Sphaeroderma cruenta Prathapan & Kumari

Prathapan, Kaniyarikkal D., Poorani, Janakiraman, Kumari, S. Amritha, Anuradha, C., Balakrishnan Padmanaban, & Thanigairaj, Ramalingam, 2019, Species composition and diagnoses of leaf- and fruit-scarring beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) infesting bananas and plantains (Zingiberales, Musaceae) in the Indian subcontinent, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 66 (2), pp. 179-202 : 179

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/dez.66.47447

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:85572917-1A87-4F97-8476-912B7B5CD580

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3EC3F062-239F-4436-9647-EB5032384C7F

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:3EC3F062-239F-4436-9647-EB5032384C7F

treatment provided by

Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift by Pensoft

scientific name

Sphaeroderma cruenta Prathapan & Kumari
status

sp. nov.

Sphaeroderma cruenta Prathapan & Kumari sp. nov. Figs 13 View Figure 13 , 14 View Figure 14

Material examined.

Holotype: ♂: India: Meghalaya: Barapani, 25°41'17.6"N, 91°55'5.1"E; 5.vi.2013, 993 m; Prathapan K D Coll., Ex Banana ( BMNH). Paratypes: (17♂, 8♀): India: Meghalaya: Barapani, 25°41'17.6"N, 91°55'5.1"E; 5.vi.2013, 993 m; Prathapan K D Coll., Ex Banana (2 BMNH; 2 USNM; 17 ICAR-NBAIR; 2 NPC; 2 UASB).

Diagnosis.

This species closely resembles S. mandarensis Jacoby ( Jacoby 1900: 123-124), from Mandar in West Bengal, India, especially in size, coloration, structure of head and punctation. However, the pronotum is more narrowed anteriorly than in S. mandarensis . The male genitalia are diagnostic ( Fig. 14 c–f View Figure 14 ).

Description.

Entirely red-brown ( Fig. 13 View Figure 13 ), except distal antennomeres darker. Length 2.97-3.33 mm, width 2.08-2.26 mm, ca 1.40 × longer than broad. In lateral view, vertex and antennal calli form a gently curved line with an emargination at their meeting point; frontal ridge forms a strongly convex line that joins anterofrontal ridge at an obtuse angle. In frontal view ( Fig. 13b View Figure 13 ), vertex gently convex on sides, flat in middle, with small punctures and indistinct rugosities. Antennal calli subhorizontal, laterally slightly narrower than medially, about twice wider than long, subquadrate. All sulci surrounding antennal calli well developed. Supracallinal sulcus gently convex. Supraorbital pore circular, with a long seta on a convex tubercle, not surrounded by shallow groove. Frontal ridge sharply raised, narrower ventrally than dorsally. Frontoclypeal suture with closely placed, irregularly arranged long setae. Anterior margin of clypeus straight. Frontolateral area concave, without long setae or bold punctures. Anterofrontal ridge poorly developed, not convexly raised. Distance between antennal sockets 0.84 × diameter of a socket, antennal sockets separated from adjacent eye by a distance 0.36 × transverse diameter of a socket. Labrum distinctly wider than long, anterior margin convex, with three pairs of transversely arranged setae.

Maxillary palpi with four palpomeres, penultimate palpomere being thicker and longer than last palpomere. First palpomere smallest, second subequal to last. Labial palpi three-segmented with the second palpomere thicker than last, subequal to last in length. Proportionate length of antennomeres I to XI: 1 : 0.61 : 0.57 : 0.61 : 0.74 : 0.70 : 0.74 : 0.70 : 0.70 : 0.70 : 1.09.

Pronotum ( Fig. 13c View Figure 13 ) distinctly narrowed anteriorly, 0.38 × times longer than wide, posterior margin 1.59 × as wide as anterior margin, anterolateral corners only slightly produced forward, not reaching eye. Lateral margin gently and evenly curved, anteriorly as wide as posteriorly. Anterolateral callosity longer than wide, not forming denticle at pore, pore situated on posterior dorsal face of callosity. Posterolateral callosity not laterally protruding. Disc profusely covered with small punctures, much smaller than those on elytra.

Scutellum as broad as long, obtusely narrowed posteriorly, surface very minutely punctate. Elytra as broad as pronotum at basal margin, widening near humerus. Humerus convex, weakly depressed posteriorly. Elytra with a mixture of small and large punctures. Punctures confused, tend to form uncountable rows. Lateral most row regular, followed by one or two countable adjacent rows. Distance between adjacent punctures smaller than diameter of a puncture. Elytral apex convex. Maximum width of epipleura at anterior one-third; subequal to forefemur in width. Epipleura subhorizontal, narrowing posterior to anterior one-third, not reaching elytral apex.

Prosternum widened posteriorly, posterior margin concave medially, slightly depressed on top, setose with coarse shallow punctures. Mesosternum setose, transverse, with concave posterior margin. Metasternum with moderate sized, deep punctures, thickly setose on either side. First abdominal ventrite longest, 2-4 each shorter than fifth separately; fifth longer than preceding two combined, shorter than preceding three combined. Last visible tergite with a shallow groove along middle, not reaching apex. All tibiae with apical spine.

First pro-, meso-, and metatarsomeres slightly wider with capitate setae ventrally in male. In female, all first tarsomeres ventrally with pointed setae. Posterior margin of last ventrite entire in female, forms a lobe notched on either side in middle in male. Last ventrite internally with a longitudinal apodeme along mid-line in male ( Fig. 14a View Figure 14 ), externally visible as a dark line; apodeme absent in female ( Fig. 14b View Figure 14 ).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 14 c–f View Figure 14 ) with aedeagus in lateral view gently bent at middle ( Fig. 14c View Figure 14 ), apex acutely narrowed, recurved ( Fig. 14f View Figure 14 ). In ventral view ( Fig. 14d View Figure 14 ), ventral surface depressed preapically, narrowed to apex, forming a broad denticle. Dorsal side ( Fig. 14e View Figure 14 ) of aedeagus convex, dorsal opening partially covered by a lamina; a characteristic, narrowly elongate, bifid sclerotization present preapically on dorsal side, it laterally extends forming an internal ring around aedeagus.

Female genitalia with spermathecal receptacle ( Fig. 14h, i View Figure 14 ) 1.5 × as long as broad, outer margin concave, inner margin convex; pump with unsclerotized denticle apically, horizontal part longer than vertical. Duct twisted proximally, curved over receptacle, reaching a little beyond middle of receptacle. Vaginal palpi ( Fig. 14j View Figure 14 ) narrowly connected medially, both together 2.4 × as wide as long. Tignum ( Fig. 14g View Figure 14 ) straight, channeled along middle, gently broadened anteriorly, posterior membranous part broadened greatly with a few short setae along posterior margin, unsclerotized on either side of middle of posterior membranous part.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective in nominative case in reference to the reddish colour of this species.

Distribution.

India (Meghalaya).

Biology.

Adults feed on the foliage of banana ( Musa spp.).