Glenea vellayaniensis, Hiremath & Lin, 2021

Hiremath, Sangamesh R. & Lin, Mei-Ying, 2021, Description of two new species of Glenea Newman, 1842 from southern India and reinstatement of Glenea vestalis Heller, 1934 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Saperdini), Journal of Natural History 55 (3 - 4), pp. 205-245 : 208-217

Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov.

( Figures 1–12 )

Type material

Holotype: ♂, (1) India: Kerala / Vellayani / 8.43333333 N, 76.98416667 E / 5 May 2019, at light / S. R. Hiremath Coll. (2) HOLOTYPE/ Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. /des. Hiremath and Lin, 2020 (red label) . Paratypes (2 specimens, both with a white locality label as given below, besides a second pink label: ‘ PARATYPE / Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. /des. Hiremath & Lin, 2020’): 1♀ with label as follows: India: Kerala / Vellayani ; 17. November. 2016/ 8.43333333 N, 76.98416667 E /S. R. Hiremath Coll .; 1♀ with label as follows: India: Kerala / Vellayani ; 5. i. 2017 / 8.43333333 N, 76.98416667 E /S. R. Hiremath Coll.

Description

Male (n = 1) ( Figure 1 ). Body length measured from vertex to elytral apex 6.29 mm; humeral width 1.92 mm.

General body colour reddish brown; head, antennomeres I–II, pronotum, elytra and ventral side of body reddish brown; apical half of mandibles black; anteclypeus and antennomeres III–XI yellowish brown; maxillary and labial palpi, legs (except tarsal claws) yellowish brown; tarsal claws reddish brown.

Head with frons thickly adpressed with cream yellow hairs; outer margin of upper eye lobes on each side of vertex ornamented with transverse, oblong band of adpressed yellow hairs; area surrounding lower eye lobes, gena, postclypeus thickly adpressed with white hairs. Basal half of mandibles adpressed with thick white hairs. Apical half of labrum adpressed with transverse band of pale white hairs; middle portion of labrum adorned with transversely arranged, seven golden yellow suberect setae, setae at middle smaller than remaining. Head slightly wider than pronotum, randomly covered with punctures subequal in size to those on pronotum, medially impressed with a fine dark brown longitudinal sulcus running from postclypeus to vertex. Labrum thick, protruding, longer than anteclypeus, lying over mandibles; mandibles concealed in frontal view; dorsal surface of labrum with a median transverse ridge, followed by a postmedian shallow excavation; apical margin smooth and truncated. Eyes with lower lobes 2.17 times as long as gena, connected to upper lobes by five rows of ommatidia. Antennal tubercles weakly developed, widely separated, with space between them transversely flat.

Antenna with antennomeres I–VII moderately setose beneath with dark brown suberect setae; integument of antennomere I–XI uniformly covered with dark brown and yellowish brown recumbent setae. Antennae surpassing elytral apex near distal end of antennomere VIII, 1.35 times as long as body. Scape thick, cylindrical, slightly narrowed at base, integument uniformly covered with shallow punctures. Ratio of lengths of antennomeres: 1.00: 0.29: 1.35: 1.35: 1.06: 1.00: 0.94: 0.88: 0.88: 0.82: 0.82.

Pronotum with pronotal disc faintly covered with yellowish brown recumbent setae, intermixed with uniformly distributed golden yellow erect setae originating from respective punctures; pronotal disc, on each side, ornamented with a broad, longitudinal, sublateral band of thick, adpressed creamy yellow hairs, turning white postmedially, inner margin of this band distinctly concave at its proximal third; lower lateral sides of pronotum, on each side, just above procoxae ornamented with a broad, longitudinal band of thick adpressed white hairs; basal middle of pronotum ornamented with a short, angulate patch of thickly adpressed hairs, white intermixed with yellow; centro-notal area with pubescence of white and yellowish brown disposed into a faint, median, narrow longitudinal band. Pronotum transverse, 1.15 times as wide as long, 0.68 times as long as humeral width; apical margin broader than basal margin; lateral margin on each side slightly swollen at middle and weakly constricted before basal margin. Pronotal disc densely covered with fine punctures; impressed ante-basally with a shallow, transverse groove; pronotal disc just before ante-basal groove, impressed at its middle with a weakly raised, short ridge. Apical margin straight, basal margin weakly sinuate.

