Ischalia (Nitidischalia)

Young, Daniel K., 2011, A new Asian subgenus and species of Ischalia (Coleoptera: Ischaliidae) with an assessment of subgeneric concepts, revised world checklist, and keys to the subgenera and “ blue elytra ” species, Zootaxa 2811, pp. 53-58 : 54

Ischalia (Nitidischalia) , new subgenus

( Figs. 1–2 )

Diagnosis. Nitidischalia differs from both the nominate subgenus and Eupleurida by its considerably reduced pubescence (both in density and setal length), the nearly glabrous pronotum ( Fig. 2 ), and the highly reduced humeral carinae ( Fig. 1 ). The pronotal pits and depressions, characteristic of most species of Ischalia (Ischalia) and I. ( Eupleurida ), are also greatly reduced. Like the nominate subgenus, Nitidischalia is macropterous.

Type species. The type species for Ischalia (Nitidischalia) , by monotypy and present designation, is the new species described below: Ischalia (Nitidischalia) barclayi .

Etymology. Nitidischalia, is derived from the Latin root, “ nitid -” (= shining) + the Greek “ isch -” (= suppress) + the Latin “ ali -” (= a wing). While no hint was provided in Pascoe’s original description of Ischalia , the name could have been in reference to the elytra disk, which presents the illusion of being “pushed down” or suppressed by virtue of the considerably elevated sutural carinae. Perhaps a related derivation, Blatchley (1910) considered Ischalia to come from the Greek for “dried up” – presumably in reference to the shriveled looking pronotum, by virtue of the many pits and depressions, and seemingly concave elytral disk seen in Ischalia . Nitidischalia refers to the highly reflective, shining, dorsal pronotal and elytra surfaces, with a nearly complete lack of vestiture compared to those of the other subgenera.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Ischalia (Nitidischalia) barclayi, sp. nov. (♂) Figure 1, dorsal habitus; Figure 2, pronotum.