Acesines sordida (Kirby, 1891) Salini & Gracy & Akoijam & Rabbani & David & Roca-Cusachs, 2023

Salini, Santhamma, Gracy, R. G., Akoijam, Romila, Rabbani, Mehaboob K., David, K. Jacob & Roca-Cusachs, Marcos, 2023, Revision of Acesines Stal and Dunnius Distant, resurrection of Mycterizon Breddin (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Pentatomidae, Pentatominae), and description of a new species from India, ZooKeys 1148, pp. 79-117 : 79

Acesines sordida (Kirby, 1891) comb. nov.

Raphigaster sordida Kirby (1891): 86-87 (original description). Syntypes: Ceylon (at present Sri Lanka), Pundaloya, deposited at NHM, UK.

Araducta sordida : Distant (1900a): 427 (distribution).

Dunnius sordidus : Distant (1902): 232 (redescription, distribution); Bergroth (1908): 173 (catalogue); Kirkaldy (1909): 137 (catalogue); Chatterjee (1934): 22 (record, host); Chandra (1953): 92 (distribution).

Note.

This species was recorded from Aiyur (Tamil Nadu) by Chatterjee (1934) from Sandalwood ( Santalum album L., Santalaceae ) and was its first record outside the type locality though this record needs further verification. Since then, no record of this species has been reported in the country. There are only two female syntypes available for this species, deposited at NHM, UK (Figs 30 - 35 ). Based on the type images (the photographs were provided by courtesy of M Webb), it is evident that the hollowed out or grooved (or notched) posterior apex of metasternal carina (Fig. 35 ) (see differential diagnosis under Acesines and Dunnius ) necessitates the transfer of this species from Dunnius to Acesines . Therefore, Acesines sordida comb. nov. is proposed in this paper.

Figures

Figures 30 - 32. Acesines sordida (Kirby, 1891), comb. nov. 30 label data of female syntype 1 31 female syntype 1 (dorsal habitus) 32 female syntype 2 (ventral habitus). Photographed by Mick Webb, NHM, UK.

Figures 33 - 35. Acesines sordida (Kirby, 1891), comb. nov. 33 label data of female syntype 2 34 female syntype 2 (dorsal habitus) 35 female syntype 2 (ventral habitus). Photographed by Mick Webb, NHM, UK.