Ochicanthon loebli (Paulian)

Latha, Mathews, Cuccodoro, Giulio & Sabu, Thomas K., 2011, Taxonomy of the dung beetle genus Ochicanthon Vaz-de-Mello (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of the Indian subcontinent, with notes on distribution patterns and flightlessness, Zootaxa 2745, pp. 1-29 : 13-14

Ochicanthon loebli (Paulian)

( Figs. 31–35 )

Phacosoma loebli Paulian, 1983: 58 .

Description. Body ( Fig. 31 ) predominantly dark brown with a light green metallic shine. Punctation on dorsal surface of head consisting of simple setiferous punctures separated by interval of about two times their diameter. Pronotum in lateral view weakly convex, outline at base almost in line with that of elytral suture; laterobasal paramarginal ridge absent. Pronotal punctation ( Fig. 32 ) similar to that on head, but finer and sparser; setae almost indistinct, straight and recumbent. Elytra in lateral view moderately convex; suture not raised; striae shallow, narrow, consisting of long straight sulci without depressions ( Fig. 32 ); interstriae fairly flat, very finely and unevenly punctate; setae very fine, straight and recumbent; background microsculpture smooth; lateral ridge posteriorly extended to level of apex of third stria. Mesosternum impunctate; meso-metasternal line angulate in the middle; metasternal shield with even, fine sparse punctures ( Fig. 33 ). Pygidium fairly smooth, scarcely covered with very fine setiferous punctures. Protrochanter with outer margin arcuate. Hind wings absent.

Male lacking obvious secondary sexual characters. Aedeagus as in Figs 34–35 .

Measurements (mm; n = 4): TL = 3.8–4.4; BW = 2.1–2,6; PL = 1.2–1.3; PW = 2.0–2.3; EL = 2.1–2.4.

Material examined. Holotype (male, MHNG): “ India, Madras, Palni Hills, 10 km NW Kodaikanal, 2150m, 15.xi.1972, leg. Besuchet, Löbl & Mussard, #27” [sifting at forest edge with ferns and Rhododendron , near a river].

Additional material (3, MHNG): “ India, Madras, Palni Hills, Kodaikanal, 2200m, 12.xi.1972, #23” [sifting in degraded forest with Rhododendron ], 2 males and 1 female.

Distribution and natural history. South India (Kodaikanal, in the South Western Ghats montane rain forest ecoregion).

Diagnosis. Presence of elytral striae consisting of long straight sulci without depressions is unique to O loebli . The close proximity of two distinctly different wingless species ( O. devagiriensis and O. loebli ) in nearby mountain peaks in the South Western Ghats montane rain forest ecoregion point towards local endemism and isolation in the montane habitats. See diagnosis under O. besucheti .

Figures

FIGURES 31 – 35. Ochicanthon loebli (holotype). Dorsal habitus (31); base of pronotum and elytra (32); mesosternum and metasternum (33); aedeagus (paratype), ventral view (34); aedeagus, lateral left view (35). Scale bars = 1 mm.