Nialus jhavanicus (Balthasar, 1971) Balthasar, 1971

Dellacasa, Marco, Gordon, Robert D. & Dellacasa, Giovanni, 2007, Systematic review to the genus Liothorax (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Zootaxa 1407, pp. 23-42 : 39

Nialus jhavanicus (Balthasar, 1971) , new combination

( Figs. 61–65 )

Aphodius (Nialus) jhavanicus: Balthasar 1971b: 18

Aphodius (Nialus) cobharensis: Stebnicka 1985: 363 , Stebnicka 1986: 38 (as a synonym of jhavanicus )

Type locality: Jhawani, Rapti-Tal. Nepal (for Nialus jhavanicus ).

Type depository: Zoologisches Staatssammlung, Münich (for Nialus jhavanicus ).

Redescription: Length 4.0–4.5 mm; body elongate, convex, subparallel-sided, shiny, glabrous. Color black or piceous; clypeal margin and legs reddish-brown, legs with tarsi paler; antennal club testaceous. Head anteriorly at middle moderately convex, with irregularly spaced punctures, punctation fine and sparse on disc, larger and deeper distally. Clypeus weakly sinuate medially, rounded and widely arcuate laterally; clypeal border fine and weakly upturned, with sparse and short setae; genae rounded, with short setae, faintly protruding beyond eyes; frontal suture slightly cariniform with median tubercle; front with fine but rather evenly spaced punctures. Pronotum convex, subquadrate, with dual punctures; fine punctures regularly scattered throughout, large punctures, three to four times larger than small, sparse on disc, closer on sides; lateral margins weakly arcuate, with thin border; hind angles broadly rounded; base faintly bisinuate, not bordered. Scutellum flat, with irregularly spaced and coarse punctures on basal half. Elytra moderately convex, faintly widened just behind the middle; striae fine, with superficial punctures, subcrenulate; interstriae flat with fine, sparse punctures. Hind tibiae apically fimbriate with short and equal spinules; with superior apical spur one third shorter than first tarsomere; first tarsomere somewhat shorter than following three combined. Male frontal suture with tubercle stronger; punctation of head and pronotum sparser than in female.

Distribution: Nepal, India

Material examined: NEPAL: Rapti Tal, Jhawani, 200 m; V.1967, Dierl-Forster-Schacht leg. (holotype male and 67 paratypes, ZSM); Arun Valley, Sultibari, 500 m, 1/ 14.VI.1988, Lebish & Prost leg., 1 ex. (DCG); Narayani Zone, Chitawan Distr., Chitawan Nat. P., Sahuraha-Thati-Bagh Mara, 200/ 500 m, 17/ 21.V.1996, P. Cechovsky leg., 1 ex. (DCG); INDIA: Bhalukpog, South Arunachal Pradesh, 11/ 14.V.1999, E. Kucera leg., 1 ex. (DCG).

Systematic remarks: Based on the characters outlined in the description, this species should be placed in the genus Nialus . Previously, Stebnicka (1985) hypothesized that this species might be closely related to Liothorax kraatzi .

Figures

FIGURES 61 – 65. Nialus jhavanicus (Balthasar, 1971) (Arun Valley, Sultibari, Nepal): 61. habitus of male; 62 – 63. aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view; 64. epipharynx; 65. habitus.