Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, 2020

Huchet, Jean-Bernard, 2020, Two new species of Nothochodaeus Nikolajev, 2005 from the Himalayan region (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae), Insecta Mundi 2020 (778), pp. 1-11 : 2-3

Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet , new species ( Fig. 1–11 )

Type material. Holotype male (CSJP), labeled: a) pale yellow paper, rectangular, printed: “ Sikkim ”; b) rectangular, orange paper, printed: “ St. Jákl collection / PRAGUE / Czech republic ”; c) rectangular, red paper: “TYPE”; d) red paper: “ Nothochodaeus / yeti n. sp. / HOLOTYPE ♂ / J.-B. Huchet det. 2020”. Genitalia stored in a small glycerol vial, pinned under the specimen.

Allotype female (MNHN) labeled: a) pale yellow paper, rectangular, printed: “ Inde Anglaise / Pedong / Région de / Darjeeling / Chasseurs indigènes / 1934”; b) red paper, printed: “ Nothochodaeus / yeti n. sp. / ALLOTYPE ♀ / J.-B. Huchet det. 2020”. Genitalia stored in a small glycerol vial, pinned under the specimen. (Fig. x-y)

One female paratype (NMPC) labeled: a) “ NEPAL. Ganesh Himal. / 2 km W Thangjet. / 85°17′E, 28°10′N. / 2300 m. 18.IX.1994. / M. Hreblay & T. Csőván ” ; b) white label, rectangular: “ex coll. David Král / National Museum / Prague, Czech Republic ”. One female paratype (NMPC> CJBH) labeled: a) “ Nepal Helambu, Mulkharka / - Chisapani 85°27′E / 27°50′N 1800–2500– 2200 m / 26 8 97 lg Fadrizi & Ahrens” ; b) white label, rectangular: “ex coll. David Král / National Museum / Prague, Czech Republic ”. One female paratype (SMNS) labeled: a) white label, rectangular: “NEPAL-Expeditionen / Jochen Martens ” ; b) white label, rectangular: “255 Ilam Dist. Zw. Mai Pok- / hari, Mai Majuwa und Gitang / Khola 2100– 1800 m Kulturland / 25 Aug 83, Martens & Daams leg.”. One female paratype (CDKC) labeled: “E NEPAL, Hilles env. / 10– 16.06.1999 / leg. Patrikeev V. ”

Diagnosis. This species has the body robust, strongly convex, densely pubescent, roughly unicolored; the head stretched forward in a pointed direction, with a tripartite subpyramidal horn (male), or with two tubercles (female). The underside is chestnut-brown, the legs orange-brown, and the antennae testaceous yellow. The stridulatory peg is present.

