Meridindia salmana Ghauri, 1982

Salini, S., Gracy, R. G. & Sushil, S. N., 2024, Revision of Meridindia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), an endemic genus, with description of a new species from India, Zootaxa 5428 (2), pp. 207-234 : 219-226

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5428.2.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5766F2F1-E110-4F3B-B2ED-638184E1C78F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10847471
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/DD7CAE7D-6A70-FF86-CCED-DCDC9F3BFDE1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Meridindia salmana Ghauri, 1982
status

Treatment

( Figs. 30–56 View FIGURES 30–32 View FIGURES 33–34 View FIGURES 35–40 View FIGURES 41–46 View FIGURES 47–51 View FIGURES 52–56 )

Meridindia salmana Ghauri, 1982: 20–21 , 23, figs. 93–102. (original description).

Meridindia salmana Ghauri : Salini & Viraktamath (2015): 22 (distribution).

Type locality. India, South India, Nilgiris (Hampson), 11°29′29.7744″ N 76°44′1.1400″E ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 26–29 ) GoogleMaps .

Type material examined. Holotype: INDIA: 1 ♂, Nilgiris (Hampson) [hw] // Pres. by Comm. Inst. Ent. B. M. 1983-1 [P] // versicolor H. Sch. (hw) // Distant Coll. 1911-383 [P] // Meridindia salmana gen et. sp. n. (hw) / det M.S.K. Ghauri, 1982 [P+hw] // NHMUK 013589991 View Materials [P] ( BMNH, ( Figs. 30–32 View FIGURES 30–32 ). Holotype is pinned, the dissected male genitalia placed in a glass microvial with glycerol and stain attached to different pin, lodged adjacent to specimen.

