Microplinthus gupta Meregalli, 2020

Meregalli, Massimo, 2020, Revision of the Nepalese genus Microplinthus Zherichin, 1987 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae), with description of 25 new species, Zootaxa 4794 (1), pp. 1-63 : 28

Microplinthus gupta Meregalli n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EDE3B3F1-1350-4083-8523-815AD1774589

Fig. 13

Material examined. Holotype ♀: “ Nepal, Helambu / upp. Chipling [27°53’N 85°28’E] 2200– / 2400m, 29–30.VIII / 1997, leg. S. Fabrizi / & D. Ahrens ” ( NMEG)

Diagnostic description. Length 4.45 mm. Body oblong, dark brownish, integument matt, reticulate. Vestiture composed of short thick setae, on elytra condensed on tubercles, appressed against body. Rostrum robust, weakly broadened apicad, in lateral view weakly and regularly curved, junction to head continuing curvature of base of rostrum; in dorsal view sides weakly broadened basad, linearly converging apicad, interantennal width slightly narrow that width at base; dorsum with 4 rows of punctures irregularly impressed, transverse interspaces narrow, irregularly oblique, rows separated by obtusely raised relatively broad longitudinal lines; apex smooth, glossy. Antennal scape sharply thickened apicad; funicle antennomere 1 conical, barely longer than wide, 2 slender, more than twice as long as wide, less wide than 1, 3–4 globose, 5–7 transverse, 6–7 progressively broader; club oval. Eye large, oblong, with about 35 ommatidia. Pronotum subtrapezoidal, slightly longer than wide, sides linearly broadened from base to apical quarter, then sharply converging apicad; median line more raised on disc, shallower towards apex, dorsum covered with dense punctures of various size, interspaces narrowly convex, regular, not higher externally. Elytra oblong, odd intervals with raised round or oval tubercles, particularly high on interval 5, parts of intervals out of the tubercles flat; even intervals, particularly 4 and 6, in part raised in long convexities, interrupted by flat spaces; striae irregular, narrower that odd intervals, punctures distinct only on striae 1–3, not clearly delimited on external striae. Femur thickened medially and with a distinct inner tooth; tibia sinuate internally, with a series of long erect setae, apex rounded, minimally expanded on outer margin of tibia. Ventrites regularly narrowed from 2 to 5, 1 and 2 with regularly impressed and evenly spaced punctures, 3–4 with a row of punctures in basal part, 5 shallowly punctured. Claws with microscopic internal teeth. Female sternum VIII lacking an apodeme, arms not united, basal branches short, arms curved outwards, thick, lamina subquadrate, with lateral part evenly sclerotized.

Differential remarks. Only M. helambuensis is present in nearby regions. This species differs in the elliptical elytra, barely broader than pronotum, lacking raised tubercles and the untoothed claws.

Origin of the name. This species is named after the Gupta dynasty, that in the 3 rd– 4 th century CE reigned over most of the Himalayan region, including Nepal.

Distribution. Central Nepal, valleys north of Kathmandu ( Fig. 29 ).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Microplinthus gupta, Holotype ♀. Body (A, B); rostrum (F, G); antenna (D); pronotum (E); elytra (C); femur and foretibia (J); apex of foretibia (I); claws (L); ventrites (K); female sternum VIII (H). Bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 29. Distribution map of some species of Microplinthus. Map data: Google Earth, Maxar Technologies, used according to Google Earth Terms of Service..