Phaelota saluki, Prathapan, K. D. & Konstantinov, A. S., 2009

Prathapan, K. D. & Konstantinov, A. S., 2009, Descriptions of eight new species of Phaelota (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with a new generic synonymy and a key to species of Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 1991, pp. 1-27 : 15-17

Phaelota saluki , new species

( Figs 45 – 53)

Distribution. India (Tamil Nadu).

Host plants. Collected by sifting the moss Forsstroemia thomsonii (Mitt.) W.R. Buck (Synonym F.inclusa Cardot and Dixon ), Family: Leucodontaceae (Accession No. CU 99857, University of Calicut) on granite rocks.

Description. Total body length 2.0 – 2.3 mm, width 1.2 – 1.4 mm. Dorsum metallic black with aeneous reflections ( Fig. 45). All sternites dark brown to piceous, legs brown, tarsi darker. Basal 5 – 7 antennomeres dark brown, rest black. Labrum piceous, rest of mouth parts brown.

In lateral view, frons distinctly higher than vertex; vertex and frons separately appear convex as their intersection being notched. Vertex convex, finely punctate ( Fig. 49). Antennal callus convex, triangular, broader than long, high along middle; separated from each other by short midfrontal sulcus, midfrontal longitudinal depression absent. Suprafrontal sulcus distinct. Frontal ridge with small punctures besides a few large, shallow punctures; anterofrontal ridge with vertical carina medially (vertical carina poorly developed in some specimens). Maxillary palpus with preapical palpomere slightly longer than apical. Third antennomere slightly longer than second; fourth shorter than third; fifth and sixth each apparently shorter than preceding one; seventh distinctly wider and longer than sixth; eighth to ninth subequal, wider than seventh, slightly longer than seventh; tenth about as wide as long or longer than wide, subequal to ninth or longer; eleventh two times as long as tenth.

Pronotum slightly narrower anteriorly than posteriorly, lateral margin curved ( Fig. 46). Anterolateral callosity not forming denticle at pore. Disc shiny, covered with a mixture of small and moderate sized punctures, punctures stronger posteriorly. Antebasal transverse impression absent except for curved longitudinal impressions laterally. Scutellum triangular, broader than long with broad apex, with a few extremely minute punctures. Elytron with flat humerus, without depression posteriorly or mesally, maximum width anterior to middle. Disc shiny, punctures small, indistinct posteriorly, width of interstices 6 – 12 times diameter of a puncture in middle of elytron. Epipleuron oblique, slightly short of reaching apex. Hind wings rudimentary. Prosternum coarsely punctate with a longitudinal ridge along middle (ridge indistinct in some specimens). Metasternum slightly shorter than prosternum.

Posterior margin of last abdominal sternite in male weakly bisinuate with a short lobe ( Fig. 50). Median lobe of aedeagus curved in lateral view ( Fig. 47). Ventral side convex, semi-transparent, nearly parallel sided, depressed apically. Dorsal opening partially covered by three laminae. Arm of tegmen shorter than stem ( Fig. 48). Receptacle of spermatheca a little longer than pump, internal as well as external sides convex, a little longer than wide, oval in shape; pump with horizontal part longer than vertical; duct at least three times as long as combined length of receptacle and pump, coiled ( Fig. 51). Vaginal palpus with posterior sclerotization longer than anterior; membranous part in middle shorter than anterior sclerotization; minimum width at distal 1/4, slightly widened posterior to that ( Fig. 53). Tignum anteriorly slightly widened and slightly curved, posterior sclerotization widened ( Fig. 52).

Sexual dimorphism. First metatarsomere ventrally with short capitate setae in male and with long pointed setae in female. Metafemur not sexually dimorphic.

Type material. Holotype ♂. Labels: 1) South India Western Ghats Tamil Nadu, Doddabetta , 22.VI.2004 2600m, N11°23'59" E76°44'06" Prathapan K. D. Coll. 2 ) Holotype Phaelota saluki sp. nov. des. D. Prathapan, A. Konstantinov, 2007 ( USNM) .

Paratypes. 10 ♂, 11 ♀ same data as holotype . 1 ♀ same locality, date 24. XI. 2003 leg. Konstantinov, Prathapan, Saluk. (9 USNM, 4 BMNH, 2 NHMB, 2 NPC, 2 UASB, 3 PKDC) .

Etymology. This species is named after our companion Sergei Saluk who sifted out the first specimen. The name is a noun.

Remarks. This species has been placed in Phaelota with considerable trepidation. The pronotum is 1.6 – 1.8 times wider than long in all other species, but only 1.3 times wider than long in P. saluki , and the anterior callosity forms a distinct denticle at the pore in the other species, but not in P.saluki . The metafemur is greatly swollen with a longitudinal ridge which is serrulate in the male in all other members of the genus, it is less incrassate and lacks the typical sexual dimorphism in this species. Unlike in other species of the genus, the spermathecal duct is unusually long and coiled in P. saluki ( P. jacobyi has an extremely long spermathecal duct, but not coiled). Its placement in Phaelota is justified by the structure of the head, indications of the antebasal transverse impression by the lateral longitudinal impressions on the pronotum, serially arranged elytral punctures, broad epipleuron reaching near apex, general structure of legs, and vaginal palpus.

P. saluki can be differentiated easily from other species of the genus by its metallic black dorsum with aeneous reflections besides the above unique features.