Additional material examined. The material was identified by Salini S. and deposited in NIM ( ICAR-NBAIR). INDIA: KARNATAKA: Bangalore: IVRI, 26.x.2009, 1♀, Umesh Kumar // NBAII, Rajankunte, xii.09, Mallesh // ex. Croton bonplandianus Baill. (= Croton sparsiflorus Morong ) // NBAII; 01.v.2012, 1♀, Manjunath B. // ex. Spathodea // NBAII; Hebbal, N13°02 E77°35, 22.vi.2011, Basanth Y.S. // ex. Grass // NBAII; Hebbal, N13° 02 E77° 35, 21.vii.2011, 1♂, Mahendra R. // ex. Grass; Hebbal, 29.vi.2013, 1♀, 07.vii.2013, 1♀, 08.i.2016, 1♀, Salini S. // NBAII; Hebbal, 16.ii.2016, 1♂, 24.v.2016, 2♀, Prabhu G. //ex. Tabebuia rosea ; Hebbal, 25.v.2016, 1♀, Shylesha A.N.; Hebbal, 24.xi.2016, 1♀, 05.xii.2016, 1♀, Gandhi Gracy; Hebbal, 03.vi.2022, 1♀, Mahendran G.; Hebbal, 05.iii.2016, 1♀, David K.J.; Sanjayanagar, 26.xii.2015, 1♀, David K.J.; Yelahanka, Attur, 20.iv.2019, 1♀, 1♂, 22.iv.2019, 1♀, 24.iv.2019, 2♀, 3♂, 25.iv.2019, 1♂, 29.iv.2019, 1♂, 27.iv.2019, 3♂, 29.iv.2019, 1♂, 30.iv.2019, 1♀, 02.v.2019, 1♂, 21.v.2019, 1♂, 24.v.2019, 1♂, 07.vi.2019, 1♂, 17.vii.2019, 1♀, 1♂, 15.xi.2019, 1♀, 2♂, 25.xi.2019, 1♂, 02.i.2020, 1♀, 17.ii.2020, 1♂, 30.iv.2020, 2♂, 12.v.2020, 1♂, 18.v.2020, 3♂, 21.v.2020, 1♀, 2♂, 26.v.2020, 1♀, 29.v.2020, 1♀, 02.vi.2020, 2♀, 2♂, 09. vi.2020, 2♀, 1♂, 13.vi.2020, 1♀, 18.vi.2020, 1♂, 27.vi.2020, 1♂, 30.vi.2020, 2♂, 04.vii.2020, 1♀, 08.vii.2020, 1♀, 1♂, 14.vii.2020, 1♂, 27.vii.2020, 1♂, 11.viii.2020, 1♀, 17.viii.2020, 1♀, 25.viii.2020, 2♀, 1♂, 28.ix.2020, 1♀, 07.x.2020, 1♀, 1♂, 01.xi.2020, 1♀, 2♂, 02.xi.2020, 1♀, 1♂, 06.xi.2020, 1♀, 01.xii.2020, 1♀, 3♂, 19.ii.2021, 1♀, 05.iii.2021, 1♀, 24.iii.2021, 1♂, 17.iv.2021, 1♂, 01.vi.2021, 1♀, 04.vi.2021, 1♂, 18.vi.2021, 2♀, 1♂, 29.vi.2021, 1♀, 20.x.2021, 1♀, 05.i.2022, 1♂, 18.i.2022, 1♂, 16.ii.2022, 1♂, 24.v.2022, 1♂, 02.vi.2022, 1♀, 4♂, Maruthi K. V. // Ex. Magnolia champaca ; Yelahanka, Attur, 31.vii.2016, 1♂, 24.iv.2018, 1♂, 27.vi.2018, 1♂, 30.vi.2018, 2♂, 07.vii.2018,1 ♀, 16.i.2019, 1♀, Prabhu G.; Yelahanka, Attur, 22.i.2016, 1♀, 30.vi.2018, 1♀, 1♂, 07.vii.2018, 2♀, 07.v.2020, 1♀, 14.v.2020, 1♀, 4♂, 15.v.2020, 3♀, 4♂, 29.v.2020, 1♂, 02.vi.2020, 1♂, 05.xii.2020, 1♀, 17.xii.2020, 1♀, 05.i.2021, 1♀, 17.xi.2021, 1♂, Salini S. // Ex. Magnolia champaca ; Yelahanka, Attur, 18.vi.2022, 1♀, 1♂, Safeena M. // Ex. Magnolia champaca ; Yelahanka, Attur, 18.iv.2020, 1♂, 02.v.2020, 1♂, 13.v.2020, 2♂, 22.v.2020, 1♂, 29.v.2020, 1♂, 02.vi.2020, 1♂, 10.vi.2020, 1♂, 23.vi.2020, 3♀, 1♂, 25.vi.2020, 1♂, 1.vii.2020, 3♂, 13.vii.2020, 2♀, 2♂, 13.vii.2020, 1♂, 22.vii.2020, 1♀, 25.vii.2020, 1♂, 01.vii.2020, 1♀, 03.vii.2020, 1♂, 13.vii.2020, 1♀, 1♂, 28.vii.2020, 1♂, 25.viii.2020, 1♀, 03.viii.2020, 1♀, 29.viii.2020, 1♀, 1♂, 03.x.2020, 2♂, 08.ix.2020, 2♂, 22.ix.2020, 1♀, 01.xi.2020, 1♂, 07.vii.2021, 3♂, 29.vii.2021, 1♂, Rabbani M.K. // Ex. Magnolia champaca ; Yelahanka, Attur, 15.v.2020, 1♀, Manjesha K. // ex. Magnolia champaca ; Vijayapura, N13°17 E77°47, 19.ix.2011, 1♀, Basanth Y.S. // ex.Grass// NBAII; Tumkur: Kunigal, 22.i.2016, 1♀, 26.i.2016, 1♀, 1♂, Salini. S // NBAII. Chikkamagaluru: Mudigere, xi.2015, 1♀, Veenakumari K. Chikkaballapur: 12.iv.2016, Prabhu G. // NBAII.

Description. Colouration. Body above ( Figs. 30 View FIGURES 30–32 , 33 View FIGURES 33–34 ) ochraceous with mosaics of irregular black markings formed by the congregations of black punctures. Dorsum of head with 1+1 oblique, short, narrow, impunctate longitudinal stripe, connecting the narrow, ochraceous border of compound eyes and sometimes with a pair of short, oblique impunctate stripes in front of compound eyes. Antennae black, antennomere I with alternate longitudinal bands of black and pale yellow; narrow, short, basal ring of antennomere IV, pale yellow; remaining segments black. Scutellar pits black; apical third of scutellum paler.Anterior and posterior thirds of margin of each connexival segment black. Membrane transparent with interveinal region smoky brown to black.

Ventral side ( Figs. 32 View FIGURES 30–32 , 34 View FIGURES 33–34 ) pale yellow with the following well expressed markings as follows: ventral side of head (except extreme lateral margins of head, bucculae and triangular patch medially beneath labiomere, yellow), lateral area of pro-, meso- and metapleura (except extreme lateral margin, yellow), 1+1, large, roughly quadrate spots on either side of mesosternal carina, one small spot each at the middle of mesopleura, one small spot each at middle of posterior margin of metapleura, anterolateral margins and posterolateral angles (including the denticle) of ventrites III–VII, black. Labium ochraceous except black apex. Legs ochraceous except anterior and posterior one third of tibiae (particularly the dorsal surface of tibiae); tarsomere III including claws, black; tarsomeres I and II yellow dorsally and usually black ventrally.

