Sasajiella boothi Poorani, 2021

Poorani, J. & Thanigairaj, R., 2021, Indian species of Shirozuellini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), including a new species of Sasajiella Miyatake from Tamil Nadu, Zootaxa 5005 (2), pp. 189-200 : 190-194

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5005.2.5
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1BF0B154-8CA1-4656-B34B-702BAFA2B358
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B1C870-FFEA-FFE3-65B5-8C1629D9FC05
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Sasajiella boothi Poorani
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sasajiella boothi Poorani , sp. n.

( Figs. 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 )

Diagnosis: Among the known Indian species of Shirozuellini , Sasajiella boothi sp. n. ( Fig. 1a View FIGURE 1 ) is externally most similar to Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad. It differs from the latter by its more rounded elytra, head with much larger eyes, frons distinctly and progressively narrowed towards vertex, and clypeal margin less expanded. It differs from the type species, S. amamiana Miyatake by its fully black dorsum and the broader body outline with the elytra more rounded and nearly as broad as long. It also resembles S. hartmanni Canepari 2012 in being fully black, but the recorded dimensions of the latter are greater (1.4 mm long and 1.0 mm wide) and the illustrations of the head (having a parallel-sided frons) and the antenna appear to be different ( Canepari 2012). Sasajiella boothi sp. n. externally looks like Stethorus spp. in being fully black on both sides, but it can be separated by the expanded clypeal margin, larger eyes, narrower frons, and other generic characters. The male genitalia ( Figs. 2h–j View FIGURE 2 ), particularly the very long tegminal strut, elongate conical penis guide, the apically clavate and outwardly curved parameres with few stout lateral and apical setae, and the long, rod like penis lacking a capsule are distinctive.

Description: Length: 0.73–0.81 mm; width: 0.55–0.58 mm; TL/TW: 1.30–1.40; PL/PW: 0.33–0.38; EL/EW: 0.95–1.10. Male: Form ( Figs. 1a View FIGURE 1 , 3c, d View FIGURE 3 ) short oval, dorsum moderately strongly convex, densely pubescent with yellowish white hairs. Dorsum uniformly black except older specimens have anterolateral corners of pronotum slightly lighter brownish testaceous. Ventral side dark brown to black except tibial apices and tarsi of all legs lighter, yellowish testaceous, occasionally all tibiae lighter; abdominal ventrites with yellowish testaceous hairs. Antenna yellowish brown to brown except penultimate and terminal antennomeres darker brownish.

Head ( Fig. 1b View FIGURE 1 ) with clypeal margin narrowly projecting forward; 2.27–2.67× as broad as an eye; eyes large, coarsely faceted with prominent erect setae, separated by less than half their diameter, inner ocular margins gradually and steadily divergent from posterior to anterior edge; frons narrow, at its narrowest only about half as wide as an eye, densely pubescent with yellowish hairs progressively longer towards clypeal margin, coarsely punctate anteriorly; punctures closer near eyes. Antenna ( Fig. 1c View FIGURE 1 ) with 8 antennomeres; antennomeres 1 and 2 largest, 3 short, 4 distinctly longer than 3, 5 shortest, 6 wider than 5, 7 and 8 forming a spindle-shaped club, 7 longest, distinctly wider, and longer than previous four segments combined, terminal antennomere conical. Maxillary palpi ( Fig. 1e View FIGURE 1 ) longer than antenna, terminal palpomere elongate, knife-shaped, apical margin typically dilated and narrowly securiform.

Pronotum strongly transverse, anteriorly trapezoidally emarginate, anterior margin medially sinuate, anterior and posterior borders narrowly margined, distinctly shorter than exposed part of head; lateral sides with a narrow gutter, anterolateral corners acutely and posterolateral corners obtusely rounded; punctation on pronotum uniform, punctures separated by 2–5 diameters, interspaces between punctures smooth and shiny. Prosternum ( Fig. 1f View FIGURE 1 ) anteriorly grooved to receive antenna, prosternal process broad, its anterior margin somewhat convexly produced.

