 06.V.2015, coll. S. V. Akhil ; India: Tamil Nadu State: Ettimadai , 1 male, 4 female, light attracted, 08.IX.2017, coll. S. V. Akhil ; India: Tamil Nadu State: Rajapalayam , 1 male, hand picking, 15.X.2017, coll. S. V. Akhil.

Type Material. Holotype labeled “ Holotype, Male, India: Tamil Nadu state: Ettimadai, Light attracted, 08.IX.2017, coll. S. V. Akhil ” . Paratypes: Four females labeled “ Paratype, Female, India: Tamil Nadu state: Ettimadai, Light attracted, 08.IX.2017, coll. S. V. Akhil ”/ One male labeled “ Paratype, Male, India: Kerala state: Tholpetty, Light attracted, 06.V.2015, coll. S.V. Akhil ”/ One male labeled “ Paratype, Male, India: Tamil Nadu state: Rajapalayam, Hand picking, 15.X.2017, coll. S.V.Akhil. Deposited in ZSIC .

Description. TLA = 7.5–7.7 mm. Color: Head, pronotum, labrum, mandible, scutellum, and region around scutellum reddish brown; scape and legs reddish yellow; pedicel darker reddish yellow, antennomeres 3 and 4 brownish black, other antennomeres dark brown; elytra black; genae, gula, prosternum, ventral prothorax, and mesosternum dark reddish yellow; metasternum, mesepisternum, metepisternum, and mesepimeron brownish yellow; abdomen brownish black. Head: Broader than long, widest between eyes, slightly narrower than pronotum, stout, punctate, region around eyes, sides of frons, and clypeus sparsely pubescent; eyes black, protruding; labral apical angles strongly rounded, form subrectangular, with 6 setae on apical margin; clypeus rectangular, wider than long, apical margin straight, with short setae on lateral margins, midregion glabrous; frontoclypeal suture impressed, distinct; frons with anterolateral setose depressions, midregion glabrous; mandibles sharp, broad; mentum broad, margins pronounced, with short, broad, pointed median tooth, lateral lobes triangular with lateral tooth-like projection, a single seta apicolaterally, remainder of mentum glabrous; palpi pubescent, apical palpomeres pointed, conical, penultimate palpomere with apex wide, base narrow; antennae short, not reaching middle of elytra, antennomeres slender. Pronotum: Punctate, pubescent; anterior margin slightly concave, lateral angles of anterior margin projecting slightly forward, posterior margin straight; anterior 3/4 of disc convex, posterior fourth narrowed, parallel towards base, hind angles quadrate without lateral projection; median furrow weak, shallow, not reaching anterior and posterior margins; lateral ridge wider, margin dark brown. Scutellum: Pointed, broad. Elytra: Subparallel, matt, faintly punctate, pubescent with golden brown setae; humerus prominent, rounded; surface flat, apex depressed; striations visible, weak, rounded, intervals narrow, setae along striations and interstices. Hind wings: Well-developed. Venter: Genae broad, smooth, with few short setae under eyes, remainder glabrous, genae with fine, superficial wrinkles; gula wide, divergent posteriorly, gular sutures brownish black; prothorax ventrally smooth, sparsely pubescent laterally towards neck region; prosternal process smooth, with 4 short setae apically in 2 rows; apical portion of abdomen pointed.

Measurements. Holotype (male): TLA = 7.55 mm, TLB = 6.34 mm, PL = 1.05 mm, PW = 1.38 mm,

EL = 3.97 mm, TW = 2.61 mm. Paratype (female): TLA = 7.62–8.03 mm, TLB = 6.48–6.58 mm, PL = 0.96–1.06 mm, PW = 1.28–1.37 mm, EL = 4.00– 1.10 mm, TW = 2.50–2.74 mm.

Geographical Distribution. INDIA: Tamil Nadu state: Rajapalayam, Ettimadai ; Kerala state: Tholpetty.

Collection Method. Collected under fluorescent light.

Etymology. Named for the elytral striations that differentiate it from the closely related S. ruficeps .

Remarks. Styphlomerus striatus is similar to S. ruficeps but differs by having weak, shallow striations on the elytra, a pointed scutellum, and the anterior margin of the pronotum concave.

Figures

Fig. 1. Styphlomerus species. a) S. ruficeps, type in MNHN, b) S. fusciceps, type in NMPC, c) S. fusciceps, variant form, d) S. devagiriensis, holotype, e) S. striatus, holotype, f–g) S. striatus, aedeagus, right and left lateral views, respectively.