Luprops devagiriensis, Sabu, Thomas K., Merkl, Ottó & Abhitha, Prabhakar, 2007

Sabu, Thomas K., Merkl, Ottó & Abhitha, Prabhakar, 2007, A new Luprops species from Western Ghats with redescriptions and identification key to the species of Indian Peninsula and Sri Lanka (Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae: Lupropini), Zootaxa 1636, pp. 47-58 : 55-56

Luprops devagiriensis sp. n.

( Figs 8 , 12 , 16 , 21 )

Description. Reddish brown with elytra slightly bronze, with decumbent setae ( Fig. 21 ). Head with slightly emarginated labrum and indistinct fronto-clypeal suture. Clypeus and frons flat, without distinct demarcation, with large dense punctures in the centre. Vertex with comparatively smaller punctures. Punctural interspaces of head microreticulate. Genae prominent, with anterolateral portion glabrous and shiny. Anterior edge of the eye slightly divided by genal canthus. Eye diameter longer than length of temple in dorsal view. Laterally, width at the narrowest point of eye equal to 5 ommatidia. Gula triangular, glabrous. Antenna extending to middle of prothorax, second antennomere smallest; terminal antennomere twice as long as wide. (Most of the antennae were broken off and lost after the process of description.)

Pronotum cordiform, nearly as long as wide, broader anteriorly than posteriorly, widest immediately before the middle; Anterior angles broadly rounded, anterior margin slightly concave ( Fig. 12 ); posterior angles obtuse. Lateral margins of pronotum weakly undulate; base nearly straight. Punctures on lateral region large and more denser than those on disc of pronotum. Punctures on pronotal disc sparse and deep. Punctural interspaces with distinct microreticulation. Scutellum wider than long, with narrowly rounded apex, punctured.

Elytra simple, evenly convex, twice longer than pronotum, widest behind middle. Surface covered with shallow punctures of uniform size, interstices between punctures slightly convex.

Prosternal process narrow, convex in midline along the entire length, widening posteriorly behind coxae ( Fig. 16 ), with very sparse fine punctures, reddish brown in colour, shining. Epipleura abruptly narrowed beyond metacoxal region, strongly punctured. Posterior border of mesosternum with sharp edged notch. Metasternum with punctures sparser and smaller at centre than laterally Abdominal ventrites with more punctures than metasternum. Legs long; nearly half of middle and hind femora extend beyond elytral margin. Aedeagus with apicale twice longer than wide, gradually tapering from base in straight line, apex truncate ( Fig. 8 ).

Measurements (in mm; n=1): total length 6.8, maximum width of elytra 2.6, maximum length of pronotum 1.5, maximum width of pronotum 1.9, maximum length of elytra 4.2.

Type material. Holotype male (female unknown): India, Kerala, Wayanad District, Thirunelly, montane evergreen forest litter (shola), 1200 m, 7. IX. 2003, Winkler litter sifting, Vinod K.V. Deposited in the collection of the St. Joseph's college, Devagiri, Calicut, Kerala, India (SJC).

Distribution. India (Kerala). First record of a Luprops species from the wet montane rainforest in Western Ghats and also from a high elevation site in South India.

Etymology. Named after the locality of St. Joseph's College, Devagiri where the research work leading to various aspects of Luprops is being carried out.

Remarks. The new species is closely related to L. gracilior with lateral margins of pronotum weakly undulate and obtuse posterior angles, but can be distinguished by the narrow prosternal process, convex in midline along the entire length, with very fine and uniform-sized punctures; punctural interspaces of pronotum with microreticulation, body reddish brown and aedeagus with apex truncate. Although the single available specimen is incomplete, the most important distinguishing features are visible, which may justify the description of the new species.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 8. Apical part of aedeagus: 4. Luprops rugosissimus Kaszab, 1980; 5. Luprops tristis (Fabricius, 1801); 6. Luprops curticollis Fairmaire, 1896; 7. Luprops gracilior Fairmaire, 1896; 8. Luprops devagiriensis sp. n. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Head and pronotum, in dorsal view: 9. Luprops tristis (Fabricius, 1801); 10. Luprops curticollis Fairmaire, 1896; 11. Luprops gracilior Fairmaire, 1896; 12. Luprops devagiriensis sp. n. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 15 – 16. Prosternal process: 15. Luprops gracilior Fairmaire, 1896; 16. Luprops devagiriensis sp. n. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 17 – 21. Habitus: 17. Luprops rugosissimus Kaszab, 1980; 18. Luprops tristis (Fabricius, 1801); 19. Luprops curticollis Fairmaire, 1896; 20. Luprops gracilior Fairmaire, 1896; 21. Luprops devagiriensis sp. Not scaled.