Parathlibops devagiriensis, Aswathi, Thomas, and Aswathi, 2022

Aswathi, S. B., Thomas, Sabu K. & Aswathi, P., 2022, A New Apterous Species of the Genus Parathlibops Basilewsky (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Scaritinae) from the Western Ghats, a Global Hotspot of Biodiversity in Southwest India, The Coleopterists Bulletin 76 (4), pp. 584-588 : 585-588

PARATHLIBOpS devAgIRIenSIS Aswathi, Thomas, and Aswathi , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F4BDCF7E-34DB-4C1D-A5C7-885177BD709E Figs. 1 , 2

Type Specimen. Holotype labeled “ Holotype, Male, India: Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore: Ettimadai , Alt. 310 MSL (1033 ft), Handpicked , 08.IX.2015, coll. S. V. Akhil & V. A. Jithmon ”, deposited in ZSIC.

Description. ABL = 12.54 mm. Color: Head, pronotum and elytra black; antennae and tarsi brownish black; supra-antennal plates brownish; maxillary and labial palpi brownish. Head ( Fig. 2c ): Subquadrate, not smooth, micropunctate, wider than long, irregularly carinate and densely rugose. Well defined central tubercle on head, with ω-shaped carina behind the central tubercle. Sides of the central tubercle with clearly visible longitudinal carinae; neck constriction punctate. Moderately deep longitudinal lines on the vertex meet with the neck constriction. Labrum with median lobe slightly advanced, without setigerous pore, lateral lobes with single seta. Mandibles stout, with small, prominent basal tooth, not striated, with incomplete carinae along the median line; with arrow-shaped space between right and left mandibles. Antenna moniliform, short, pubescent on all faces from antennomere 5 onwards. Eye enclosed by gena, moderate in size. Gena extended forward beyond eye into a subacute tooth. Supra-antennal plate rounded at the angle, projecting laterally. Frontoclypeal suture indistinct. Clypeus with two parallel ridges. Clypeus emarginate, with a tooth on each side of emargination. Labial palpus bisetose on the penultimate segment. Mentum with pair of deep pits ( Fig. 2d ) and isodiametric microsculpture, with irregular carinae, median tooth pointed and bordered. Mentum and submentum distinctly visible. Submentum very short, bisetose ( Fig. 2d ), isodiametric microsculpture present. Buccal fissure entire, wide, long and without paragenal tooth, reaching up to submentum, with two setae arising from the buccal fissure. Gula wide, slightly broadening towards prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 2a ): Rough, convex, without microsculpture, longer than wide, transverse line at apex clearly punctate (crenulate-punctate), median line moderately deep, with transverse wrinkles starting from the median line, clearly evident on pronotal disc. Anterior angles emarginate. Hind angles convex, basal sulci short, deep and wider. Lateral edges clearly bordered, base of lateral borders not clearly visible from above due to the convexity of the pronotum. Pronotal basal bead straight, slightly curved at middle where the pronotal median line joins, transverse impression with deep groove running close to the basal bead. Elytra ( Fig. 2a ): Very convex, oblong-oval, broadest slightly behind middle. Striae deep and not crossing the basal declivity, with isodiametric microsculpture, clearly punctate throughout and with coarse punctures towards apex. Scutellary striole absent. Striae 1–4 free at base. Striae 5 and 6 fused at base and apex. Striae 3 and 4, and 5 and 6 fused at some distance before apex. Nine elytral intervals present, convex, costate, impunctate. Interval 1 gradually narrowing towards apex, joining interval 8 at sutural angle. Interval 2 slightly wider than interval 1, joining interval 3 before apex. Intervals 2 and 3 join before apex to form a single interval not reaching the apex. Interval 3, 5, 6 and 7 distinctly carinate, interval 3 most prominent. Intervals 4, 5, 6 and 7 disappearing at some distance before apex. Interval 9 narrowing at base, but slightly wider at apex, intervals 8 and 9 not visible from above due to convexity of elytra. Hind wing: Absent. Legs: Protrochanter setose, profemur short and wide, protibia with 3 lateral teeth, upper 586 one long and blunt at apex, basal protarsomere long from the apex of metatarsomeres 1–4. Venter and slender. Mesotrochanter setose, mesofemur ( Fig. 2b ): Shiny, glabrous. Prosternal ridge entire, with 2 antero-dorsal and 5 antero-ventral setae, me- narrowing toward the apex of the prothorax, with a sotibia with minute denticulations laterally, with a deep, oblique concavity on each side, propleuron few setae laterally and 2 unequal apical spurs. with small punctures. Mesoventrite smooth and Mesotarsomeres with long setae arising from the shiny. Metaventrite smooth. Metanepisternum long, apex of tarsomeres 1–4, basal mesotarsomere lon- with small furrows throughout, isodiametric miger. Metatrochanter without setae, metatibiae with crosculpture present. Abdominal ventrites clearly 3–4 minute lateral denticulations, with 2 unequal punctate laterally and smooth medially. Ventrite 6 spurs (dark brown in color), with long seta arising with very few coarse and small punctures, which are arranged laterally. Aedeagus ( Figs. 2e–h ): Median lobe tapering towards apex and curved downwards, tip of the apex pointed ( Figs. 2e–g ). Parameres symmetrical, long, narrow, apices wide with a few short setae distantly arranged ( Fig. 2h ).

