Eulichas meghalayensis Hájek, 2007

Hájek, Ji Ř Í, 2007, Revision of the genus Eulichas Jacobson, 1913 (Coleoptera: Eulichadidae) I. Introduction, morphology of adults, key to subgenera and species groups, and taxonomy of E. funebris species group, Zootaxa 1620, pp. 1-35 : 13-15

Eulichas meghalayensis Hájek , sp. nov.

( Figs. 20 , 36 , 54)

Type locality. India, Meghālaya, W Garo Hills, Tura.

Type material. 5 specimens — Holotype ɗ ( NHMW), labelled: “ NE INDIA: Meghalaya / W Garo Hills / Tura, ca. 700 m // 25°30.7’N 90°13.9’E / 29.– 31.5.1996 / leg. Jendek & Sausa [printed]”. Paratypes: 3ɗɗ (nos. 1–3), same label data as holotype ( NHMW, NMPC); 1ɗ (no. 4), “Khasia [= Khāsi Hills, Meghālaya, India] / Nat. Coll [printed] // MUSÉUM PARIS / 1952 / COLL. R. OBERTHUR [yellow label, printed]” ( MNHN).

Description. Habitus elongate, fusiform. Body colouring brown-blackish in recently collected material, and brownish-red in old specimen from “Khasia”. Pale part of setation consists of recumbent yellowish setae forming typical ocellations on pronotum, elytra and abdominal sternites, where setae are darker and sparser (Fig. 54).

Measurements. Males: 17–20 mm (holotype 20 mm).

Head punctation consists of irregularly distributed moderately large setigerous punctures. Punctures sparse on frons, but become somewhat densely distributed on vertex. Antenna robust, last antennomere 2.00– 2.13 times as long as wide ( Fig. 36 ), its ventral side smooth with numerous small tubercles. Pronotum transverse, ca. 2.10–2.18 times as wide as long. Sides almost regularly rounded. Dorsal surface with two shallow depressions. Punctation consists of moderately large setigerous punctures on the disc, which become coarser and denser laterally.

Elytra with numerous longitudinal rows of large setigerous punctures, and very fine interstitial punctures. Ventral part almost uniformly densely punctured with fine punctures. Last abdominal ventrite laterally rounded regularly to apex.

Male. Aedeagus with phallobase longer than parameres. Parameres short, parallel and simple, their subbasal and subapical hook well developed. Median lobe parallel in basal two thirds of its length and then narrowing shortly to apex ( Fig. 20 ).

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. In habitus, the new species is the most similar to E. funebris , from which it should be distinguished by the different shape of the aedeagus. In E. meghalayensis sp. nov. the median lobe is parallel in basal two thirds of its length and then narrowing shortly to apex.

Distribution. So far known only from the type locality in Meghālaya, north-eastern India.

Etymology. The new species is named after Meghālaya state, where the type locality is located.

Figures

FIGURES 19 – 26. Aedeagus of Eulichas in dorsal view. 19 – E. funebris; 20 – E. meghalayensis sp. nov.; 21 – E. tenuicornis; 22 – E. tonkinensis; 23 – E. undulata; 24 – E. haucki sp. nov.; 25 – E. kubani sp. nov.; 26 – E. pacholatkoi. Scale bar 1.5 mm.

FIGURES 35 – 50. Male antennomeres IX – XI of Eulichas. 35 – E. funebris; 36 – E. meghalayensis sp. nov.; 37 – E. tenuicornis; 38 – E. tonkinensis; 39 – E. undulata; 40 – E. haucki sp. nov.; 41 – E. kubani sp. nov.; 42 – E. pacholatkoi; 43 – E. birmanica sp. nov.; 44 – E. jaechi sp. nov.; 45 – E. strbai sp. nov.; 46 – E. tanahrata sp. nov.; 47 – E. janbezdeki sp. nov.; 48 – E. milleri; 49 – E. mediocris; 50 – E. minuta sp. nov. Scale bar 1 mm.