Ischalia (s. str.) martensi Paulus, 1971

Kazantsev, Sergey V. & Telnov, Dmitry, 2019, New species of Ischalia Pascoe, 1860 (Coleoptera: Ischaliidae), with a key to aposematically coloured species from continental Asia, and new notes on their mimicry, Zootaxa 4555 (3), pp. 441-450 : 445-446

Ischalia (s. str.) martensi Paulus, 1971

( Figs 9–12 )

Material. Holotype ♂ [ SMF], Chordung b. Jiri Nepal 2900–3100 E.8 / A.9.1970 leg. Dr.J. Martens [handwritten] / Holo- [handwritten] Typus [printed] [label red, black frame] / SMF C 14417 [handwritten] / Senckenberg-Museum Frankfurt / Main [printed] / Ischalia Pseudohomalisus nov. subg. martensi n.sp. H.F. Paulus 1971 [handwritten, label red]; 1♂ [ ICM], E India (Arunachal Pradesh), Eaglenest Wildlife Sanct., 27˚06′20.82′′ N, 92˚25´38.10′′ E, 14.IV.2013, A.G. Duff leg.

Redescription. Male from Arunachal Pradesh. Measurements. Total length: 5.4 mm. Head length: 0.7 mm. Head width: 0.8 mm. Pronotal length: 0.8 mm. Pronotal width: 1.1 mm. Elytral length: 4.2 mm. Elytral width at humeri: 1.9 mm.

Dark brown to black; elytra ochre; pronotum, except at disk, reddish brown; tarsomeres pale brown ( Fig. 9 ).

Head transverse, steeply rounded to narrow parallel-sided neck, with a pair of conspicuous smooth dorsal longitudinal ridges beginning at midlength of eye and reaching head base. Eyes rather small, ca. 2 times longer than wide, separated by ca. 1.5 times their length as viewed from above, noticeably emarginate at antennal insertions. Clypeus transverse, rectangular; frontoclypeal suture represented by abrupt transverse impression. Labrum transverse. Terminal segment of labial and maxillary palps bulbous, strongly securiform. Antennae filiform, reaching basal third of elytra, with antennomere 3 about twice as long as antennomere 2 and about as long as antennomere 4 ( Fig. 9 ).

Pronotum transverse, 1.6 times wider than long, lateral margins parallel in basal half, semi-triangularly converging anteriorly; anterior angles completely rounded, posterior angles strong and acute; pronotal disc with narrow median longitudinal carina in basal two thirds (not reaching anterior third); postmedian transverse depressions nearly straight; two pairs of large and rather deep pores located in transverse depressions in posterior third, first at carina, second half a distance from carina towards lateral margin. Scutellum slightly emarginate distally ( Fig. 9 ).

Elytra glabrous, together ca. 2.5 times longer than wide at humeri, parallel-sided in male, flattened dorsally with lateral costa nearly reaching elytral apex and less strong humeral costa reaching basal two fifths of elytra; dorsal surface densely punctate, punctures relatively large; lateral interstice with four rows of punctures; pubescence short and decumbent ( Fig. 9 ).

First abdominal ventrite with median intercoxal carina in proximal two fifths, penultimate ventrite in male truncate distally. Legs with almost straight femora and conspicuously widened tarsomeres, covered with inconspicuous and sparse whitish pubescence.

Aedeagus elongate, narrow, widest in proximal third, noticeably constricted in distal half; parameral blade distally narrow, parallel-sided and narrowly rounded distally; median lobe slightly longer than parameral blade ( Figs 10–12 ).

Sexual dimorphism. Female is unknown.

Ecology. Previously this species was reported from altitudes of 2900–3100 m. The new Indian record is from 2447 m (according to the Google Earth data based on collecting locality co-ordinates).

Note. This is the first record for India and E Himalayas. This species is currently known from two male specimens (E Nepal and NE India).

Figures

FIGURES 8–13. General view and details of Ischalia spp.: 8—I. (s. str.) holzschuhi sp. nov., holotype female, general view, dorsally, 9—I. (s. str.) martensi Paulus, 1971, male, general view, dorsally, 10—same, invaginated tergite, ventrally, 11—same, aedeagus, ventrally, 12—same, laterally; 13—I. (Eupleurida) sichuanensis Young, 2008, male, aedeagus, ventrally. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.