Metassamia septemdentata Roewer, 1924

Kharkongor, Ilona Jacinta, Saikia, Uttam, Khynriam, Dimos & Saikia, Bhaskar, 2023, Current status of faunal diversity of Siju Cave, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 123 (3), pp. 283-303 : 293

24. Metassamia septemdentata Roewer, 1924 [ Fig. 9H ]

1924. Metassamia septemdentata Roewer, Rec. Ind. Mus. XXVI , p. 69-70, Fig.1 .

Material examined: 6 ex. Siju Cave (~ 250-300m inside the Cave), Siju village, South Garo Hills District , Meghalaya, 25 o 21.061’N, 90 o 41.006’E, 119m, 3.i.2020, coll. I. J. Kharkongor & party, Reg. No. IV /ARA/ERS-71 ; 13 ex. Siju Cave (~ 350-500m inside the Cave), Siju village, South Garo Hills District , Meghalaya, 25 o 21.061’N, 90 o 41.006’E, 119m, 12.xii.2018, coll. I. J. Kharkongor & party, Reg. No.IV /ARA/ERS-74 .

Remarks: Roewer (1924) described this species from Siju Cave based on 18 specimens (♂ + ♀) collected from “ 400 to 500 ft. and 800 – 1200 ft. from entrance ”. Our current specimens were collected from approximately 250 – 300m inside the Cave. A sizeable population is observed around the outer bat chamber. To date, there is no record of this species from other caves in Meghalaya or elsewhere.

Figures

Figure 1. Map of Siju Cave showing the explored parts. (Courtesy: Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association, Shillong).

Figure 9. Fauna of Siju Cave. G. Cubaris cavernosus, H. Metassamia septemdentata, I. Heteropoda robusta, J. Typhloblatta caeca, K. Kempiola longipes and L. Tachys micraulax.