Aethina (Idaethina) orientalis ( Nietner, 1856 )

Dasgupta, Jhikmik & Pal, Tarun Kumar, 2022, On Aethina Erichson of Northeast India (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae), Zootaxa 5124 (5), pp. 533-550 : 547

6. Aethina (Idaethina) orientalis ( Nietner, 1856)

Meligethes orientalis Nietner, 1856: 534 ; Nietner, 1857: 384.

Carpophilus longipennis Motschulsky, 1858: 40 . (Synonymised by Kirejtshuk, 1986)

Meligethes respondens Walker, 1859: 53 . (Synonymised by Grouvelle, 1907)

Idaethina nigritula Olliff, 1885 (nec. Reitter): 70. (misidentification).

Macroura respondens: Grouvelle, 1907: 562 .

Macroura longipennis: Grouvelle, 1907: 561 ; Grouvelle, 1908: 378.

Macroura orientalis: Grouvelle, 1907: 561 ; Grouvelle, 1908: 378.

Aethina (Olliffura) orientalis: Kirejtshuk, 1986: 80 .

Aethina (Idaethina) orientalis: Kirejtshuk & Lawrence, 1999: 250 .

Diagnosis. Body ( Figs. 19–20 ) oblong-ovate, dark brown to black, elytra somewhat pale, moderately shiny, apex of pygidium truncate; pronotum with large, round punctures; elytra with somewhat shallow, oval punctures; dorsum covered with sparse, short, grey, setae appressed to surface.

Head transverse, frons feebly depressed; punctation on frons round, distinct, diameter about the size of the eye facets, separated by about 1–2 diameter of punctures; punctures on vertex coarse, round and deep, about 2× the size of eye facets; setae on frons moderately long, sparse and closely appressed; eyes large and moderately projected, about 0.4× as long as exposed part of head, outer margin rounded, finely facetted. Antenna about 1.2× as long as head; antennal club about 1.2× as long as broad, about 0.3× as long as antenna.

Prothorax transverse (l.0: 1.7), anterior margin deeply emarginate; sides arcuate, posterior margin bisinuate, anterior angles sharply obtuse, posterior angles somewhat pointed. Pronotum rather convex, surface distinctly punctate, punctures distinct, separated on top of pronotal disc by 0.25–0.5 diameter; closely appressed, short, grey setae present on disc.

Scutellar shield transverse, about 1.7× as broad as long, boat-shaped with truncate apex, corners rounded; punctures finer than those on pronotum, about the size of eye facet, separated by 1–2 diameter of punctures, setae short, golden, decumbent, posteriorly directed.

Elytra together about 1.1× as broad as long, anterior margin closely fitting with hind margin of prothorax, humeral angles right-angled, sides arcuate, apices separately rounded; punctures shallow, indistinct, almost half as those on pronotum, arranged in linear rows; subsutural line distinct along with few vertical stria visible on elytra; setae short, closely appressed with the surface and posteriorly directed.

Exposed portion of abdominal tergites about 2.6× as broad as long, part of the anal sclerite in males exposed underneath the pygidium; setae short, closely appressed to the surface of the abdomen, posteriorly directed.

Ventral side uniformly chestnut-brown; gular region of head with subparallel antennal grooves running posterad. Distinct axillary space on metaventrite, mesocoxal lines reaching metaventral-metanepisternal suture, nearly twothirds from the base of the suture.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 18 ): Parameres elongated, sub-cylindrical, with rounded apex, short setae present on lateral margins of posterior half. Median lobe elongate parallel-sided, nipple-shaped apex with rounded tip.

Measurements (in mm): Total length 2.62–2.72, width of head across eyes 0.50–0.51, length of antenna 0.59– 0.62, length and width of prothorax 0.93–0.97 and 1.62–1.72, length and width of elytra together 1.46–1.56 and 1.65–1.69.

Material examined. 7 ex. INDIA: Manipur, Imphal, D. M. College campus (24.81602 ° N, 93.94431°E) , 2 ex., 12.viii.2012, J. Dasgupta, ex. flower; Manipur, Churachandpur , 2 ex., 13.viii.2012, J. Dasgupta, ex. Ipomoea flower; Tripura, South Tripura (23.46546 ° N, 91.64490°E) , 1 ex., 21.iii.2012, J. Dasgupta, ex. Ipomoea flower; Uttar Pradesh, U. P. Basti , 2 ex., 27.xii.1979, ex. flower, Det. by Kirejtshuk, 1981 as Macroura longipennis Motschulsky.

Distribution. INDIA: Manipur (new record), Tripura (new record), Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu; SRI LANKA; INDONESIA: Sumatra.

Figures

FIGURES 19–24. 19, 21, 23, (dorsal habitus): 19, Aethina (Idaethina) orientalis (Nietner, 1856); 21, Aethina (Idaethina) subrugosa (Grouvelle, 1894); 23, Aethina (Circopes) subquadrata (Motschulsky, 1858); 20, 22, 24, (ventral habitus): 20, Aethina (Idaethina) orientalis (Nietner, 1856); 22, Aethina (Idaethina) subrugosa (Grouvelle, 1894); 24, Aethina (Circopes) subquadrata (Motschulsky, 1858).

FIGURES 10–18. 10–17: Aethina (Idaethina) subrugosa (Grouvelle, 1894), line drawings: 10, mandible, dorsal view; 11, maxilla, ventral view; 12, labium, ventral view; 13, labrum, dorsal view; 14, anal sclerite (tergite VIII) and spiculum gastrale; 15, ovipositor; 16, male genitalia: tegmen, ventral view; 17, male genitalia: median lobe, ventral view; 18, Aethina (Idaethina) orientalis (Nietner, 1856) male genitalia: tegmen and median lobe.