Scutellum short, tongue-shaped with distinctly arcuate apex; prominently covered with thickly adpressed yellow hairs.

Elytra uniformly covered with moderately dense, yellowish grey pubescence; elytral disc uniformly intermixed with suberect golden yellow setae arising from respective punctures; outer margin and apex of elytron fringed with single row of golden yellow suberect setae. Elytral disc, on each side, ornamented with pubescent spots arranged as follows: pre-medially with two spots, medially with one and post-medially with four spots along with a short, sub-lateral pubescent band. First premedian spot located at basal quarter, between humeral prominence and scutellum, made up of thick yellow pubescence, large, broadly bean-shaped with white halo on its borders; second premedian spot located sub-laterally at basal third, small, oval, made up of thick white hairs. Median spot largest, placed between sutural and sub-lateral margins, transversely oval, made up of thick yellow hairs bordered with halo of white hairs; anterior margin angulate at its middle, posterior margin obliquely straight. Post-median spots arranged as follows: first and second spots placed obliquely side by side, just behind middle; first spot located along sutural margin, hemispherical, made up of thick yellow hairs bordered with halo of white hairs, antero-laterally joins median spot along sutural margin; second spot touches sub-lateral margin, circular, made up of thick white hairs; third spot at apical third of elytral disc, largest of post-median spots, made up of thick yellow hairs, bordered with halo of white hairs; second and third spots joined laterally along sub-lateral margin by a short, narrow, longitudinal band of white hairs; fourth spot located on elytral apex, transversely oval, subequal in size to first and second post-median spots, made up of thick yellow hairs, anteriorly bordered with narrow band of white hairs. Elytra elongate, 0.68 times as long as body, 3.30 times as long as pronotum, 2.22 times as long as humeral width; broadest at base, gradually narrowed towards apex. Humeral prominence well developed, obtusely ridged. Sublateral margin impressed with a longitudinal carina, slightly curved at basal fourth, originating from humeral prominence, extending to apical third of elytra. Elytral disc dorsally flat, coarsely punctate up to apical third, punctures becoming finer towards apex; elytral apex truncate with sutural angle dentate and marginal angle stretched into acute spine.

Legs with faintly adpressed golden yellow recumbent setae, long and dense on tibiae, interspersed with randomly distributed suberect setae of similar colour. Tarsal claws appendiculate on all legs.

Sternites with median portion of pro-, meso- and metasternum uniformly covered with fine, golden yellow recumbent hairs; mesepisternum, mesepimeron and metepisternum thickly adpressed with creamy white hairs; lateral sides of metasternum thickly adpressed with creamy yellow hairs.

Abdomen with median longitudinal space uniformly covered with golden yellow recumbent hairs. Ventrites I–IV, laterally on each side, ornamented with a large, thickly adpressed white-haired spot. Sternite VII, laterally on either side with a post-basal spot of similar hairs as previous. Abdomen with sternite VII 0.23 times as long as abdomen, 1.33 times as long as previous segment; disc without a medio-longitudinal sulcus; apex weakly emarginate.

