Tegyrius agasthyai, Prathapan & Viraktamath, 2009

Prathapan, K. D. & Viraktamath, C. A., 2009, Revision of Tegyrius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), with descriptions of eight new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 157 (2), pp. 326-358 : 329-330

TEGYRIUS AGASTHYAI SP. NOV. ( FIGS 1–5 )

Distribution: India (Kerala). Host plant: The holotype was collected on an unidentified species of Piper .

Description: General colour straw brown, except anterior third of elytra piceous, with the piceous colour narrowly extending backwards along the lateral and sutural margin, but not reaching the apex ( Fig. 1 ); distal six antennomeres gradually turn dark piceous, with the last antennomere with a light-brown apex; metafemora dark brown in distal half; all sternites light brown. Head darker than pronotum.

Supraorbital sulcus indistinct. Third antennomere slightly shorter than fourth; fifth equal to fourth; sixth shorter than fifth; sixth to ninth each subequal, tenth slightly shorter than ninth, and last subequal to first; distal five antennomeres indistinctly thicker than preceding ones; antennae reach half of the elytra over the pronotum.

Antebasal transverse impression on pronotum absent, except for a very faint impression evident laterally on either side. Punctures in antebasal transverse impression not stronger than those on rest of pronotum. Intercoxal prosternal process with preapical depressions, apical margin convex. Prosternal intercoxal process 2.0 times wider than the distance between the anterior margin of the prosternum and the coxal cavity; distance from anterior margin of prosternum to end of intercoxal prosternal process 2.5 times the minimum width of the prosternal intercoxal process.

Mesoscutellum broader than long, apex rounded. Mesosternum flat on top, lateral edges raised, posterior margin concave. Elytra with maximum width at the middle; elytral apex convex, moderately broad; elytral punctures weak, not forming rows, distance between adjacent punctures 0.33–2.5 times the diameter of a puncture. First metatarsomere hardly as long as half of the metatibia. Subparallel ridges on the first abdominal ventrite extend beyond one-third of the ventrite, but do not reach the middle of the ventrite, and apparently converge distally ( Fig. 2 ).

Male unknown.

Last female tergite with longitudinal groove. Vaginal palpus with distal sclerotization shorter than proximal sclerotization, lateral membranous area subequal to proximal sclerotization ( Fig. 4 ). Spermatheca with horizontal part of pump longer than vertical part; receptacle slightly longer than twice the width, with the inner and outer sides convex; duct originates along the long axis, and is highly convoluted ( Fig. 3 ). The distal sclerotization of the tignum is broader than long ( Fig. 5 ).

Measurements (n = 1): Length, 2.18; width, 1.27; length of pronotum, 0.58; width of pronotum, 0.79; width of head across eyes, 0.57; transverse diameter of one eye, 0.22; distance between eyes, 0.24; distance between eye and antennal socket, 0.04; distance between antennal sockets, 0.07; diameter of one antennal socket, 0.07; length of receptacle, 0.21; length of vaginal palpus, 0.47.

Types: Holotype ♀. Labels: (1) India, Kerala, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary ( WLS), 8 February 2002, collected by (coll.) K. D. Prathapan; (2) Tegyrius agasthyai sp. nov. Prathapan & Viraktamath, 2007; (3) holotype ( BMNH).

Etymology: This species is named after the mythical saint-healer Agasthya, after whom the Agashthyamalai Hills are named. The type locality forms the core area of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere.

Remarks: Tegyrius agasthyai sp. nov. is unique in having bicoloured elytra. Among the Indian Tegyrius , this is the only species without a well-developed antebasal transverse impression on the pronotum. Most probably this is an endemic species of the Agasthyamalai Hills, where the extent of endemism is the highest in mainland India.

Figures

Figures 1–5. Tegyrius agasthyai sp. nov.: 1, elytra; 2, intercoxal ridges on the first abdominal ventrite; 3, spermatheca; 4, vaginal palpi; 5, tignum.