Sphaeroderma cruenta Prathapan & Kumari sp. nov. Figs 13, 14

Material examined.

Holotype: ♂: India: Meghalaya: Barapani, 25°41'17.6"N, 91°55'5.1"E; 5.vi.2013, 993 m; Prathapan K D Coll., Ex Banana (BMNH). Paratypes: (17♂, 8♀): India: Meghalaya: Barapani, 25°41'17.6"N, 91°55'5.1"E; 5.vi.2013, 993 m; Prathapan K D Coll., Ex Banana (2 BMNH; 2 USNM; 17 ICAR-NBAIR; 2 NPC; 2 UASB).

Diagnosis.

This species closely resembles S. mandarensis Jacoby (Jacoby 1900: 123-124), from Mandar in West Bengal, India, especially in size, coloration, structure of head and punctation. However, the pronotum is more narrowed anteriorly than in S. mandarensis . The male genitalia are diagnostic (Fig. 14 c–f).

Description.

Entirely red-brown (Fig. 13), except distal antennomeres darker. Length 2.97-3.33 mm, width 2.08-2.26 mm, ca 1.40 × longer than broad. In lateral view, vertex and antennal calli form a gently curved line with an emargination at their meeting point; frontal ridge forms a strongly convex line that joins anterofrontal ridge at an obtuse angle. In frontal view (Fig. 13b), vertex gently convex on sides, flat in middle, with small punctures and indistinct rugosities. Antennal calli subhorizontal, laterally slightly narrower than medially, about twice wider than long, subquadrate. All sulci surrounding antennal calli well developed. Supracallinal sulcus gently convex. Supraorbital pore circular, with a long seta on a convex tubercle, not surrounded by shallow groove. Frontal ridge sharply raised, narrower ventrally than dorsally. Frontoclypeal suture with closely placed, irregularly arranged long setae. Anterior margin of clypeus straight. Frontolateral area concave, without long setae or bold punctures. Anterofrontal ridge poorly developed, not convexly raised. Distance between antennal sockets 0.84 × diameter of a socket, antennal sockets separated from adjacent eye by a distance 0.36 × transverse diameter of a socket. Labrum distinctly wider than long, anterior margin convex, with three pairs of transversely arranged setae.

Maxillary palpi with four palpomeres, penultimate palpomere being thicker and longer than last palpomere. First palpomere smallest, second subequal to last. Labial palpi three-segmented with the second palpomere thicker than last, subequal to last in length. Proportionate length of antennomeres I to XI: 1: 0.61: 0.57: 0.61: 0.74: 0.70: 0.74: 0.70: 0.70: 0.70: 1.09.

Pronotum (Fig. 13c) distinctly narrowed anteriorly, 0.38 × times longer than wide, posterior margin 1.59 × as wide as anterior margin, anterolateral corners only slightly produced forward, not reaching eye. Lateral margin gently and evenly curved, anteriorly as wide as posteriorly. Anterolateral callosity longer than wide, not forming denticle at pore, pore situated on posterior dorsal face of callosity. Posterolateral callosity not laterally protruding. Disc profusely covered with small punctures, much smaller than those on elytra.

Scutellum as broad as long, obtusely narrowed posteriorly, surface very minutely punctate. Elytra as broad as pronotum at basal margin, widening near humerus. Humerus convex, weakly depressed posteriorly. Elytra with a mixture of small and large punctures. Punctures confused, tend to form uncountable rows. Lateral most row regular, followed by one or two countable adjacent rows. Distance between adjacent punctures smaller than diameter of a puncture. Elytral apex convex. Maximum width of epipleura at anterior one-third; subequal to forefemur in width. Epipleura subhorizontal, narrowing posterior to anterior one-third, not reaching elytral apex.

Prosternum widened posteriorly, posterior margin concave medially, slightly depressed on top, setose with coarse shallow punctures. Mesosternum setose, transverse, with concave posterior margin. Metasternum with moderate sized, deep punctures, thickly setose on either side. First abdominal ventrite longest, 2-4 each shorter than fifth separately; fifth longer than preceding two combined, shorter than preceding three combined. Last visible tergite with a shallow groove along middle, not reaching apex. All tibiae with apical spine.

First pro-, meso-, and metatarsomeres slightly wider with capitate setae ventrally in male. In female, all first tarsomeres ventrally with pointed setae. Posterior margin of last ventrite entire in female, forms a lobe notched on either side in middle in male. Last ventrite internally with a longitudinal apodeme along mid-line in male (Fig. 14a), externally visible as a dark line; apodeme absent in female (Fig. 14b).

Male genitalia (Fig. 14 c–f) with aedeagus in lateral view gently bent at middle (Fig. 14c), apex acutely narrowed, recurved (Fig. 14f). In ventral view (Fig. 14d), ventral surface depressed preapically, narrowed to apex, forming a broad denticle. Dorsal side (Fig. 14e) of aedeagus convex, dorsal opening partially covered by a lamina; a characteristic, narrowly elongate, bifid sclerotization present preapically on dorsal side, it laterally extends forming an internal ring around aedeagus.

Female genitalia with spermathecal receptacle (Fig. 14h, i) 1.5 × as long as broad, outer margin concave, inner margin convex; pump with unsclerotized denticle apically, horizontal part longer than vertical. Duct twisted proximally, curved over receptacle, reaching a little beyond middle of receptacle. Vaginal palpi (Fig. 14j) narrowly connected medially, both together 2.4 × as wide as long. Tignum (Fig. 14g) straight, channeled along middle, gently broadened anteriorly, posterior membranous part broadened greatly with a few short setae along posterior margin, unsclerotized on either side of middle of posterior membranous part.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective in nominative case in reference to the reddish colour of this species.

Distribution.

India (Meghalaya).

Biology.

Adults feed on the foliage of banana ( Musa spp.).