Integument and vestiture. Body above covered with coarse, dense, round, black punctures, sometimes forming irregular black spots, connexivum with fine, dense and concolorous punctures. Ventral side of body with black, coarse round punctures concentrated towards lateral region; fine, concolorous punctures present near midline of body; femora with sparsely distributed round, black punctures. Male genitalia with coalescence of dark brown punctures forming elongate patch along margins of outer ventral rim on ventral side of genital capsule, dorsal side of genital capsule laterally with sparse, round, brown punctures particularly concentrated towards posterolateral lobes. Female genitalia with sparse brown punctures on disc of laterotergite VIII and a few brown punctures on disc of valvifers VIII.

Body glabrous; antennae and venter of abdomen with minute pubescence, legs with semierect, golden setae particularly dense towards posterior apex of tibiae and tarsi. Male genitalia with genital capsule pilose; moderately elongate, golden yellow setae along the circumference of caudal (= posterior) margin of genial capsule; small pubescence on whole surface of genital capsule; elongate, golden yellow setae on caudal margin of paramere. Female genitalia with valvifers VIII possessing moderately elongate, brown setae particularly on mesial margin, valvifer IX medially with dense tuft of moderately elongate, dark brown setae; caudal region including apex of laterotergite IX with moderately elongate, brown setae; disc of laterotergite VIII with sparse, short, brown setae.

Redescription. Structure. Head ( Figs. 35–37 View FIGURES 35–40 ) longer than wide. Apex of mandibular plates sinuate with anterior apex of inner lobe acute; lateral margins of mandibular plates with minute denticle, in front of compound eyes, nearly indistinct. Compound eyes rounded, not protruded out as in the previous species. Antennomeres from shortest to longest: I<IIa≤IIb<IV<III. Bucculae partly covering the labiomere I from beneath; anterior apex of bucculae with minute denticle. Labiomere I slightly longer than bucculae; length of labium variable, apex of labium reaching ventrite IV to reaching posterior margin of ventrite V. Pronotum ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 35–40 ) with humeri subacute. Membrane of hemelytra with seven simple veins. Other characters as in generic redescription.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 40–49 View FIGURES 35–40 View FIGURES 41–46 View FIGURES 47–51 ). Genital capsule ( Figs. 41–43 View FIGURES 41–46 ) roughly quadrangular with posterolateral lobes (= caudal lobes) broadly rounded and slightly notched towards ventral rim. Ventral rim posteriorly divided into dorsal and ventral margin; dorsal margin ( Fig. 42 View FIGURES 41–46 : dm) widely and arcuately concave, gradually indistinct towards posterolateral lobes; ventral margin ( Fig. 42 View FIGURES 41–46 : vm) deeply concave with narrow, short, semicircular notch at the middle ( Fig. 42 View FIGURES 41–46 ); internal vertical ridges ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 41–46 : ivr) on inner ventral wall of genital capsule, well developed, sclerotized, each possessing circular fenestrum at anterior end; infoldings of ventral rim strongly impressed, produced posteriad, fused with infoldings of dorsal rim and forming 1+1 moderately deep pouch-like concavity inner to caudal lobes. Dorsal rim broadly concave, rather shallow with narrow concavity at middle. Dorsal rim ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 41–46 : dr) laterally with 1+1 superior processes of dorsal rim ( Figs. 41, 43 View FIGURES 41–46 : ds) developed as hard, sclerotized, black triangulate denticle. Paramere ( Figs. 44, 45 View FIGURES 41–46 ): Crown broad, roughly L-shaped, nearly of uniform width throughout; black, sclerotized, narrow longitudinal ridge ( Fig.45 View FIGURES 41–46 : sr) inner to dorsal margin of crown; stem short with well developed apodeme. Articulatory apparatus ( Fig.46 View FIGURES 41–46 ): similar to M. kaniza . Phallus ( Figs. 47–49 View FIGURES 47–51 ): Phallotheca, convex dorsally, sclerotized and constricted towards both ends; a pair of short angular process ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 47–51 : vt) ventromedially (= ventral tubercles of theca by Gapon & Konstantinov 2006), one towards distal end broader than the one at proximal end; three pairs of conjunctival processes ( Figs. 47, 49 View FIGURES 47–51 : cj): dorsal pair ( Figs. 47, 49 View FIGURES 47–51 : cjd) sclerotized, finger-like, narrower than middle and ventral conjunctival processes; middle pair ( Figs. 47, 49 View FIGURES 47–51 : cjm) membranous and broader and fused basally, butterfly-shaped; ventral pair ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 47–51 : cjv) broadest, membranous; a pair of processes of aedeagus (= penial lobes) ( Figs. 48–49 View FIGURES 47–51 : pa) sclerotized, basally fused, finger-like, abruptly narrowed towards apex, longer than aedeagus; aedeagus ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 47–51 : ae) short, apex slightly bend towards ventrad, shorter than conjunctival processes and processes of aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 50–56 View FIGURES 47–51 View FIGURES 52–56 ). Terminalia ( Figs. 50–52 View FIGURES 47–51 View FIGURES 52–56 ): Valvifers VIII ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 47–51 : vlf8) subtriangular, disc convex dorsally with inner lateral margins (mesial margins) slightly convex, inner posterior angles rounded.Valvifers IX ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 47–51 : vlf9) transversely elongate, trapezoidal and contiguous with gynatrium. Laterotergite IX ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 47–51 : lt9) elongate, oblique, finger-like with posterior apex narrowly rounded. Laterotergite VIII ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 47–51 : lt8), subtriangular, caudal margin of laterotergite VIII with denticle indistinct. Gynatrium ( Fig. 52 View FIGURES 52–56 ): Spermathecal opening surrounded with an inverted U-shaped sclerite ( Fig. 52 View FIGURES 52–56 : us) from anterior end and short roughly trapezoidal sclerite from posterior end; ring sclerites ( Fig. 52 View FIGURES 52–56 : rs) well developed into transversely elongate, oval-shaped sclerites (medially transparent). Spermatheca ( Fig. 53 View FIGURES 52–56 ): spermathecal dilation regularly, obliquely fluted externally; intermediate part of spermatheca (= spermthecal pump) with distal flange larger than proximal flange; apical receptacle (ar) suborbicular with number of ductules variable ( Figs. 54–56 View FIGURES 52–56 ), ductules branched profusely sometimes with 5–6 branches per ductule ( Fig. 55 View FIGURES 52–56 ).

