Indomias praeteritus ( Marshall )

Y, R A M A M U Rt H & Ayri, Shaloo, 2010, Revision of the genus Indomias Marshall (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Tanymecini) from India, Zootaxa 2357, pp. 1-49 : 40-41

19. Indomias praeteritus ( Marshall)

(figs. 16, 35, 61, 98, 99, 142, 162, 170, 204, 205 and 206)

Sympiezomias praeteritus Marshall, 1916: 163 ; 1941: 350 [BMNH] Description: Colour black, with glittering, metallic to bluish green vestiture; inflexed sides of prothorax, elytra and base of prothorax yellowish. Head as long as rostrum, upper surface convex, with scattered punctations, hidden behind dense vestiture. Rostrum plain dorsally, as long as broad, anterior margin 0.80x as broad as the posterior margin; median furrow short, pushed anteriorly; lateral carinae distinct and parallel; scrobes broader, squarish and fuses with rostrum anteriorly, narrowed, smoothly rounded and parallel towards the eyes. Eyes dorsolateral, slightly convex, almost 2x as long as broad, space between eyes as much as the space between scrobes and the breadth of rostrum at anterior margin (figs. 16 and 35). Antennae piceous; scape abruptly clavate; funicle with first segment only 0.7x as long as the second but stouter, third to fifth bead like, seventh broadest of all funicle segments; club 3x broader than funicle segments and conical (fig. 61). Prothorax as long as broad, at middle 1.1x as broad as posterior margin but narrowed anteriorly; sides rounded; anterior margin only 0.8x as broad as posterior margin, truncate dorsally and acute laterally, posterior margin subtruncate; upper surface with shallow, confluent punctations, intervals coriaceous or obscurely granulate, median stria faint, runs throughout except at base and apex. Legs with hind tibial apex without any dense, golden yellow hairs. Elytra with basal margin strongly raised; its external angle acute, humeral fold much less developed, being practically absent in male, while in female, it does not project beyond the outline of elytra, as seen from above, posterior declivity not impressed; stria shallowly punctate; intervals broad, almost plain, not much raised, third not raised over second, at posterior declivity; apices mucronate in both sexes; elytral vestiture with predominant scales round to obovate, bluish orange, with many ridges (fig. 99), less predominant oval, bluish orange with bifurcated ridges (fig. 98).

Male genitalia: Aedeagus with median lobe in profile not arcuate, apex rounded, broadest at middle; apex with patches of sclerotized areas, length: breadth ratio 7:1; apophyses long, slender, 0.66x as long as median lobe (figs. 204–205). Tegmen with dorsal piece 5x as broad as basal piece, shorter, 0.11x as long as manubrium; parameres very long, 0.33x as long as manubrium, finger shaped, their apices pointed; manubrium elongate, 0.64x as long as median lobe, very slender, 0.1x as broad as the median lobe, with a slightly deflected, conical apex (fig. 206). Spiculum gastrale with shaft 1.1x as long as median lobe, 0.1x as broad as median lobe, uniformly thick, with apex deflected, broadened and rounded; basal prongs subequal (fig. 170).

Female genitalia: Spermatheca with proximal arm 1.2x as long as and 4x as broad as the distal arm; nodulus 1.4x as broad as ramus, swollen, conical, ramus cylindrical; cornu slender, uniformly thick throughout, apex rounded and bent parallel to the proximal arm (fig. 142). Spiculum ventrale with shaft narrow at base, uniformly thick at middle, its apex bent, broadened and rounded; basal plate conical, much longer than broad (1.6:1), its apex rounded with tuft of slender hairs, ratio of length of basal plate to that of shaft 1:4 (fig. 162).

Length: male, 7.00– 7.25 mm; Breadth: male, 2.5–2.65 mm.

Specimens examined: 1 male, 1 female, INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Yercaud, Shevaroys, 4500 ft, 23.IV- 4.V.1913, Coll., Fletcher, Y.R.

Distribution: India: Tamil Nadu: Yercaud.