Onthophagus sahai Biswas & Chatterjee, 1986

Sathiandran, Nithya & Sabu, Thomas K., 2012, New species, new synonym, and redescription of Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from the Western Ghats, India, Zootaxa 3526, pp. 53-58 : 56-57

Onthophagus sahai Biswas & Chatterjee, 1986

( Figs. 4–6 )

Description. Shiny black, with the tarsi, antennae, and the lower surface red, body smooth and without setae ( Fig. 4–5 ). Head. Broad; ocular lobes rounded; clypeus separated from the frons by a strong, straight carina; vertex with a small, transverse elevation, area behind elevation smooth. Pronotum. Convex with fine punctures. Front angles blunt, sides nearly straight in front and sinuate behind, base gently rounded. Elytra. Black and shiny; finely striate, striae lightly punctate, intervals feebly convex, finely but not closely punctate. Elytron with orange spot at base. Wings. Hind wings present. Lower surface. Pygidium in male with an incised line near the outer margin (absent in female). Metasternal shield smooth and shiny with a large, rounded pit anteriorly; with a longitudinal groove in the middle and the sides of the metasternal shield with setiferous punctures. Legs. All femora and tibiae with few setiferous punctures; protibia quadridentate externally. Male genetalia. Parameres angled relative to the basal piece, symmetrical, pointed towards the apex ( Fig. 6 ).

Measurements (mm; n = 47): TL = 4.5–6.0, BW = 2.7–3.3, PL = 1.50–1.95, PW = 2.4–3.0, EL = 2.25–3.00. Material examined: Holotype (male, ZSI- Calcutta): “ India, Kerala, Silent valley, No.10793/H4A”. Paratypes (2 female, ZSI- Calcutta): Kerala, Silent valley, No. 10794/H4A; 10795/H4A. Additional material: 2 males and 2 females in NPC labeled “ India, Kerala, Silent valley National Park, Walakkad, 1100 m, 5.vi.2009, Vinod, K.V.”; 21 males and 8 females in SJC with same data, 8 males and 6 females in ZSI-Ca labeled “Kerala: Thirunelly, 1395m, 18. v. 2009, Nirdev, P.M.

Distribution. India (South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion).

Remarks. Onthophagus sahai differs from O. refulgens by the presence of an orange spot on the base of each elytron in contrast with the absence of orange spots in O. refulgens . Males and females of O.sahai can be differentiated on the basis of variation in the punctures on clypeus and the additional carina on the clypeus of the female. The front part of the clypeus strongly punctate in males and closely rugose in females.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 6. Onthophagus sahai: dorsal habitus—male (4), female (5), aedeagus, lateral view (6). Scale bar = 1 mm.