Bolitogyrus tigris Brunke

Brunke, Adam J., 2017, A revision of the Oriental species of Bolitogyrus Chevrolat (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), ZooKeys 664, pp. 1-97 : 33-35

Bolitogyrus tigris Brunke sp. n. Figs 1I, 4G, 12 K–M, 20D (map)

Type locality.

10 km SW Munnar, Idukki District, Kerala, India.

Type material.

Holotype (♂, NMW): S. INDIEN, Kerala, Cardamom hills, 1000m, 10km SW Munnar Vattiar [=Vattiyar?] (8) [printed] / 77°01'E 10°02'N, 5-17.12.1993, leg. Boukal & Kejval [printed] / AJB0000394 [identifier label] / HOLOTYPE Bolitogyrus tigris Brunke, des. A. Brunke 2017 [red label].

Paratype (♀, BMNH): India: Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, Valparai, 1000 m, 15.X.1937, P.S. Nathan, AJB0000503.

Diagnosis.

Bolitogyrus tigris is easily recognized by a combination of the minutely expanded pronotal margin (Fig. 4G), orange head, the bicolored abdominal tergites IV-V, and orange and black marked elytra (Fig. 1I).

Description.

Measurements ♂ (n = 1): HW/HL 1.41; PW/PL 1.25; EW/ EL 1.17; ESut/PL 0.85; PW/HW 0.98; forebody length 6.0 mm.

Measurements

♀ (n = 1). HW/HL 1.28; PW/PL 1.22; EW/ EL 1.18; ESut/PL 0.83; PW/HW 1.0; forebody length 6.3 mm.

Coloration: body orange to reddish-orange (darkened paratype); head orange with central darkened area larger in female; disc of pronotum orange with central darkened area, a pair of dark spots laterally, a darkened areas along apex and base; elytra orange to reddish-orange (darkened paratype), with darkened area around scutellum; abdominal tergite III mostly dark with lateroapical areas orange, IV-V orange, dark basally and in narrow median stripe, VI entirely dark on disc, VII-VIII orange; antennomeres 1-5 brownish orange, 6-10 dark brown, 11 slightly paler than previous, lighter brown;

palpi brownish orange; legs brownish orange, with dorsal and lateral surfaces of mid and hind femur darkened, outer faces of tibia darker.

Head distinctly transverse; dorsal surface with moderately dense, clearly separated asetose punctures, frons with only scattered punctures. Antennomeres 8-10 transverse and asymmetrical.

Pronotum distinctly transverse, about as wide as head, convex and with shallow micropunctures scattered on disc, becoming more distinct on anterior angles. Elytra slightly transverse, suture slightly shorter than pronotum at middle; disc of elytron with slightly raised yellow v-shaped marking.

Abdomen with disc of tergites III-V distinctly impunctate; sternites III-IV with basal line distinctly projected posteriad at middle.

Median lobe in lateral view with apical portion projected ventrad, apex deflexed dorsad, with pair of basal teeth at level of apical fourth (Fig. 12L); median lobe in parameral view slightly dilated to apical fourth, spoon-shaped (Fig. 12K); paramere distinctly shorter than median lobe, distinctly bilobed, each lobe with pointed apex, constricted just basad of v-shaped median emargination (Fig. 12M); peg setae of each lobe arranged in marginal group and medial group, groups joined basally to form a ring (Fig. 12M); male sternite VIII with extremely shallow emargination and triangular glabrous area medially; male sternite IX moderately expanded at midlength, with distinct emargination.

Female with tergite VIII entire in single specimen studied, tergite X elongate triangular, with acute apex, raised disc of similar shape with broad median depression.

Distribution.

Figure 20D. Known only from the Cardamom Hills in the Western Ghats of India.

Bionomics.

Bolitogyrus tigris has been collected at 1000 m during October and December.

Etymology.

This taxon shares its specific epithet with the Bengal Tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris (L.)) in recognition of its orange and black appearance, shared distribution, and India’s network of preserved forest habitats in the Anaimalai, Palni and Cardamom Hills regions of the Western Ghats. Habitat-focused conservation preserves populations of popular megafauna but also predaceous beetles like Bolitogyrus tigris , a ‘tiger’ in its own right

Comments.

Bolitogyrus tigris is easily recognized by coloration alone.