Male genitalia ( Figures 4–6 ). Tergite VIII ( Figure 4 ) trapezoidal with apical margin truncated, moderately fringed with light brown elongate setae; lateral margins weakly curved in basal third, fringed with light brown elongate setae from basal third to apex, sparser proximally, denser at distal fourth on inner side; median disc of tergite VIII adorned with randomly distributed light brown, minute, adpressed setae of similar colour. Sternite VIII rectangular, proximal two-thirds with angular reddish brown patch, apex on each side of middle adorned with a transverse patch of medium to elongate, light brown, suberect setae. Spiculum gastrale about 4.43 times as long as spiculum relictum, Y-shaped with median arm slightly longer than lateral arms, distinctly curved at apex; lateral arms obliquely straight, bearing membranous dilation at their distal end. Tegmen ( Figure 5 (a– c)) about 1.43 mm long, curved at middle in lateral view ( Figure 5 (c)). Basal piece present, reddish brown, distally arcuate, entire surface uniformly covered with minute, suberect spinules. Roof present. Ringed part converging, constricted near widest portion; manubrium hollow, thick in appearance due to internally explanated membrane on each side, in both dorsal and ventral planes; constricted just before basal end; basal end of manubrium abridged by a rectangular membrane, truncated apically ( Figure 5 (a)). Lateral lobes ( Figure 5 (b)) separated, about 0.25 times as long as total length of tegmen with basal margins transversely ridged; inner margins straight, outer margins oblique, gradually arcuate towards apex; apex rounded. Integument in ventral view red-brown except for a small lighter apical area; basal margin of integument impressed with a transverse row of reddish brown, medium sized, suberect setae; remaining surface randomly covered with similar setae except for a few glabrous spaces near central area; apex concentrated with elongate light brown setae. Median lobe ( Figure 6 (a–b)) subequal to length of tegmen, arcuate in lateral view; basal struts originate almost near apical fourth; ventral plate ( Figure 6 (b)) dark brown at apical one-fifth, interspersed with a few randomly distributed punctures; apex obtusely pointed, lateral sides asymmetrical, with right side weakly concave near apex.

Endophallus ( Figures 7–9 ) in lateral view about 3.90 times as long as median lobe; BPH about 0.28 times as long as endophallus, with membrane transversely plicate; distal end bearing CS embedded in ventral membrane, dorsal membrane embedded with a pair of median sclerotic plates ( Figure 8 ). MPH with MT short, slightly bulged at distal end, about 0.09 times as long as endophallus; membrane of MT randomly distributed with a few round spicules, dorsal membrane at proximal third impressed with a median patch of densely distributed angulate spicules ( Figure 8 ). CT uniformly tubular, curved at middle, about 0.19 times as long as endophallus, proximal two-thirds of membrane uniformly covered with angulate spicules, gradually turning obtuse towards beginning of apical third; apical third dark, densely and compactly adorned with C-shaped spicules, reaching up to proximal half of PB; PB tubular in proximal half, bulged at distal half, as long as MT, uniformly but not densely adorned with C-shaped spicules, gradually turning into U-shaped spicules towards APH. APH funnel shaped, as long as MT, uniformly and closely adorned with stout, broadly U-shaped spicules; junction between PB and APH circumscribed by membranous fringe; apex of APH continued with a membranous tube, bearing RS at distal end. RS about 0.19 times as long as endophallus, uniformly curved in lateral view, composed of two closely appressed, sclerotised plates, of which ventral plate ( Figure 9 (b)) dorso-ventrally flattened with lateral sides curved upwards towards dorsal plane distally, broadly encasing dorsal plate; dorsal plate ( Figure 9 (a)) made up of two closely approximated inconspicuous rods, forming tubular structure; proximal ends bearing two asymmetrical, falcate tines, one tine being longer than other; apex of longer tine bearing divaricate claw-like projection. ED single, arises medially from distal end of dorsal plate of RS.

Female (n = 2) ( Figures 2–3 ). Body length 6.86–6.91 mm, humeral width 2.21–2.26 mm. Similar to male in general appearance, with the following differences. Head with lower eye lobes 1.30–1.33 times as long as genae; mandibles distinctly visible in frontal view. Antennae 1.31 times as long as body. Ratio of lengths of antennomeres: 1.00: 0.25: 1.25: 1.25: 0.95: 0.90: 0.85: 0.80: 0.75: 0.70: 0.70. Pronotum 1.20–1.21 times as wide as long, 0.62–0.65 times as long as humeral width. Elytra 0.72 times as long as body, 3.47–3.55 times as long as pronotum, 2.19–2.26 times as long as humeral width. Last abdominal ventrite robust, dorsally convex, about 0.30–0.32 times as long as length of abdomen, 2.10–2.22 times as long as previous segment; disc medially impressed with a dark brown longitudinal sulcus; apex broadly crescent shaped.

