Hydroscapha rajani, Ek, Martin Fiká Č & Šípková, Hana, 2009

Ek, Martin Fiká Č & Šípková, Hana, 2009, New Asian Hydroscapha, with comments on male-female association of co-occuring species (Coleoptera, Myxophaga, Hydroscaphidae), Zootaxa 2286, pp. 31-48 : 40-43

Hydroscapha rajani sp. n.

( Figs 17–24, 30–31 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male ( NMPC): “ INDIA, Meghalaya State (6) / E Khasi Hills, 11 km SW Cherra- / punjee, Laitkynsew, 21.–24.iv. / 2008, 25°12'N 91°40'E, 460m / Fikáček, Podskalská, Šípek lgt. // wet rock with algae/blue algae / and fallen leaves at side of / waterfall on small river surround. / by tropical forest, ca. 200m / upstream from living brigde”. PARATYPE: female ( NMPC): same locality data as the holotype.

Description. Measurements: Total body length: not measured; length of fore body: 0.93 mm (holotype), 0.88 mm (paratype); elytral length: 0.57 mm (holotype), 0.53 mm (paratype); maximum width of elytra combined: 0.57 mm (holotype and paratype).

Colouration: Body uniformly dark brown.

Antenna: Antennomere II 1.85–1.90 times longer than wide; antennomere VIII strongly asymmetrical, 2.1–2.2 times longer than wide.

Male: Sternite V slightly sinuate on posterior margin, bare, with submedial tufts of setae at posterior margin; posterior margin not denticulate. Sternite VI with regularly arranged setae laterally in posterior 0.75, median portion bare; postero-laterally of the posterior emargination with tufts each consisting of large number of setae. Sternite VII with postero-median portion projecting into wide low obtuse lobe, posterior setae arranged into series along posterolateral margins. Aedeagus nearly straight in lateral view, indistinctly narrowing towards apical 12 hundredths of length, then strongly narrowing into obtuse apex.

Female: Sternite VI bilobate, with deep posteromedian emargination. Tergite VI slightly narrowing subapically, posterior portion simply rounded.

Differential diagnosis. Males of this species are unique among Asian Hydroscapha in having aedeagus wide even apically; otherwise they distinctively differ from the remaining species in the combination of characters on abdominal sternites. Females are unique in having abdominal sternite VI with a deep posteromedian emargination unknown in any other Asian Hydroscapha (other species have either trilobate or simply rounded posterior margin of female sternite VI).

Etymology. We dedicate the species to Dr. Priyadarshanan Dharma Rajan (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore, India) to express our support for his contributions and discussions calling attention to the uninformed regulations of taxonomy-related activities in India introduced by current Indian law (see, e.g., Prathapan et al. 2008).

Distribution. The only two known specimens of this species were collected at locality #1 described above, at which they were mixed with specimens of H. khasiorum sp. n.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 23. Hydroscapha rajani sp. n. 18 – 19: aedeagus of holotype, lateral view; 19: male sternite VI; 20: male sterníte V; 21: male sternite VII; 22: female sternite VI; 23: female tergite VI.

FIGURES 24 – 31. Antennae of Hydroscapha species. 24 – 26: H. khasiorum sp. n.; 27 – 28: H. monticola, Indian specimens; 29: H. monticola, paratype; 30 – 31: H. rajani sp. n.