Omphra Dejean, 1825, 1821

Raj, Shiju T., Sabu, Thomas K. & Danyang, Zhao, 2012, The apterous endemic genus Omphra Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Helluonini) of the Indian subcontinent: taxonomy with notes on habits and distributional patterns, Insecta Mundi 2012 (206), pp. 1-15 : 2-4

Omphra Dejean, 1825

Omphra Dejean, 1825: 168 , 283; Reiche 1843: 330; Lacordaire 1854: 94; Chaudoir 1872: 140; Sloane 1914: 570; Andrewes 1930: 236; Csiki 1932: 1577; Jedlicka 1963: 511; Lorenz 2005: 511; Zhao et al. 2008: 372. Type species: O. hirta ( Fabricius, 1801) .

Description. Color. Black or brownish red in color. Ligulae, antennae and palpi brownish red. Body setae black, brownish red or grey in color. Legs black, brownish red or dark red in color.

Head. Convex, narrower than pronotum, widest between eyes, sparsely punctate and setose on frontal foveae and inner side of eyes. Labrum transverse and short, apical margin with 6 setae; with median emargination, outer apical angles rounded, fine setae present on either side. Clypeus transverse, with 6-9 setae, apical margin emarginated. Frontoclypeal suture faint; frontal foveae depressed and setose; anterior and posterior supraorbital setae present, eye encircled by small setae. Genae slightly convex, asetose; neck glabrous. Mandibles stout, exposed anteriorly, posterior part covered by labrum, scrobe without setae. Mentum round or rectangular in shape, median tooth strongly developed and stout, pointed at apex, triangular, shorter than the lateral lobes, with 1-3 setae; lateral lobes strongly developed, obtuse at apex; base of mentum with 1-2 setae.Ligula small, elongate, tapered towards the apex, sides deeply depressed, with a median longitudinal channel, three pairs of setae present laterally. Palpi short, setose and 4 segmented; 4 th palpomere of both maxilla and labium dilated or not dilated, maxillary and labial palpomere 2 as long as 4, 3 shortest. Antenna filiform, setose; scape elongate. Last antennomere oval or elongate oval; antennomeres densely setose from one-third of the base of antennomere 4.

Pronotum. Large, punctate and setose, cordiform, almost round or not, widest at anterior third, strongly convex or slightly convex or not convex or flat; with a distinct shallow median line extending neither to apex nor base. Center area asetose and glossy, densely punctate and setose laterally. Anterior and posterior margins emarginated with a dense fringe of yellow short hairs, anterior and posterior transverse sulci faint; anterior angles round. Lateral margins distinctly or weakly sinuate in front of posterior angles, lateral margin with elongate setae from anterior margin to hind angle. Base narrower than apex, hind angles obtuse, base distinctly emarginate medially.

Scutellum. Large, triangular, pointed, sparsely setose, variably punctate.

Elytra. Longer than pronotum, oval or intermediate between oval and oblong, convex, equal in width or widest before middle; humerus pronounced or not pronounced. Setae grey, black or brownish red. Intervals strongly or weakly convex, with a row of black, brownish red or grey setae along on either side, intervals 3, 5, 7 and 9 with 2-6 randomly located elongate tactile setae; apex straight or obliquely truncate; emarginated or not emarginated. Sutural angle pointed, weakly emarginated, deeply emarginated or not emarginated.

Venter. Sparsely punctate and setose, except posterior area of prosternum and small median area of sternites 3-5. Prosternal process pointed.

Hind wings. Absent.

Legs. Robust, densely setose; tibiae with two elongate spines on apex; claws glabrous.

Genitalia. Male: Aedeagus sclerotized; median lobe strong, apical lamella wide or narrower towards apex, pointed or rounded; parameres well developed, lower surface curved; Median lobe of the aedeagus with or without grooves; when present shape of the grooves varies. Female: Sclerotized; stylomere 1 triangular, with or without setae at apical rim; stylomere 2 semilunar in shape, ventrolateral margin slightly serrate with 1-3 very small ensiform setae; stylomere with 2 short setae along the inner margin, placement of these setae varies to the anterior and posterior sides.

Sexual dimorphism. Protarsus of male with and female without asymmetrically arranged dense pads of adhesive squamose setae on ventral surface of three basal tarsomeres.

Geographical distribution. India, Sri Lanka and Nepal