Notoxus variabilis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913

Kejval, Zbyněk, 2011, Taxonomic revision of the Oriental species of Notoxus (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 51 (2), pp. 627-673 : 666-671

Notoxus variabilis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913

( Figs. 48 , 54 , 63, 64, 67 )

Notoxus variabilis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913: 132 , Fig. 3 .

Type locality. South India, Nilgiri hills.

Type material examined. SYNTYPES: 5 JJ, ‘ Nilgiri Hills [h] // TYPE [p; red label] // coll. Heberdey [p] // variabilis det. v.Krekich [p+h]’ ( NHMW) ; 5 JJ, same data, but lacking the 3rd label, and in addition: ‘ Andrewes Bequest B.M. 1922-221.’ ( BMNH) .

Additional material examined. INDIA: MAHARASHTRA: 2 JJ, 40 km W of Pune, Mulshi env., 12.–15.x.2005, J. Bezděk leg. ( ZKDC) ; 4 JJ, same data, except: 9.–11.x.2005, L. Borowiec leg. ( ZKDC, DBET) ; 1 J, 6 km NE of Mahabaleshwar, Kate’s Point , 19.x.1985, C. W. & L. B. O’Brien leg. ( DCDC) .

Diagnosis. Small, slender species, rather variable in colouration; head with small eyes, its latero-basal outlines moderately rounded in dorsal view; pronotal disc evenly convex (not produced posteriorly), unwrinkled, rather glossy, finely and sparsely punctured; pronotal horn moderately long and slender, with small, densely spaced lobules on margins; horn crest only moderately raised, but well-marked laterally by series of rather densely spaced lobules ( Fig. 54 ); punctures of elytra rather shallow, moderately dense, their margins finely sculptured (not quite smooth).

Male characters (Maharashtra, Mulshi). Elytra clearly modified apically, subtruncate, with distinct gland opening near moderately angled margin ( Fig. 67 ); legs simple; abdominal sternum VII simple; aedeagus as figured ( Fig. 48 ).

Variation. Body length (J ♀) 2.6–3.4 mm. Elytra largely brownish, with paired, more or less distinct posthumeral and subapical spots ( Fig. 63 ; most syntypes, Kate’s Point), or largely pale reddish to yellowish, darkened on suture and lateral margins, with indication of scutellar and rounded median spot at mid-length (Mulshi; Fig. 64 ), rarely solid brown. Pronotal horn with 4–7 lobules laterally on each side; subapical and apical lobules may be nearly fused.

Distribution. India: Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra ( UHMANN 1993, TELNOV 1999).

Remarks. KREKICH- STRASSOLDO (1913) described Notoxus variabilis from an unstated number of specimens deposited in the collection of H. L. Andrewes and in the NHMW. Male characters were described and figured by KREKICH- STRASSOLDO (1928). The records from Rajasthan and Kerala by UHMANN (1993, 1994) are based on the misidentified specimens of N. brunneorufus and N. brinckianus (listed above, deposited in SMNS, ZSMC).

Figures

Figs. 48–51. 48 – Notoxus variabilis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913 (Mulshi), aedeagus. 49–51 – N. ravana sp. nov.: 49 – pronotum in lateral view, 50 – male tergum VIII, 51 – aedeagus. Scale (0.5 mm).

Figs. 52–60. 52–58 – pronotal horn in dorsal view: 52 – Notoxus brunneorufus Bonadona, 1989 (Pachmarhi); 53 – N. impavidus sp. nov.; 54 – N. variabilis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913 (Mulshi); 55 – N. noctivagus Krekich- Strassoldo, 1913 (Punjab); 56 – N. sinensis Pic, 1907 (Xishan); 57 – N. pachodemba sp. nov.; 58 – N. safraneki sp. nov.; 59 – N. inbasaliformis sp. nov., head in dorsal view; 60 – N. psammophilus Telnov, 2007 (Cam Ranh Bay), the same.

Figs. 61–75. 61–64 – elytra: 61–62 – Notoxus noctivagus Krekich-Strassoldo, 1916 (61 – Karadj, 62 – Punjab); 63–64 – N. variabilis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913 (63 – syntype, 64 – Mulshi). 65–67 – elytral apices: 65 – N. peguensis Pic, 1914 (Myitkyina); 66 – N. psammophilus Telnov, 2007 (Cam Ranh Bay); 67 – N. variabilis (Mulshi). 68 – N. ales Telnov, 2007 (Ban Nape), laterobasal fovea of sternum III; 69–70 – N. ravana sp. nov.: 69 – laterobasal fovea of sternum III; 70 – apex of elytron. 71–72 – N. ales (Ban Nape): 71 – male sternum VII; 72 – punctation of elytra (basal half). 73 – N. impavidus sp. nov., the same. 74 – N. donckieri Pic, 1908 (Phuyen Binh), male protibia. 75 – N. hilaris sp. nov., the same.

Figs. 1–5. 1–2 – Notoxus psammophilus Telnov, 2007 (Cam Ranh Bay): 1 – aedeagus; 2 – paramere in lateral view. 3–5 – N. assamensis Krekich-Strassoldo, 1913 (Renok): 3 – metatarsus; 4 – aedeagus; 5 – median lobe in lateral view. Scale (0.5 mm): A – Fig. 3; B – Figs. 4, 5; C – Figs. 1, 2.