Measurements (mm). Males (n = 5; median (minimum–maximum)). Body length 16.77 (15.60–16.87); head: length 4.15 (3.94–4.24), width (including eyes) 3.60 (3.43–3.68), interocular width 2.08 (1.98–2.18); lengths of antennomeres: I—1.07 (0.96–1.09), II—2.32 (2.05–2.41), III—2.34 (2.22–2.48), IV—3.15 (2.97–3.28), V—2.36 (2.25–2.49); lengths of labiomeres: I—1.98 (1.97–2.15), II—3.39 (3.11–3.66), III—3.27 (3.19–3.49), IV—1.65 (1.55–1.88); pronotum: length 3.30 (3.13–3.33), width (including humeri) 7.82 (7.27–7.88); scutellum: length 5.80 (5.58–6.00), width (at basal angles) 4.74 (4.53–5.00).

Females (n = 5; median (minimum–maximum)). Body length 17.57 (16.98–18.16); head: length 4.01 (3.99– 4.17), width (including eyes) 3.59 (3.38–3.66), interocular width 2.09 (2.00–2.23); lengths of antennomeres: I— 1.08 (1.03–1.13), II—2.21 (2.01–2.36), III—2.26 (2.18–2.63), IV—3.36 (2.94–3.64), V—2.44 (2.25–2.52); length of labiomeres: I—1.99 (1.89–2.14), II—3.62 (3.38–3.69), III—3.50 (3.42–3.57), IV—1.75 (1.70–2.03); pronotum: length 3.49 (3.18–3.63), width (including humeri) 7.91 (7.63–7.93); scutellum: length 6.06 (5.82–6.35), width (at basal angles) 4.97 (4.76–5.06).

DNA barcode. GenBank accession number MW581664 (1♀, INDIA: Karnataka, Attur, Yelahanka , 15.iv.2019, N 13°05′37.4568″, E 77°33′38.7252″, Salini. S) GoogleMaps .

Bionomics. Adults were found inhabiting bark of trees like Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. ( Fabales : Fabaceae ), Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill. ex. Pierre ( Magnoliales : Magnoliaceae ), and Tabebuia rosea DC. ( Lamiales : Bignoniaceae ). We lack information on its larval feeding.

Distribution. India: Tamil Nadu (‘Nilgiris’ = Nilgiri Hills) ( Ghauri 1982), Karnataka (Bangalore, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur) (new record).

Remarks. This species, was originally described from a specimen which was previously misidentified as a species of Dalpada . According to Ghauri (1982), this species is quite different (especially the male genitalia) from the previous species such that this species can be included at least under a different subgenus provided more species are found. However, this cannot be ascertained unless a holistic revisional study, based on various evidence, involving all the members of ‘ Dalpada complex’, is completed. Therefore, at present, M. salmana is retained under the same genus.