Measurements. Holotype, ABL = 12.54 mm, PL = 3.5 mm, PW = 3.4 mm, EL = 6.4 mm, EW = 3.3 mm.

Geographical Distribution. INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore: Ettimadai.

Collecting Circumstances. Hand collected under stone.

588 Etymology. This species is named in honor of the Andrewes, H. E. 1930. Catalogue of Indian Insects (Part host institution, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), 18. Carabidae ). Government of India Central Devagiri. Publication Branch, Calcutta, 389 pp.

Bulirsch, P., and A.Anichtchenko. 2018a. Contribution to Remarks. Parathlibops devagiriensis , new species

the knowledge of the genus Parathlibops Basilewsis morphologically similar to P. glaber and P.wittmeri . ky, 1958 of Philippines ( Coleoptera : Carabidae : However, it differs from P. glaber and P. wittmeri by Scaritinae ).Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 18(1): having the pronotal disc wrinkled, the pronotal trans- 109–118.

verse impression punctate, the pronotal basal sulcus Bulirsch, P., and A. Anichtchenko. 2018b. Contribution deeply impressed, the pronotal anterior angles slightly to the knowledge of the genus Parathlibops emarginate, the pronotal basal bead slightly curved at Basilewsky, 1958 of the Philippines ( Coleoptera : middle where pronotal median line joins, and the bise- Carabidae : Scaritinae ). Part. 2. Baltic Journal of tose submentum. Coleopterology 18(2): 165–169.

Casale, A. 1980. Ergebnisse der Bhutan-Expedition 1972

des Naturhistorischen Museum in Basel. Coleoptera ACKNOWLEDGMENTS fam. Carabidae , subf. Scaritinae , trib. Scapterini.

Entomologica Basiliensia 5: 5–9.

The financial assistance provided by the Uni- Fedorenko, D. N. 2016. A new subgenus and new species versity Grants Commission (UGC, Govt. of India) of Parathlibops, with notes on morphology and to the first author and infrastructure facilities taxonomy of Scapterina (Coleoptera: Carabidae: available from DST-FIST, Government of India, is Scaritini). Russian Entomological Journal 25 (4):

323–354.

gratefully acknowledged. We thank and rightly

Hogan, J. E. 2012. Taxonomy, Systematics and Biogeogacknowledge Beulah Garner (BMNH) and Dr. raphy of the Scaritinae (Insecta, Coleoptera, Cara- Seraina Klopfstein (BNMH) for their support bidae). PhD Thesis. Oxford Brookes University, with holotype images. We thank D. N. Fedorenko Oxford, UK, 288 pp.

(Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Evo- Lorenz, W. 2005. Systematic List of Extant Ground lutionary Morphology and Ecology of Animals) Beetles of the World. 2 nd Edition. Published by for critical comments. We also thank Dr. Akhil the author, Tutzing, 530 pp.

S. V. (Sanatana Dharma College, Alappuzha), Dr. Lorenz, W. 2021. Carabcat database: Catalogue of Jithmon V. A. and Shigina K. (St. Joseph’s College Life Checklist (version 3 August 2021) Species

2000. Naturalis, Leiden. www.catalogueoflife.org Devagiri, Calicut) for logistical support. (accessed 1 March 2022).

Myers, N., R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, G. A. REFERENCES CITED B. da Fonseca, and J. Kent. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403: Andrewes, H. E. 1929. The Fauna of British India, in- 853–858.

cluding Ceylon and Burma. Coleoptera Carabidae .

Vol. I. Carabinae. Taylor and Francis, London, (Received 22 May 2022; accepted 25 October 2022. 431 pp. Publication date 20 December 2022.)

Figures

Fig. 1. Maps showing the distribution of the genus Parathlibops in India. a) Map of India showing P. devagiriensis, new species (red pin), P. bulirschi (blue triangle), P. glaber (red triangles), P. filiformis (pink triangles), P. puncticollis (purple triangle), P. wittmeri (green triangles), b) Inset showing the type locality of P. devagiriensis, new species.

Fig. 2. Parathlibops devagiriensis, new species, male. Habitus: a) Dorsal view, b) Ventral view. Head: c) Dorsal view: ω-like carination (red arrow) and stout mandibles with arrow-like space (blue arrow), d) Ventral view: mentum pits (red arrow), bisetose submentum (blue arrow). Aedeagal median lobe: e) Lateral view, f) Dorsal view, g) Ventral view. h) Parameres.