Description. Holotype male ( Fig. 1, 3 , 7, 8 , 10, 11 ). Coleoptera : Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae . Length: 10.5 mm (from the apex of the mandibles to the apical part of the tergite VIII). Width: 5.4 mm. Head: Transverse, sub-hexagonal in outline, the clypeus projected forward, parabolic; clypeal horn subpyramidal, tripartite, π- shaped, resulting from the fusion of two basal tubercles with a small raised transverse anterior keel ( Fig. 7a ). Surface matte or barely shiny, shortly pubescent, the setae testaceous, obliquely oriented backwards; surface covered with closely spaced granules of heterogeneous size, distant from each other by 1× their diameter on the disc, the granules smaller and tightened on both sides. Posterior part of the vertex with very distinct transverse ripples. Labrum transverse, strongly emarginate and transversely split into two superimposed laminae in the middle front, the lowest edge and sides pubescent; both sides of the labrum convex, hyaline, long pubescent. Eyes large, prominent, globose, lacking ventral projection of canthus. Mandibles subequal, falciform, slightly concave dorsally, sharpedged near the base, the apex and outer edge distinctly darkened; both mandibles 4-dentate on their inner edge (the apical tooth included), the two median teeth (concealed by the labrum in upper view) strongly developed, obliquely oriented forward. Mentum oblong, subtrapezoidal, slightly broader at its base, the sides lowered, the disc slightly concave, without longitudinal furrow. Antenna 10-segmented, 3-antennomere club, testaceous, shiny, the antennal scape very massive, the outer club segment distinctly brightened and shortly pubescent at the upper edge. Pronotum transverse, strongly convex, entirely margined, the edge forming a gutter on each side and along the base. Anterior margin deeply emarginate behind the head, with a thin hyaline orange membrane in front. Front angles obtuse, projecting forward, the posterior ones regularly rounded. Pronotal surface strongly granulate; granules shiny, setose, the setae obliquely directed anteriorly; surface slightly shiny, black with reddish sides. Elytra transverse, slightly shiny, punctato-striate, the basal third lighter, reddish, entirely margined except for the area in front of the humeral callus; elytral punctation strong and tight consisting of small setose granules on a microreticulate background, the testaceous minute setae oriented backward; elytral striae consisting of sunken medium-sized points, separated by 1× their diameter. Humeral callus present but feebly marked. Scutellum black, triangular elongate, lateral edges finely marginate, surface covered distally with coarse setose punctures turning into small setose granules proximally. Abdomen strongly convex with six visible ventrites (III–VIII), its outline entirely margined (in ventral view), with a distinct median longitudinal depression. Surface very shiny, covered by numerous minute setose punctures, roughly separated by 1× their diameter; the sternites lightened, brownish-orange along their front and base edges. Tergite VIII (pygidium) pubescent, the punctation consisting of small close setose granules embedded on a microreticulate background. Tergite VII (propygidium) with trapezoidal interlocking mechanism. Metasternal process slightly convex with a thin median groove; mesocoxae widely separated. Stridulatory peg (sternite VI) barely perceptible, vestigial, in the form of a thin hyaline plate. Legs: Protibia tridentate externally, the basal tooth very reduced, with short, acute pollex directed anteriorly; a distinct serrated longitudinal carina originating from the base and extending forward just prior to the insertion of the protarsus. Femur without accessory teeth, surface with two parallel rows of setose punctures. Upper spur of metatibia as long as first metatarsomere. Genitalia ( Fig. 10, 11 ). Parameres narrow, widely divergent apically. Endophallus including five serrate endophallites of distinct size and shape, the two larger endophallites (Ep. 1, 2) located at the level of the phallobase (the endophallus being not everted).

Sexual dimorphism. A well distinct tripartite clypeal horn in male, two small transverse tubercles, largely separated, located on the clypeo-frontal line (female); anterior margin of pronotum deeply emarginate (male), evenly convex (female); abdominal sternites in male with a median longitudinal depression.

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, in reference to the famous mythical hairy humanoid creature supposed to inhabit the Himalayan mountains.

Distribution. Himalayan region of India (Sikkim) and Nepal ( Fig. 17 ).

Remarks. This new species is morphologically close to Nothochodaeus lutescens (Westwood) described from “ India Orientali ”. The latter, presumably only known by the holotype (HEC), is very likely a female. Both species differ by the cephalic structures, and notably, in N. lutescens , by the clypeus less produced anteriorly and the presence of a well-marked curved transverse clypeal carina distinctly raised, followed by two elongate tubercles obliquely located backwards; the head granulation is denser and distinctly tighter.

Figures

Figure 17. Distribution map of Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, new species (red dots, the type locality with a black spot) and N. martensi Huchet, new species (blue square with a white spot) in Northern India (Sikkim) and Nepal.

Figures 1–3. Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, new species, male holotype. 1) Habitus, dorsal view (missing left antenna figured with shading). 2) Labels. 3) Habitus, laterodorsal view (scale = 5mm).

Figures 4–6. Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, new species, female allotype. 4) Habitus, dorsal view. 5) Labels. 6) Habitus, lateral-dorsal view (scale = 5mm).

Figures 7–9. Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, new species. 7) Male (holotype), head, dorsal view, inset illustrating the tripartite subpyramidal horn. 8) Head, ventral view. 9) Female (allotype), head, dorsal view.

Figure 10–11. Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, new species, male genitalia. 10) Genital segment (urite IX). 11) Aedeagus in lateral view, the endophallus not everted (Ep: endophallite).