Ichthyurus antheraeanus Sreedevi, Reddy & Biffi, 2025
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https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5729.2.9 |
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lsid:zoobank.org:pub:45C9269F-BAF9-49FC-A998-F69B9BF2B6C2 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2E0A87A4-FFB4-FFA5-FF0F-5C1E9F17F8E2 |
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Plazi |
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scientific name |
Ichthyurus antheraeanus Sreedevi, Reddy & Biffi |
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sp. nov. |
Ichthyurus antheraeanus Sreedevi, Reddy & Biffi , sp. nov.
( Figs 2A–L View FIGURE 2 , 3A–F View FIGURE 3 , 4A–J View FIGURE 4 )
Type material. Holotype: INDIA: male: “ India: Jharkhand: Ranchi: Nagri , Central Tasar Research & Training Institute, 23.3227 N, 85.1624 E, 06-x-2021, leg. Hanamant Gadad; ICAR-NBAIR-ICH-01; NBAIR GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 3 males and 30 females, same data as for holotype; ICAR-NBAIR-ICH-02 to ICAR-NBAIR-ICH-34; NBAIR GoogleMaps .
Diagnosis. Among the species from the Indian subcontinent, I. antheraeanus sp. nov. is similar to I. kopetzi Brancucci, 2009 , from North India and Nepal, and to I. bicaudatus Fairmaire, 1867 , from Sri Lanka. The three species have simple antennae and meso-femur slender to slightly swollen. Ichthyurus antheraeanus sp. nov. differs from I. kopetzi by the pronotal and elytral colour pattern with a distinct anterior 2/3 dark brown and posterior 1/3 yellow colouration, tergite VIII in females produced into two conical pieces which are broadly but only slightly incised, sternite VIII in males subtriangular with a small medial ridge, and male genitalia with both parameres distally truncated and left paramere shorter and broader than right paramere in ventral view while I. kopetzi has wider pronotal patches, elytral postero-median black patch, black markings on the outer margin except at shoulders extending medially almost up to suture, tergite VIII in females very deeply incised, sternite VIII in males developed into two processes with a deep ridge medially, and male genitalia with left paramere longer than right paramere in ventral view. Ichthyurus antheraeanus sp. nov. differs from I. bicaudatus by the larger size (females 16.8–17.2 mm long against 13 mm in I. bicaudatus ), colouration and a few other characters. The vertex with occiput is yellow in I. antheraeanus sp. nov., whereas it is black in I. bicaudatus . Though the elytral colouration is similar in both the species, I. antheraeanus sp. nov. has a yellow and well-defined narrow band at base of elytra, while it is weakly defined and broad extending beyond the posterior margin of scutellum and posteriorly along the elytral suture in I. bicaudatus ; the ventral face of meso-femur is smooth in I. antheraeanus sp. nov., whereas it has a series of small transversal ridges in I. bicaudatus ; the margin of hind trochanter is convex in I. antheraeanus sp. nov. while it is concave in I. bicaudatus ; lateral margins of tergite VIII are almost parallel and sternite VIII wider, triangular, with lateral apices more produced laterally in I. antheraeanus sp. nov. while the tergite VIII is arched and sternite VIII is narrower, with lateral apices rounder and not produced laterally in I. bicaudatus .
Description. Male ( Fig. 2A–L View FIGURE 2 ; 3A–F View FIGURE 3 ).
Habitus ( Fig. 2A–C View FIGURE 2 ). Holotype male, body length 15.2 mm.
Head ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ). Head (including eyes) as broad as pronotum, 1.2 times as broad as long (across middle of eyes), integument smooth and lustrous, with minute punctures, densely covered with short and fine setae. Frons slightly convex, yellow, medially speckled with dark brown spots, fronto-clypeal suture infuscate; vertex flat, yellow; occipital region infuscate, forming a median triangle; area around antennal sockets depressed with carinated margin, forming a dark brown longitudinal ridge running between antennal sockets towards median triangle in occipital region. Eyes large, bulging, longer than wide, glabrous; interocular space yellow, as broad as antennal sockets (outer edge of antennal sockets almost reaching inner edge of eyes), 0.6 times narrower than widest width of eye. Antenna filiform, without strong modifications, with 11 antennomeres, slender, 0.41 times body length, reaching middle of elytra posteriorly, covered with short and fine setae; antennomere I, II and proximal two-third of III yellow, remaining antennomeres blackish brown, antennomere I longest, 2.8 times length of antennomere II, antennomeres III–XI being 1.3, 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 1.7, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.9 times length of antennomere I respectively, antennomere IV 5.5 times as long as broad, antennomere XI pointed at apex ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Mandibles arcuate, incisors acute, blunt, retinaculum in the same plan as incisor, blunt at apex, base with a small supplementary tooth ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ); palpi dark brown, distal palpomeres cultriform, infuscate.
Thorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ) transverse, 1.7 times as broad as long. Colouration yellow, with dark brown markings: a small rectangular median spot surrounded by two undefined semicircular spots on either side, not reaching pronotal margins. Surface finely punctured and densely covered with fine pubescence. Anterior margin semicircular; posterior margin strongly sinuate, with truncated median part protruding backwards; lateral margins slightly sinuate, oblique on anterior half, subparallel on posterior half. Scutellum pentagonal, sharp anterior angle with rounded posterior angles. Elytra ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ) short, 0.23 times length of body (antennal sockets to tip of last abdominal segment), 2.38 times length of pronotum, together at shoulders about 1.4 times longer than broad. Colouration yellow with dark brown markings; proximal 2/3 dark brown with yellow basal margin; distal 1/3 completely yellow. Surface rugose, with coarse punctures, densely covered with short and fine setae. Metaventrite broadly yellow with a broad light to dark brown triangular mark posteriorly. Hind wings ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 ) bicoloured, basal third yellowish with darker areas near the base, distal two thirds dark brown. Wing three times longer than wide, with reduced venation, anal field broad, well defined; radial cell (R) closed; RA 3+4 curved; cross-veins r 4 fading at both apices; radiomedial loop (RML) narrow, Radius Posterior (RP) long, extending towards the wing base, but barely visible from the RML; Media Posterior, branches 1 and 2 (MP 1+2) slightly sinuous, well visible throughout; Media Posterior, branches 3 and 4 (MP 3+4) nearly straight, not divided into MP 3 and MP 4; Cubital Vein (Cu) slightly curved; Cubitus Anterior (CuA 2) rather long, curved at apex; Cubitus Anterior, branch 1 (CuA 1) absent; Anal Anterior, branches 3 and 4 (AA 3+4) well visible, straight, meeting Cubitoanal Strut (CAS); Anal Posterior, branches 3 and 4 (AP 3+4) well visible, sclerotised, straight. Legs ( Fig. 3 A–C View FIGURE 3 ) slender; without swelling, teeth or remarkable modifications, femora not broadened. Inner femur yellow, remainder brown. Fore tibiae coated with long hairs, apex with a pair of spurs ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ) (not present in mid and hind tibia). Meso-femur weakly swollen, Meso-trochanter with one flattened extension in a plane perpendicular to the femur-trochanter axis. All tarsal claws with broad internal teeth ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ).
Abdomen. Tergite I yellow, tergite II anterior half brown, sternite II (ventrite 1) yellow, tergites III–IV and sternite III–IV anterior half brown and posterior half yellow, tergite V–VII and sternite V–VII almost completely brown except for a narrow yellow posterior margin. Tergite VIII longer and wider than preceding ones, deeply incised, produced into two subparallel conical pieces. Sternite VIII shorter and narrower than preceding ones, subtriangular, posterior edge sinuate, with a small medial ridge. Sternite IX ( Fig. 2J View FIGURE 2 ) deeply internalised, elongate, narrow, and weakly sclerotised at the base and gradually widening and more sclerotised apically; apex with a broad sinuous projection.Aedeagus ( Fig. 2J–L View FIGURE 2 ): Median lobe very elongate anteriorly to the tegmen. Both parameres short and truncated distally; left paramere shorter and broader than right paramere in ventral view.
Female. ( Fig. 4A–J View FIGURE 4 )
Habitus ( Fig. 4A–C View FIGURE 4 ). Paratype female, body length 16.8–17.2 mm (n=30).
Similar to male, slightly larger. Outer edge of antennal sockets not reaching inner edge of eyes. Elytra 0.26 times length of body, 2.25 times length of pronotum, together at shoulders about 1.3 time longer than broad. Tergite II and sternite II (ventrite 1) completely yellow, tergite III–V and sternite III–V anterior half brown and posterior half yellow, tergite VI and sternite VI anterior 2/3 brown and posterior 1/3 yellow, tergite VII and sternite VII almost completely brown except for a narrow yellow posterior margin. Tergite VIII produced into 2 conical pieces, broadly but only slightly incised; Sternite VIII truncated with sinuate notch on posterior median part. Paraproct sclerotised, with a shallow median notch. Genitalia membranous; coxites slender, very elongate, not fused medially but connected by a membrane; styles elongate, digitiform. Vagina elongate, with median oviduct situated at apex of vagina very close to bursa copulatrix; bursa copulatrix arising from apex of vagina.
Etymology. The specific epithet is named after the generic name of the prey host “ Antheraea mylitta .”
Biological notes. Adults of both sexes were observed preying on early instars of tasar silkworm, A. mylitta , both as individuals and in groups on Terminalia elliptica Willd. and T. arjuna (Roxb.) trees ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). A large number of adults congregated on leaves, probably for mating.
Distribution. India: Jharkhand (Ranchi).
DNA barcoding. GenBank accession number: PQ349877
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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