Iphita nigris Ahmad & Abbas, 1992

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 : 180

Iphita nigris Ahmad & Abbas, 1992

Iphita nigris Ahmad & Abbas, 1992: 234 –235.

Holotype: ♀, India: ‘ Kaziranga, Assam’ , ‘ 7-5-1976 ’, ‘Wiltmer Barone Urb’ ( NHMB –see the note).

Note. According to D. Wyniger (pers. comm.), this specimen was part of the loan of 485 Heteroptera specimens from Himalaya borrowed by I. Ahmad from NHMB in 1984. However, neither the holotype of I. nigris nor any other of the specimens has ever been returned to Basel.

Distribution. India: Assam ( Ahmad & Abbas 1992).

Comments. Ahmad & Abbas (1992) indicated that the holotype is a male, but since only female genitalia were described and figured in the original description, this is obviously an error.

Ahmad & Abbas (1992) did not indicate the etymology of their new species, however, they emphasized black colouration of the body of this species as a key character distinguishing it from its congeners within the Indian fauna, thus leaving no doubt about the intended meaning of the specific epithet. Unfortunately, the species epithet nigris is neither the nominative of the appropriate Latin adjective niger, - ra, - rum (= black) nor any existing Latin noun related to the black colour. However, as the wording of the Code does not allow emendations to such grammatical mistakes (see ICZN 1999: Article 32.5.1) it must remain as ‘correct original spelling’. As such the name nigris should be treated as arbitrary combination of letters and noun in apposition.