Microleptes gowrishankari Ranjith & Humala sp. nov.

Figs 5, 6

Material examined.

Holotype • female, India: Karnataka, Chamarajanagar, Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve, Gombekallu, 11°54.363'N, 77°11.235'E, evergreen forest, Malaise trap, 3.iv–16.v.2006, coll. Priyadarsanan, D. R. (ZSIK) Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.27407 . Paratype, 1 female with same data as holotype (AIMB) .

Description.

Holotype, female. Body length 5.6 mm, fore wing length 3.6 mm.

Head. Head 1.3 × as wide as long in frontal and dorsal views (Fig. 5 B, C); face flat, punctate, elevated anteriorly below antennal sockets, setose, 2.4 × as wide as long, 0.6 × as wide as head (Fig. 5 B); clypeus strongly transverse, smooth with lower margin convex (Fig. 5 B); tentorial pits transverse (Fig. 5 B); malar space strongly reduced, 0.3 × basal width of mandible (Fig. 5 B); mandible broad with single broad tooth (Fig. 5 B); temple smooth, sparsely setose (Fig. 5 A); frons and vertex smooth and sparsely setose (Fig. 5 C); eye glabrous, 1.2 × as long as temple in dorsal view (Fig. 5 A – C); OOL: diameter of lateral ocellus: POL = 2.0: 1.0: 1.4; antenna with 14 flagellomeres, scape subcylindrical, pedicel bulb-shaped (Fig. 5 A, B); medial flagellomeres strongly transverse; first flagellomere 1.8 × as long as second flagellomere, 1.3 × as long as wide apically; second flagellomere 0.6 × as long as wide.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 2.1 × as long as high (Fig. 5 E); dorsal part of pronotum transversely striate medially (Fig. 5 D), pronotum laterally smooth and polished (Fig. 5 E); mesoscutum flat in lateral view (Fig. 5 E), smooth with setiferous punctures, and a pair of elongate pits postero-laterally (Fig. 5 D); notaulus present anteriorly (Fig. 5 D); scuto-scutellar groove smooth without wrinkles (Fig. 5 D); scutellum smooth, setose (Fig. 5 D); mesopleuron smooth, setose (Fig. 5 E); mesopleural furrow narrowly crenulated (Fig. 5 E); epicnemial carina present, joining with subtegular ridge and forming an interrupted, faintly crenulated groove anteriorly (Fig. 5 E); metapleuron smooth with transverse wrinkles medially, sparsely setose (Fig. 5 E); propodeum smooth basally, irregularly punctate laterally, rugose in posterior half; area superomedia parallel-sided, smooth in anterior half, irregularly transversely striate posteriorly; costula lacking; posterior transverse carina present, pleural carina complete (Fig. 5 F).

Legs. Femora robust (Fig. 5 A); hind coxa smooth; hind femur 2.8 × as long as wide; hind tibia 3.4 × as long as wide; hind basitarsus 3.8 × as long as wide.

Wings. Wings hyaline (Fig. 6 D); pterostigma 2.6 × as long as wide; fore wing vein 2 r & RS joining to middle of pterostigma, 1.6 × as long as 2 rs-m; vein 2 rs-m 2.0 × as long as portion of M between 2 rs-m and 2 m-cu, and 0.6 × as long as 2 mc-u; vein 1 cu-a distinctly postfurcal (Fig. 6 D); hind wing with nervellus (vein CU) intercepted in middle.

Metasoma. First tergite faintly sculptured medially, setose, with indistinct dorsal carina, 1.7 × as long as its maximum width; spiracle situated at middle of tergite (Fig. 6 A, B); second tergite with distinct thyridium, smooth, setose, 0.9 × as long as wide posteriorly (Fig. 6 B); third tergite smooth, setose, 0.75 × as long as wide posteriorly (Fig. 6 B); tergites 4–7 smooth, setose (Fig. 6 B); hypopygium straight posteriorly, with long setae (Fig. 6 C); ovipositor hardly exposed, its sheath setose, 0.2 × as long as hind tibia (Fig. 6 A – C).

Colour. Body predominantly black; antenna, mandible, tegula; pterostigma, wing veins, coxae, metasoma dark brown; maxillary and labial palps and legs (except coxae) yellow.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

India.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Dr. P. Gowri Shankar, founder director of Kalinga Foundation, Karnataka, India for his exceptional and unparalleled works, contributions to the study of the King Cobra over the past two decades, his contributions towards to the advancement of herpetology and his unwavering support to APR during Siang Expedition 2022.

Comparative diagnosis.

Apart from the differences given in the key, the new species can be distinguished from M. chiani sp. nov. by the following characters: head 1.3 × as wide as long in anterior view (1.6 × in M. chiani sp. nov.), face 2.4 × as wide as long (1.7 × in M. chiani sp. nov.), epicnemial area with incomplete groove behind epicnemial carina (with complete groove in M. chiani sp. nov.) and area dentipara of propodeum wider than long (longer than wide in M. chiani sp. nov.).