Pheropsophus devagiriensis, Venugopal & Thomas, 2019

Venugopal, Akhil S. & Thomas, Sabu K., 2019, Bombardier beetles of the genus Pheropsophus Solier 1833 (Carabidae: Brachininae: Brachinini) from Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 4608 (1), pp. 65-89 : 83-86

Pheropsophus devagiriensis sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 A , 5 A )

Specimens examined (n=6): Holotype, labelled “ Male, India: Tamil Nadu: Courtallam (8.930855°N, 77.268843°E), Hand Picking, from under stones, 14.X.2015, coll. S.V. Akhil ” ; Paratypes, 5 exs., India: Tamil Nadu: Courtallam (8.930855°N, 77.268843°E), 14.X.2015, coll. S.V. Akhil.

Description. TLA: 20.0 mm; TW: 8.1 mm

Colour: Head completely yellow without spots; clypeus (lateral edge brownish black) and labrum yellow with anterior brownish yellow border; fronto-clypeal suture light reddish brown; antennal segments 1–4 yellowish brown and 5–11 dark reddish brown; pronotum black with two large yellow spots on both sides of a narrow but prominent black median furrow, the two spots not reaching the lateral edge, lateral border being black; anterior and posterior margins of pronotum black; elytra with yellow patches including two small, yellow, rounded humeral spots, wide median transverse bands interrupted at suture and extreme apex; apical yellow band of elytra very narrow, just a small, fine yellow line; scutellum black; legs with coxa, trochanter, femur and tibia pale reddish yellow, tarsal end of tibia reddish brown, first tarsi with middle portion yellow and rest reddish brown, tarsi 2–5 reddish brown; claws dark brown; underside of head completely yellow; lateral side of the thorax with pale reddish yellow spot in the form of “T”; metasternum reddish yellow posteriorly and reddish brown anteriorly; metepisternum reddish yellow; rest of the ventral region brownish black.

Head: Eyes prominent and protruding; labrum convex anteriorly; vertex with long supra orbital setae. Third antennal segment longer than segments 1 and 2 combined. Mandibles wide but short, protruding beyond the labrum; mandibular scrobe unisetose. Palpi pubescent with terminal segment dilated. Submentum setose with 4–5 long and 10–12 short setae. Gular sutures diverging.

Pronotum: Narrowed posteriorly; sides rounded in the anterior half and parallel behind; beaded dark lateral margin; anterior and posterior margin straight; disc finely punctate but glabrous except for very few brown setae along lateral edges; anterior and posterior margins each with a fringe of short dense setae

Elytra: convex on sides; with almost erased humerus; base narrower than apex, broadest just before apex. All nine striations (counting from the suture) well marked. Elytra very sparsely punctate with 1–3 setae on each intervals and a row of short yet sparse setae near apex.

Abdomen: finely pubescent.

Male Genitalia: Aedeagus with median lobe stout, low degree of curvature (only slightly curved); apex round- ed, blunt.

Measurements: Holotype Male, TLA= 20 mm; TLB= 17.7 mm; TW= 8.1 mm; PL = 3.6 mm; PW = 3.7 mm; EL = 10.2 mm. Paratype Female, TLA= 21 mm; TLB = 16.8 mm; TW= 7.2 mm; PL = 3.6 mm; PW = 3.5 mm; EL = 9.6 mm

Type material: Holotype male: India: Tamil Nadu: Courtallam (8.930855°N, 77.268843°E), 14.X.2015, handpicked from under stones, coll. S.V. Akhil, deposited at ZSIC . Paratypes: 1 male, 4 females, Tamil Nadu, Courtallam (8.930855°N, 77.268843°E), 14.X.2015, from under stones

Geographical distribution. India: Tamil Nadu: Courtallam (Moist south Western Ghats eco-region)

Collecting circumstances: All the six specimens were handpicked from under stones near to a stream.

Etymology: This species is named after the host research institution.

Remarks. Pherosophus devagiriensis sp. nov. is very similar to P. hilaris but differs from it by head entirely yellow, pronotum with bright yellow spot not reaching the lateral margin, lateral margin black, pronontal median furrow deep, disc glabrous and shiny, elytral humeral spot very small, elytral yellow apical band narrow.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Dorsal habitus of– A) Pheropsophus devagiriensis sp. nov. (Male, ‘India: Tamil Nadu: Courtallam’, Holotype), B) P. indicus sp. nov. (Male, ‘India: Kerala: Palakkad’, Holotype)

FIGURE 5. Pheropsophus male genitalia, Right lateral aspect–A) Pheropsophus devagiriensis sp. nov. (Holotype, ‘India: Tamilnadu: Courtallam’), B) P. indicus sp. nov. (Holotype, ‘India: Kerala: Palakkad’), C) P. bimaculatus (‘India: Kerala: Nilambur’), D) P. lissoderus (‘India: Kerala: Kalpetta’), E) P. occipitalis (‘India: Kerala: Kalpetta’), F) P. picicollis (‘India: Kerala: Chelari’), G) P. sobrinus (‘India: Kerala: Palakkad’), H) P. tripustulatus (‘India: Kerala: Nilambur’). Scale Bar 1 mm.