Iphita coimbatorensis ( Distant, 1919 )

Stehlík, Jaroslav L. & Kment, Petr, 2014, Riegeriana, a new genus for Physopelta apicalis, and checklist of the genus Iphita (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Largidae) with description of one new species, Zootaxa 3860 (2), pp. 167-183 : 172-173

Iphita coimbatorensis ( Distant, 1919)

( Fig. 24 )

Dindymellus coimbatorensis Distant, 1919: 221 –222. Lectotype: ♂, South India, Coimbatore (BMNH). Designated by Ahmad & Abbas (1992), see Comment below.

Iphita coimbatorensis (new combination): Blöte (1931: 101).

Type material examined. Lectotype: ♂, ‘Type [p, white label with red margin] // 64 / 7 [hw, white label] // 647 [hw, white label] // 6. VI. 12 [hw] / South India / Coimbatore / T. V. R. Coll [p, white lable] // S. India. / E.A.Butler. / 1915–60. [p, white label] // Dindymellus / coimbatorensis / typus Dist. [hw, white label] // LECTOTYPUS: Dindymellus / coimbatorensis Distant, 1919 / desig. Ahmad & Abbas (1992) by / inference of holotype; labelled: / J.L. STEHLÍK & P. KMENT 2013 [p, red label]’ (BMNH). The lectotype is pinned through scutellum, both antennomeres 4 and right metatarsus missing; pygophore dissected, stored in glycerol in a small glass microvial attached to the same pin.

Additional material examined. INDIA: Karnataka: Western Ghats Mts., Kollur env., 30 km SSE Bhutkal, 26.–28. v.2006, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, V. Ryjáček lgt., J. L. Stehlík det. ( VRPC). Kerala: Pompa, Sabramila, 09°24.9′N 77°03.9′E, 3. v.2005, 1 ♂ 4 ♀♀, M. Halada lgt., Z. Jindra det., J. L. Stehlík revid. ( NMPC, ZJPC). Orissa: Berhampur, Atkinson Coll., 92–6, 1 ♀, J. L. Stehlík det. ( BMNH). Puducherry: Pondichéry [= Puducherry], no details, 1 ♀, P. Kment det. ( MNHN). Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, 1. vii.1912, 1 ♂, T.V.R. Coll., T.V.Campbell Coll., B.M.1930–599, P. Kment det. ( BMNH); Coimbatore, 20.v.1913, on Trewia , 1 ♀, T.V.R. Coll., T.V.Campbell Coll., B.M.1930–599, P. Kment det. ( BMNH); Mont Kodikanel [= Kodaikanal], 1899, 11 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀, Coll. Noualhier, J. L. Stehlík & P. Kment det. ( MNHN); Trichinopoli [= Tiruchirappalli], 1898, 71 ♂♂ 74 ♀♀, Coll. Noualhier, J. L. Stehlík & P. Kment det. ( MNHN, NMPC); Trichinopoli, no date, 1 ♀, Coll. E. de Bergevin, P. Kment det. ( MNHN). West Bengal: Calcutta 1899, 1 ♀, R. Oberthür Coll., J. L. Stehlík det. ( MNHN); Calcutta, Distant Coll., 1911–383, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, J. L. Stehlík det. ( BMNH).

Biology. In one occasion the species was collected on Trewia sp. ( Euphorbiaceae ) in south India (this paper).

Distribution. India (Karnataka; Kerala; Puducherry: Karaikal, Puducherry; Orissa; Tamil Nadu; West Bengal) ( Distant 1919, Ahmad & Abbas 1992, this paper), Laos ( Stehlík 2007a), Thailand ( Stehlík & Jindra 2003).

Comment. Distant (1919) described Dindymellus coimbatorensis without mentioning number or sex of specimens on which the description was based, giving only the type locality and collector: ‘South India; Coimbatore (T. V. Campbell)’. In this situation, ICZN (1999: Recommendation 73F) recommends to ‘proceed as though syntypes exist ... rather than assume a holotype’. However, Ahmad & Abbas (1992), examining a single ‘type’ of D. coimbatorensis , considered it a holotype and listed the attached label to allow identification of the specimen, which action represents a ‘fixation of lectotype by inference of holotype before 2000’ according to ICZN (1999: Article 74.6).

Figures

FIGURES 20 – 24. 20 – 23 — Iphita lata sp. nov.: 20 – 21 — male, holotype, India: Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore (20 — dorsal view, 21 — ventral view), 22 – 23 — female, paratype, India: Kerala: Walayar forest (22 — dorsal view, 23 — detail of pronotum in most exposed view). 24 — Iphita coimbatorensis (Distant, 1919), female, India: Kerala: Pompa, Sabramila, detail of pronotum in most exposed view. (Photos: 20 – 22 — L. Macháčková, 23 – 24 — P. Kment).