Indomias menoni Ramamurthy

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 : 39

17. Indomias menoni Ramamurthy sp. nov.

(figs. 15, 44, 109, 144 and 163)

Diagnosis: This species resembles I. kraatzi (Heller) and I. albizziae sp. nov., and distinguished by the following characters: Rostrum with lateral carinae short, not extending beyond the anterior margin of eyes. Prothorax with median stria rounded posteriorly and straight anteriorly, restricted only to the posterior one third, its maximum width lesser than that of elytra. Length: breadth ratio of whole body never more than 3:1. Female genitalia with spiculum ventrale, having its apical half of basal plate perfectly conical, spermatheca with proximal arm 1.5x as long as cornu. Rostrum with anterior margin 0.93x as broad as the posterior margin.

Description: Colour black, with pale or apple green vestiture; sides of head, prothorax and elytra with shining, metallic green vestiture. Head as long as rostrum, upper surface moderately convex, with shallow, scattered punctations; vertex shallowly impressed. Rostrum strongly impressed at middle dorsally, 1.2x as broad as long, anterior margin 0.93x as broad as the posterior margin, median furrow uniformly broad, slightly narrowed towards posterior margin, reaching the middle of eyes, lateral carinae running throughout the rostrum, without any juxta marginal carina from apex to above eye; sides narrowed and parallel towards the anterior margin; scrobes uniformly broad, smoothly rounded and bent anteriorly, but smoothly pointed, narrowed and divergent towards the eyes, space between scrobes as much as the length of rostrum. Eyes dorsolateral and convex (figs. 15 and 44). Antennae reddish brown; scape gradually clavate; funicle with first segment 1.6x as long as second and also broader than second. Prothorax 1.2x as broad as long, its breadth at middle almost equal to posterior margin, broadest at the posterior margin; sides slightly rounded at the middle, well rounded at the anterior margin, and straight towards the posterior margin; anterior margin only 0.67x as broad as posterior margin, truncate dorsally, acute laterally, while posterior margin is subtruncate; upper surface coarsely punctate, with a deep, median stria restricted to posterior one thirds, rounded towards the posterior margin and straight towards the anterior margin. Legs with hind tibial apex having well-developed, dense golden yellow hairs. Elytra broadly ovate, with basal margin slightly raised, humeral fold present, but not prominent; apices slightly mucronate; stria finely punctate, intervals broad, plain, not raised, intervals second and third shallowly impressed at posterior declivity, with short, recumbent elongate scales; elytral vestiture with subovate, yellow scales, with patches of granulated areas (fig. 109).

Female genitalia: Spermatheca with proximal arm 1.5x as long and 2.5x as broad as distal arm, angle between two arms obtuse; nodulus conical and apex rounded; ramus cylindrical and almost as broad as nodulus; cornu with apex narrowed and bluntly rounded (fig. 144). Spiculum ventrale with shaft broadest at middle, bent at rounded apex; basal plate longer than broad (1.6:1), with its apex rounded; apical half of basal plate perfectly conical, shaft 4.25x as long as basal plate (fig. 163).

Length: female, 10.91 mm; Breadth: female, 3.99 mm.

Holotype: 1 female, INDIA: without place and collector name, forest campus, 8.IV.1994, on Albizzia lebbeck ( NPC).

Distribution: India.

Etymology: This species is named after late Dr. M.G. Ramdas Menon, who had been instrumental in teaching practical aspects of taxonomy to the authors.