Telsimia intricata Poorani, 2023

Poorani, J. & Thanigairaj, R., 2023, -- A- - brief- - review- - of- - the- - tribe- - Telsimiini- - (Coleoptera: -- Coccinellidae) -- of- - the- - Indian-subcontinent, -- including- - three- - new- - species- - of- - Telsimia Casey- - from- - South- - India, Zootaxa 5352 (3), pp. 358-380 : 368-371

Telsimia intricata Poorani ,­­sp.­­n.

(Figs 8, 9)

Diagnosis. Telsimia intricata sp. n. (Fig. 8a) is larger than Telsimia pygmaea sp. n. and is distinguished from the latter by the dorsum with distinctly more elongate and very dense pubescence and the presence of a broad, curved, dorsolateral yellow band on each elytron reaching up to the shoulders (Fig. 8a). It also differs from T. pygmaea as follows: head with smaller eyes and slightly narrower frons (Fig. 8c); terminal maxillary palpomere apically narrowed (Fig. 8c); and the male genitalia (Fig. 8h–k) having a triangular penis guide with an acute tip, parameres broader and bilobed with a shorter, lateral lobe (Fig. 8j) and penis with a pair of inward projecting, stout, claw-like projections and a pair of much longer, curved, apical rods (Fig. 8k).

Description. Length: 0.92–1.00 mm; width: 0.76–0.80 mm; TL/TW: 1.18–1.24; PL/PW: 0.33–0.39; EL/ EW: 0.91–0.95. Male. Form broad oval to almost rounded, dorsum strongly convex and densely pubescent with yellowish hairs; hairs on pronotum procumbent, denser on anterolateral areas, hairs on elytra projecting outward. Dorsal side dark brown to black, elytra with a pair of yellowish-orange, broad, curved dorsolateral bands reaching up to the shoulders, nearly as wide as the outer half of each elytron (Fig. 8a). Ventral side (Fig. 8b) dark brown to black, legs dark reddish brown, tarsi yellowish brown; elytral ventrites laterally paler. Head (Fig. 8c) more squarish, 3.94–4.28x as broad as an eye, interocular distance 1.83–2.20x as broad as an eye; punctation on head dense, close near ocular and posterior margins, more widely spaced on middle. Antenna (Fig. 8d) six-segmented, scape largest and longer than broad, antennomeres 2–6 progressively wider and spindle-shaped, 4–6 strongly FIGURE­­8. Telsimia intricata Poorani , sp. n.: a. dorsal view; b. ventral view; c. head; d. antenna; e. abdomen, male; f. abdomen , female; g. coxites; h–k. male genitalia: h. male genitalia (whole); i. tegmen, lateral view; j. tegmen, inner view; k. penis. transverse, terminal antennomere apically broadly rounded and outwardly strongly produced into a narrow, tubular process. Pronotum with anterior margin trapezoidal and almost fully bordered, posterior margin medially sinuate and completely bordered, lateral sides almost straight. Elytral punctures separated by 2–6 diameters, interspaces between punctures smooth. Prosternal process broadly trapezoidal, without carinae (Fig. 8b). Abdomen (Fig. 8e) with five visible ventrites, abdominal postcoxal lines laterally strongly recurved and complete, area enclosed by postcoxal line with reticulate microsculpture with few, sparse punctures; ventrites 2–4 with more or less a single transverse row of punctures in the middle; ventrite 6 broadly trapezoidal, its posterior margin truncate with dense, elongate pubescence.

Male genitalia (Fig. 8h–k) as illustrated, penis guide (Fig. 8j) basally broadest and progressively narrowed and triangular apically, parameres apparently bilobed with a long, broad inner lobe and a shorter outer lobe with a few apical hairs (Fig. 8i, j), longer than penis guide; trabes long with a lamellate apex; penis (Fig. 8h, k) strongly curved with a very broad capsule, a pair of strongly sclerotized inwardly projecting claw-like structures behind middle and a pair of elongate, sclerotized and curved rod-like processes directed outward.

Female. Body outline slightly broader and more rounded than in male, coloration externally similar except abdominal ventrites darker with slightly paler lateral sides. Ventrite 6 broadly conical, posterior margin arcuate (Fig. 8f). Coxites (Fig. 8g) as illustrated.

Material examined. Holotype, male: INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Maruthur, Cuddalore Distr. , N11°29'42.65" E079°36'17.81", 12.ix.2021, on Citrus aurantiifolia infested with indet. Diaspine scales, R. Thanigairaj ( ICAR-NBAIR) ; Paratypes (23): five males and five females, with same data as holotype ( ICAR-NBAIR); India: Tamil Nadu: Maruthur, Cuddalore Dist. , N11°29’42.65” E079°36’17.81”, 22.5.2022, R. Thanigairaj, additional 13 unsexed specimens with voucher codes NRC-AA-4834 to NRC-AA-4846 ( NCBS) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is of Latin origin (Latin ‘ intricatus ’ = entangled, complicated) and is in reference to the complex and intricate structure of the male genitalia, particularly the penis.

Distribution. India: Tamil Nadu.

Immature stages / biology. Telsimia intricata sp. n. was collected in large numbers on acid lime [Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle] infested by unidentified diaspine scales from Maruthur, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu. The life stages are as illustrated (Fig. 9). The eggs are laid singly and are pale yellowish with distinct, hexagonally reticulate microsculpture on the chorion (Fig. 9a, b). The immature stages are superficially similar to those of Telsimia pygmaea sp. n., but the larva (Fig. 9d–l) is pale pinkish yellow with shorter lateral wax filaments and the pupa is also having shorter lateral wax filaments (Fig. 9m). The fully developed larva (Fig. 9g –i, l) is yellowish and has a dorsolaterally flattened body with the thoracic segments having strongly projecting lateral arms and prominent, radiating lateral waxy projections all around the body. As in Telsimia pygmaea sp. n., the larvae seem to be adapted for hiding within narrow crevices on the bark (Fig. 9j). The life cycle from egg to adult emergence took 14–16 days and egg, larval and pupal period lasted 3, 7–8 and 4–5 days, respectively, in laboratory conditions.