Female genitalia ( Figures 10–12 ) with ovipositor ( Figure 10 (a)) about 1.10 mm long, in dorsal view thickly covered with adpressed light brown setae at apical third (except coxite lobe and stylus), immediately followed by compactly disposed cells, in scale-like arrangement throughout basal two-thirds except outer margin on each side, which is randomly distributed with a few circular punctures. Coxite lobe light brown, randomly covered with circular punctures except at apex; apex of coxite lobe in dorsal view ( Figure 10 (b)) transversely impressed with a single row of closely congregated circular punctures with six setae arising from them, outer setae on either side longer and pointed, remaining setae placed between them, shorter, subequal to each other and obtusely pointed. Stylus dome-shaped, red brown, continuous with coxite lobe; basal portion of stylus impressed with a few remotely distributed punctures; apex of stylus bears a single seta arising from associated puncture. Vaginal plates flap shaped, weakly sclerotised, basally red brown. Bursa copulatrix ( Figure 12 ) elongate, basal two-thirds tubular and bi-sinuate, apical third distinctly capitate. Spermathecal duct distinctly longer than spermatheca, enters bursa copulatrix at apical third, uniformly tubular, with its distal end slightly curved. Spermatheca ( Figure 11 ) arise on spermathecal duct separately, before spermathecal gland, red brown with basal end obliquely curved, distinctly moulded into an elongate, U-shaped tubule up to apical third; apex curved, distinctly capitate. Spermathecal gland sac like, basally with a distinctly sclerotised ringed plate giving rise to a short sclerotised tube. Tignum longer than abdomen. In the specimen examined, tignum measured about 4.94 mm in length while abdomen measured about 3.17 mm.

Differential diagnosis

Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. is closely allied to G. pulchella Pascoe, 1858 and G. vestalis Heller, 1934 by the integument colouration, shape of elytra, and yellow hairs covering the body; however, it can be easily distinguished from them by the appendiculate claws (simple claws for G. pulchella and G. vestalis ) and distinct shape of the male genitalia, viz. median lobe distinctly curved in lateral view (vs median lobe weakly curved in lateral view in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ), tegmen with lateral lobes medium sized and wider (vs tegmen with lateral lobes distinctly elongate and slender in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ), basal piece arcuate distally (vs basal piece bifurcated distally in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ), ringed part of tegmen constricted near widest portion (vs ringed part of tegmen weakly geniculated in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ), manubrium of ringed part hollow, constricted just before basal end, which is short, and abridged by rectangular membrane (vs manubrium of the ringed part closely approximated from middle, continued to distal end as a slender rod in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ), median arm of spiculum gastrale slightly longer than lateral arms (vs median arm of spiculum gastrale distinctly longer than lateral arms in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ) and RS composed of two closely appressed, sclerotised plates, of which ventral plate is dorso-ventrally flattened to encase dorsal plate, while dorsal plate is made up of two closely approximated inconspicuous rods, forming tubular structure; proximal ends bear two asymmetrical, falcate tines, one tine being longer than other; apex of longer tine bearing divaricate claw like projection (vs RS without any modifications as previous but made up of 4 rods in G. pulchella and 3 rods in G. vestalis ). In female genitalia, spermatheca with stalk strongly moulded into U-shaped tubule (vs stalk slightly curved basally in G. pulchella and G. vestalis ).

