Styphlomerus ruficeps Chaudoir, 1876

Akhil, S. V. & Thomas, Sabu K., 2019, New Species of Bombardier Beetles of the Genus Styphlomerus Chaudoir, 1875 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Southern India, with a Key to the Indomalayan and Palearctic Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (2), pp. 465-471 : 470

Styphlomerus ruficeps Chaudoir, 1876 ( Fig. 1a )

Styphlomerus ruficeps Chaudoir 1876: 91 ; Andrewes 1930: 321; Hrdlička 2003: 218, 2017b: 471.

Specimens Examined. Syntype, labeled “ ruficeps Chaudoir ‘Coromandel’”, in MNHN .

Description. Length: 6.0 mm. Color: Head, pronotum, lateral bead of pronotum, scutellum, region around scutellum, and prosternum dull brick red; elytra opaque and greyish black; abdomen and antennae reddish brown; 1 st and 2 nd palpomeres red, 3 rd and 4 th black; legs reddish yellow. Head: Densely punctate, pubescent with golden brown setae; eyes protruding. Pronotum: Broader than long, wider than head with eye, punctate and rough with deep transverse wrinkles that are more distinct on midregion, sparsely pubescent; basal and apical margins sinuate, apical margin with lateral anterior projection, basal margin closely dentate; disc laterally with anterior 2/3 strongly convex and posterior third slightly widening towards base, basal angles obtuse, slightly protruding laterally; lateral bead wide; median groove shallow, not reaching basal and apical margins. Scutellum: Triangular, wide, bordered with lateral bead, punctate, pubescent. Elytra: Rectangular, subparallel, longer than broad; disc matt, rough with punctures, densely pubescent with pale golden yellow setae that are denser laterally; humerus pronounced, corners rounded; not striate.

Geographical Distribution. INDIA: Uttarakhand state: Dehra dun ; Maharashtra state: Nagpur ; Karnataka state: Chikkaballapura. Coromondel ; Tamil Nadu state: Palani Hills. Old ‘ Madras’ province ; Kerala state: Nilambur .

Remarks. Styphlomerus ruficeps with its nonstriate elytra is easily differentiated from all other Indian Styphlomerus , all of which have striate elytra.

Figures

Fig. 1. Styphlomerus species. a) S. ruficeps, type in MNHN, b) S. fusciceps, type in NMPC, c) S. fusciceps, variant form, d) S. devagiriensis, holotype, e) S. striatus, holotype, f–g) S. striatus, aedeagus, right and left lateral views, respectively.