Onitis siva Gillet, 1911

Karimbumkara, Seena Narayanan & Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, 2024, Study on the genus Onitis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of the Indian Subcontinent, with three new species from India, European Journal of Taxonomy 956, pp. 1-61 : 44-45

Onitis siva Gillet, 1911

( Figs 4K–N , 12B , 20

Onitissiva Gillet, 1911: 313 (original description).

Onitis siva – Arrow 1931: 388 (key, description). — Janssens 1937: 109 (revision). — Balthasar 1963: 53 (monograph).— Rajan 2006:108 (list,key, diagnosis, distribution).— Chandra2009a:81 (distribution). — Sewak 2009a: 35 (key, diagnosis, distribution); 2009b: 58 (key, diagnosis, distribution). — Sabu et al. 2011: 34 (list). — Karimbumkara & Rajan 2013: 175 (list). — Gupta et al. 2015: 1037 (list, distribution). — Schoolmeesters 2022 (online catalogue).

Differential diagnosis

Onitissiva belongs to Group XVIII. It is closer to O. bordati which is the nearest group member in having an uninterrupted frontal carina and the absence of clypeal carina. Onitis siva is easily distinguishable by the strongly punctured pronotum whereas in the latter it is granular.

Type material examined

Holotype

INDIA • ♀; “ Travancore ; A Janssens vid., 1936: Onitissiva Gillet, J.J. Gillet set., vend. Onitissiva, Gillet RMHN. Belg. 10.640, cf. Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg. LV. 1911, 313; Type, Wallardi (Travancore) R.D. Favre, 5.9.1903 ”; IRSNB.

Additional material examined (10 specimens)

INDIA • ♂; “ Nilgiri Hills , H.L. Andrewes., 3000 ft., Onitis siva male, Gillet”; BMNH (E) 1237159 • ♂; Karnataka, Biligiri Rangaswamy Tiger Reserve, Budipadaga scrub; N 11°50ʹ16.8″, 77°4ʹ39.18″ E; 14 May 1999; open cattle dung baited trap; Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan leg.; AIMB / Co/Sc1000703 • ♂; Karnataka, Nagarhole National Park , core moist deciduous forest; 12°1ʹ13.8″ N, 76°6ʹ14.76″ E; AIMB / Co/Sc1000704 • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Hebbala moist deciduous forest; 12°9ʹ22.68″ N, 76°6ʹ51.84″ E; AIMB / Co/Sc1000705 to 1000708 • ♂, ♀; Sungathakatte Dry Deciduous forest ; 11°58ʹ27.12″ N, 76°11ʹ8.16″E; open cattle dung baited trap; Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan leg.; AIMB / Co/Sc1000709 to 1000710 .

NEPAL • ♀; “ Chitwan , Tiger Tops . 150m.; 24 Oct. 1983; K.K. Gurung; Rhinoceros dung; Brit. Mus. 1984. 19”; BMNH (E) 1237160 .

Description

MEASUREMENTS (in mm). TL=22.5–31.5; BW=12.5–16.

Male

Black or deep reddish-black, not very shining, elongate-oval, moderately convex; clypeus almost semicircular, finely and densely rugose, clypeal carina absent; frontal carina strongly elevated and curved; pronotum with a trace of longitudinal median groove posteriorly, strongly and unevenly punctured, punctures confluent anteriorly, minutely granular near lateral margins, basal foveae elongate and close; pygidium flat, indistinctly punctate; metasternum densely hairy at sides and less densely in middle, base with a small smooth but moderately punctured area. Pronotal punctures not strong and even; front legs elongate, femur with very strong spine in the middle of anterior edge, mid and hind femur also toothed.

AEDEAGUS (in mm) ( Fig. 4K–N ). LP=4.5, Lp= 3.5; BP=2, BpB=1, BpT=0.5. Phallobase distinctly longer than parameres. Parameres curved inwards, rounded and blunt at the tip.

Female

Pronotal punctures stronger and closer than in males; median elevation of posterior marginal carina of the head broader and stronger than in male, protibia straight, front femora without teeth.

Distribution

India: Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh ( Rajan 2006; Chandra 2009a; Sewak 2009a, 2009b; Sabu et al. 2011; Karimbumkara & Rajan 2013; Gupta et al. 2015; Schoolmeesters 2022).

Figures

Fig. 4. A–D. Onitis assamensis Biswas, 1980, Aedeagus, lateral, dorsal, ventral and apical views, AIMB/ Co/Sc1000001 (images: AIMB). E–F. O. naviauxi Cambefort, 1988, lateral and dorsal views, MNHN EC4807, (images: Antoine Mantilleri, MNHN). G–J. O. bordati Cambefort, 1988, aedeagus; lateral, dorsal, ventral and apical views, AIMB/Co/Sc1000016, (images AIMB). K–N. O. siva Gillet, 1911, aedagus, lateral, dorsal, ventral and apical views, AIMB/Co/Sc1000704, (images: AIMB).

Fig. 12.A. Onitissinghalensis Lansberge, 1875, holotype, ♂, MNHN EC4812, (image:Antoine Mantilleri, MNHN.) B. Onitissiva Gillet, 1911, holotype, ♀, (image: Jonathan Brecko, IRSNB). C. O. subopacus Arrow, 1931, holotype, ♂, BMNH(E)1237174, (image: BMNH). D. O.virens Lansberge, 1875, paralectotype, ♂, (image: Jonathan Brecko, IRSNB). E–F Onitisvisthara sp. nov., holotype, ♂, NIM/ NBAIR/COL/ONIT/H-271023C (images: AIMB). E. Habitus, dorsal view. F. Habitus, ventral view.

Fig. 20. Map showing the distribution of Onitissiva Gillet, 1911; O. subopacus Arrow, 1931; O. virens Lansberge, 1875 and O. visthara sp. nov. in the Indian Subcontinent.