It is also similar to Bifidunguiglenea gestroi ( Gahan, 1894) in the integument colouration, body shape and yellow-haired maculae, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by the following characters: claws appendiculate (vs claws bifid in B. gestroi ); male genitalia with median lobe distinctly curved in lateral view (vs median lobe indistinctly curved in lateral view in B. gestroi ); tegmen with lateral lobes medium sized and wider (vs lateral lobes distinctly short and stout in B. gestroi ) lateral lobes separated and ventral face sparsely covered with randomly distributed suberect setae (vs lateral lobes confluent except apex, ventral face densely covered with suberect setae in B. gestroi ); ringed part of tegmen constricted near widest portion (vs ringed part of tegmen weakly geniculated in B. gestroi ); manubrium of ringed part hollow, constricted just before basal end; basal end short, abridged by rectangular membrane (vs manubria of the ringed part joined with each other at basal third, continued to basal end as short, slender rod in B. gestroi ); tergite VIII with apical margin truncated (vs apical margin of tergite VIII angulately projected at middle in B. gestroi ); female genitalia with stalk of spermatheca strongly moulded into U-shaped tubule (vs spermatheca with stalk nearly straight in B. gestroi ).

Etymology

The name refers to the type locality of the species, Vellayani campus of the Kerala Agricultural University , situated on the banks of the Vellayani lake, on the outskirts of Trivandrum, in the capital city of Kerala, India.

Life history

All three specimens were collected by the blue light of Actinic BL TL 8 W tubes.

Distribution

India (Kerala).

Remarks on generic affinity

Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. is an atypical member of the genus Glenea because of the appendiculate female claws. Claws vary greatly between the males of Glenea spp. ( Gahan 1897; Lin et al. 2009b; Lin and Yang 2011), but all of them have simple claws in the females. When the female claws are not simple, they are placed in their own genus in most cases ( Lin et al. 2009a; Lin and Tavakilian 2012). The genera Eumecocera Solsky, 1871 and Pareutetrapha Breuning, 1952 have appendiculate claws in both male and female. However, the new species can not be combined with any of these genera because of the presence of a lateral elytral carina, a truncated elytral apex, and distinctly different male genitalia.

Meanwhile, some members currently placed in the genus Glenea also have appendiculate claws in both sexes, such as G. lineatocollis Thomson, 1860 and G. tenuilineata Thomson, 1879 . However, the new species differs from them not only by morphological characters such as elytral shape, colour and haired pattern, but also by the female genitalia with spermathecal gland originating from a distinctly sclerotised ringed plate. The new species might indicate a closer relationship with the two Glenea spp. treated below, which have simple claws, and female genitalia with spermathecal gland originating from a distinctly sclerotised ringed plate. As the taxonomic complexity of the genus Glenea remains unresolved, we temporarily place the new species within the genus Glenea sensu lato, and do not propose a new generic taxon here.

Figures

Figures 1–3. Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. 1(a–d) Male, holotype: 1(a) dorsal view, 1(b) lateral view, 1 (c) ventral view, 1(d) head, frontal view. 2–3. Female, paratypes: 2(a) dorsal view of the specimen with abraded elytral maculae, 2(b) ventral view, 2(c) head, frontal view; 3. dorsal view of the specimen with intact elytral maculae. Scale: 1(a–c), 2(a,b) and 3 = 1 mm; 1(d) and 2(c) = 0.5 mm.

Figures 4–6. Male genitalia of Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. 4. Tergite VIII, Sternite VIII and IX. 5(a–c) Tegmen: 5(a) ventral view, 5(b) close-up of lateral lobes in ventral view, 5(c) lateral view. 6(a–b) Median lobe: 6(a) lateral view, 6(b) close-up of ventral plate apex. Scale bars: 4, 5(a–c) and 6(a) = 0.2 mm. Figure 6(b) not to scale.

Figures 7–9. Endophallus of Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. 7. Lateral view. 8. Close-up of MT, in dorsal view, showing sclerotic plates and spicules. 9(a–b) Rod-shaped sclerites: 9(a) dorsal view, 9(b) ventral view. Scale bar: 7, 9(a,b) = 0.5 mm. Figure 8 not to scale.

Figures 10–12. Female genitalia of Glenea vellayaniensis sp. nov. 10(a–b) Ovipositor: 10(a) whole ovipositor, 10(b) close-up of ovipositor. 11. Spermatheca, showing part of spermathecal duct and origin of spermathecal gland from strongly sclerotised ringed plate. 12. Bursa copulatrix. Scale bars: 10 (a) and 12 = 0.5 mm. Figures 10(b) and 11 not to scale.