Ochicanthon ernei Cuccodoro

Latha, Mathews, Cuccodoro, Giulio & Sabu, Thomas K., 2011, Taxonomy of the dung beetle genus Ochicanthon Vaz-de-Mello (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of the Indian subcontinent, with notes on distribution patterns and flightlessness, Zootaxa 2745, pp. 1-29 : 10

Ochicanthon ernei Cuccodoro sp. nov.

( Figs. 18–22 )

Description. Body ( Fig. 18 ) predominantly dark brown. Punctation on dorsal surface of head annular separated by intervals of less than their diameter. Pronotum weakly convex, outline at base almost in line with that of elytral suture; laterobasal paramarginal ridge well marked, extended on slightly more than one third of pronotal length. Pronotal punctation ( Fig. 19 ) similar to head but becoming somewhat denser and finer anteriorly; setae almost indistinct, straight and recumbent. Elytra moderately convex; suture not raised; striae shallow, wide, consisting of chains of fairly confluent discoidal depressions ( Fig. 19 ); interstriae flat, impunctate, uneven; microsculpture smooth; setae fine, straight and recumbent; lateral ridge posteriorly extended to level of apex of fourth stria. Mesosternum smooth; meso-metasternal line subangulate; metasternal shield with few large punctures at the base; sides, centre and top with fine sparse punctures ( Fig. 20 ). Pygidium covered with annular setiferous punctures becoming finer and sparser ventrally. Protrochanter with outer margin arcuate. Hind wings present.

Male lacking obvious secondary sexual characters. Aedeagus as in Figs 21–22 .

Measurements (mm; n = 2): TL = 3.6–3.7; BW = 2.5–2.6; PL = 1.1; PW = 2.0–2.1; EL = 2.0.

Type material. Holotype (male, MHNG): “ India, Meghalaya, Ri Bhoi dist., near Nongpoh, <25°55’31’’ N; 91°52’25’’ E>, 600m, 12.X.2000, leg. Carlton, Cuccodoro, Erne & Leschen, #1” [sifting forest leaf litter and plant debris].

Paratypes (1 female, MHNG): “ India, Meghalaya, Khasi Hills, Nongpoh, 700m, 5.xi.1978, leg. Besuchet & Löbl, #42b” [sifting in forest above the village, on north slope, at base of rocks and tall trees].

Distribution and natural history. Northeast India (Nongpoh, in Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion).

Etymology. Named after Daniel Erne, Geneva, one of the collectors of the holotype.

Diagnosis. Ochicanthon ernei can be easily distinguished from O. tristoides by its impunctate mesosternum and the distinctly different adeagus. See discussion under O. besucheti .

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 22. Ochicanthon ernei (holotype). Dorsal habitus (18); base of pronotum and elytra (19); mesosternum and metasternum (20); aedeagus, ventral view (21); aedeagus, lateral left view (22). Scale bars = 1 mm.