Anthelephila sevciki, Kejval & Cz, 2010

Kejval, Zbyněk & Cz, Domažlice, 2010, Studies on the genus Anthelephila (Coleoptera: Anthicidae) 11. New species and records from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Oman, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (1), pp. 189-234 : 220-222

Anthelephila sevciki sp. nov.

( Figs. 66–71 , 104 )

Type locality. India, Maharashtra state, Purandhar vicinity, 18°17′N, 73°58′E, ca. 900 m a.s.l.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ INDIA, Maharashtra, ca 20 km S of Pune , PURANDHAR env., N foot of Mt., 18°17′N 73°58′E, ca 900 m, 19.vi.2006, Z. Kejval leg.’ ( NMPC) . PARATYPES: 27 JJ 19 ♀♀, same data as holotype ( ZKDC, 2 specimens each in BMNH, DCDC, HNHM and NHMW).

Description (male, holotype). Body length 2.9 mm. Head and pronotum reddish brown; elytra brown with paler base and vague spots on humeri; antennae reddish brown in basal third, becoming dark brown towards apex; legs brown, basal narrowed portion of femora and tarsi somewhat paler.

Head 1.1 times as long as wide, nearly evenly rounded posteriorly, its base clearly differentiated from short neck; tempora moderately narrowing posteriad, posterior angles indistinct, rounded. Eyes rather small, less convex and protruding. Surface moderately glossy, densely and distinctly punctate dorsally; dorsal punctation coarse, rather evenly developed, somewhat sparser only postero-medially near base. Setation dark, generally rather short, appressed, with scattered and inconspicuous erect setae. Antennae distinctly enlarged and flattened in terminal third; antennomere X transverse, 0.9 times as long as wide, antennomere XI 1.5 times as long as wide.

Pronotum 1.2 times as long as wide, slightly narrower than head across eyes, widely rounded anteriorly, strongly narrowed and moderately impressed (constricted) shortly before base postero-laterally; pronotal disc rather evenly shaped, without distinct impressions and bulges, its outline more or less convex or posteriorly flattened in lateral view. Surface distinctly punctate dorsally except impunctate facet before base, longitudinally corrugated dorsolaterally in posterior third, smooth and glossy laterally near procoxal cavities; postero-lateral impressions shortly wrinkled and adjacent basal area somewhat rugose, coarsely punctate; posterior narrowed portion of pronotum with numerous transverse wrinkles interconnecting dorso-lateral corrugation before glossy facet; dorsal punctures rather coarse and densely spaced, similarly as those on head. Setation as that on head, distinctly denser dorsally; erect setae short and inconspicuous.

Mesosternum and metasternum simple.

Elytra 1.7 times as long as wide, conjointly rounded apically; humeri somewhat rounded but distinct; postscutellar impression absent. Surface smooth and glossy, distinctly punctate; punctation simple, much finer and sparser than that on head. Setation pale, moderately longer than that on head, subdecumbent, with sparsely scattered, short erect setae.

Metathoracic wings well developed.

Fore legs modified ( Fig. 66 ); profemora with robust, apically subtruncate process; protibiae flatly impressed and with small distal dilatation/lobule on inner side; mesotibiae slightly bent; metatibiae angulately produced on inner side apically; penultimate tarsomere flattened and widened, with terminal tarsomere articulated dorsally at midlength in all tarsi.

Abdominal characters as in Figs. 67–71 ; sternum VII shallowly impressed and distinctly bulging postero-medially, with short curved median process projecting dorsally (less conspicuous in ventral view), posterior margin of sternum bearing four small tufts of short and stiff peg-like setae pointing ventrad; apical portion of tegmen 0.7 times as long as basal piece, with simple rounded apex.

Female. Externally differing from male by simple legs and sternum and tergum VII.

Variation. Body length (J ♀) 2.4–3.0 mm.

Differential diagnosis. Anthelephila sevciki sp. nov. may somewhat resemble A. insulana ( Nietner, 1857) by its small body size and body form. It can be easily distinguished from the latter species by a darker colouration, much finer and denser body punctation (especially on the elytra), larger and wider head, shorter antennae and all male characters.

Etymology. Dedicated to Ladislav Ševčík (Děčín, Czech Republic), who discovered the locality and captured the first specimens of this species.

Biology. The type locality is a steep hillside with sparse growth of eucalyptus trees. All specimens originate from a single tree. They were observed running near the tree foot on scaly bark, at places somewhat cracked.

Distribution. India (Maharashtra).

Figures

Figs. 66–71. Anthelephila sevciki sp. nov., holotype (male). 66 – profemur and tibia; 67 – sternum VII; 68 – tergum VII; 69 – sternite VIII in dorsal view (one half); 70 – tergite VIII; 71 – apical portion of tegmen of aedeagus. Scale = 0.2 mm: A – Fig. 69; B – Fig. 71; C – Fig. 67; D – Fig. 66; 0.5 mm:A – 68; E – Fig. 70.

Figs. 101–108. Anthelephila spp., body in dorsal view (males; holotypes in new species). 101 – A. lubopetra sp. nov.; 102 – A. maharani sp. nov.; 103 – A. pateva sp. nov.; 104 – A. sevciki sp. nov.; 105 – A. triungula sp. nov.; 106 – A. tryznai sp. nov.; 107 – A. umbratilis (Krekich–Strassoldo, 1928), Uttarakhand, Juido env. (ZKDC); 108 – A. vishnumati sp. nov.