Scutellar shield triangular, transverse with a few small punctures. Elytra strongly convex, almost rounded in outline and nearly as long as wide, lateral sides with a narrow gutter; punctures on disc uniform, separated by 2–5 diameters, somewhat closer towards apices; interspaces smooth. Mesoventrite transverse, 1.90× as wide as long, with sparse punctation. Metaventrite with a discrimen, about 1.5× as long as mesoventrite, with sparsely distributed, widely separated punctures.

Abdomen with six visible ventrites, abdominal postcoxal lines ( Figs. 2a–c View FIGURE 2 ) complete, v-shaped / triangular, area enclosed by postcoxal line with reticulate sculpture, shape of postcoxal line variable from triangular to subtrapezoidal in some examples, apically touching posterior margin of ventrite 1 or not. Posterior margin of ventrite 5 truncate, that of ventrite 6 broadly rounded to subtruncate and crenulate ( Fig. 2e View FIGURE 2 ). Elytral epipleurae not foveolate. Legs with femora enlarged, tarsal formula 3-3-3, tarsal claw of front legs bifid, that of middle and hind legs apparently simple with a basal dilation.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 2h–j View FIGURE 2 ) as illustrated, tegmen ( Fig. 2h View FIGURE 2 ) with penis guide elongate conical, parameres longer than penis guide ( Fig. 2i View FIGURE 2 ), apically broadened / clavate and curved outwards with few stout lateral and apical setae, tegminal strut (trabes) very long, nearly 3× as long as penis guide in ventral view; penis ( Fig. 2j View FIGURE 2 ) elongate tubular, lacking a penis capsule, gently curved in middle and apically narrowed, penis apex simple and unmodified.

Female: Externally resembles the male except posterior margin of ventrite 6 ( Fig. 2d View FIGURE 2 ) arcuate with broader, more distinct crenulations. Genitalia with coxites ( Fig. 2g View FIGURE 2 ) elongate triangular, spermatheca not distinct.

Material examined: Holotype male: “ INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Podavur : NRCB research farm, N10°47’20.16” E078°34’30.40”, Ex. Phyllanthus emblica infested by diaspine scales, R. Thanigairaj ” ( NBAIR) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 5 males and 3 females, with same data as holotype (4: NBAIR, 4: NPC) GoogleMaps . Other material: Many specimens with same data except for date of collection VI–VIII.2020 and host plant ( Psidium guajava ) GoogleMaps .

Etymology: The new species is named for Dr. R. G. Booth of the Natural History Museum, London, to honour his contributions to Coccinellidae systematics and in grateful acknowledgement of his constant help and support for our studies on Indian Coccinellidae .

Immature stages: The larva ( Figs. 3a, b View FIGURE 3 ) is greyish to greyish brown with a spindle-shaped body; short legs; distinct sclerotized plates on prothorax and smaller plates on meso- and metathorax; and transverse median sclerotized areas on apical abdominal tergites. Lateral margins of all segments bear a bunch of short, blunt-tipped setae and longer hairs.

Distribution: India: Tamil Nadu.

Hosts / associated habitat: Information on the hosts of this genus is not available in the literature. Many specimens of Sasajiella boothi sp. n. and G. karachiensis examined in this study were collected on Indian gooseberry ( Phyllanthus emblica (L.), Euphorbiaceae ) infested by unidentified mealybugs and diaspine scales. A few specimens were collected on the trunk of guava plants ( Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae ) infested by a complex of mealybugs ( Hemiptera : Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae ) including Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller and Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell) . A whitefly species, Aleuroclava psidii (Singh) ( Hemiptera : Aleyrodidae ), was also observed on the foliage of guava. Hence, mealybugs and diaspine scales appear to be the most likely host insects for S. boothi sp. n. However, actual feeding on any of these hosts was not observed due to the cryptic, concealed habit of the life stages.