Telsimia pygmaea Poorani, 2023

Poorani, J. & Thanigairaj, R., 2023, -- A- - brief- - review- - of- - the- - tribe- - Telsimiini- - (Coleoptera: -- Coccinellidae) -- of- - the- - Indian-subcontinent, -- including- - three- - new- - species- - of- - Telsimia Casey- - from- - South- - India, Zootaxa 5352 (3), pp. 358-380 : 363-368

Telsimia pygmaea Poorani ,­­sp.­­n.

(Figs 5–7)

Diagnosis. Telsimia pygmaea sp. n. is one of the only five species of this genus in the Indian region with elytral maculae, the other four being Telsimia bicolor Kapur 1969 , T. postocula Kapur 1967 , T. flavomaculata Poorani 2003 , and Telsimia intricata sp. n. (described here). This species differs from T. flavomaculata in having a pair of yellowish, oblique elytral maculae of variable size, distinctly shorter pubescence on the body (Fig. 5) and the male genitalia (Fig. 6g –i) that are diagnostic in having a highly modified penis with a lamellate capsule and the penis guide is bilobed and medially deeply curved. Telsimia postocula is black with a pair of yellowish apical spots on elytra, but it has a more elongate oval body outline and different male genitalia and it is endemic to the Andaman Islands. Telsimia bicolor is somewhat similar to T. pygmaea sp. n. but stated to have very sparse elytral pubescence and also known only from Andamans and Singapore.

Description. Length: 0.78–0.91 mm; width: 0.67–0.79 mm; TL/TW: 1.14–1.28; PL/PW: 0.23–0.39; EL/EW: 0.90–1.00. Male: Form broad oval to almost rounded, dorsum strongly convex and densely pubescent with silvery white hairs; hairs on pronotum procumbent, denser on anterolateral areas; elytral pubescence characteristic, with two rows of setae on either side of suture directed downward, rest radiating outward. Dorsal side dark brown to black, elytra with a pair of yellowish-orange, oblique apical maculae of variable size (Fig. 5a–e), reaching up to a little beyond apical one-third of elytra, occasionally much reduced (Fig. 5d, e) or totally absent. Ventral side (Fig. 5f) dark brown to black, except abdominal ventrites 2–5 partially or sometimes fully paler reddish brown, legs dark brown to black except trochanters reddish brown, all tarsi lighter, yellowish brown.

.

Head (Fig. 6a) 3.3–4.4x as broad as an eye, interocular distance 1.7–2.5x as broad as an eye; punctation on head close near ocular and posterior margins, more widely spaced on middle. Antenna (Fig. 6b) six-segmented, scape largest and much longer than broad, antennomeres 2–6 progressively wider and spindle-shaped, 4–6 strongly transverse, terminal antennomere modified, laterally strongly produced into a short tubular process. Maxilla (Fig. 6c)

. with terminal palpomere apically obliquely truncate. Pronotum with anterior margin trapezoidal and almost fully bordered, posterior margin medially sinuate and completely bordered, lateral sides almost straight. Elytral punctures even, slightly more deeply impressed than those on pronotum, separated by 2–6 diameters. Prosternal process broad, without carinae. Legs with enlarged femora; tarsal claws appendiculate. Abdomen (Fig. 6e) with five visible ventrites, abdominal postcoxal lines laterally strongly recurved, apically incomplete, ventrite 6 trapezoidal, its posterior margin subtruncate to barely emarginate with dense, elongate pubescence.

Male genitalia (Fig. 6g –i) as illustrated, penis guide basally broadest and progressively narrowed, apical third bilobed with a strong, elliptical emargination, parameres much shorter than penis guide, with few apical setae (Fig. 6g); trabes nearly as long as penis guide; penis very long and complex, penis capsule broad and lamellate with scalloped edges, apical half of penis with an elongate, apically clubbed outer process and a pair of scimitar-shaped inner processes in lateral view (Fig. 6h); in inner view anterior half lamellate and membranous with subparallel sides, posteriorly modified, apically differentiated into a pair of strongly sclerotized, intertwined apical prongs (Fig. 6i).

Female. Body outline slightly broader and more rounded than male, coloration externally similar. Ventrite 6 broadly conical, its apical margin more arcuate (Fig. 6f). Coxites (Fig. 6j) as illustrated.

Material examined. Holotype, male; INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Podavur, NRCB Research Farm , N 10°47'20.16" E 078°34'29.88", 18.xi.2020, Collected on Emblica officinalis, R. Thanigairaj (ICAR-NBAIR) . Paratypes (30): five females and five males, with same data as holotype ( ICAR-NBAIR); India: Tamil Nadu: NRCB, Tiruchirappalli , N10°47’20.16” E078°34’29.88”, 15.6.2022, R. Thanigairaj; 20 unsexed specimens with voucher codes NRC-AA-4814 to NRC-AA-4833 ( NCBS) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin adjective and refers to its very small size (Latin ‘ pygmaeus ’ = dwarf, little).

Distribution. India: Tamil Nadu.

Immature stages / biology. Specimens of Telsimia pygmaea sp. n. were found in large numbers on the trunk / bark of Indian gooseberry [ Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (= Phyllanthus emblica (L.), Euphorbiaceae ] and found to be feeding on unidentified diaspine scales. It lays single eggs (Fig. 7a) which are pearly whitish to creamy yellow, oval with both ends rounded and with prominent hexagonally sculptured pattern on the chorion. The eggs hatched in 3 days and the larval and pupal periods lasted 8 and 5 days, respectively, in laboratory conditions. The larva (Fig. 7b–i) has a dorsolaterally flattened body and is pinkish with the thoracic segments having laterally / forwardly projecting arms and prominent, radiating lateral waxy projections all around the body. Several larvae were found hiding within narrow crevices on the bark (Fig. 7f) and the dorsoventrally flattened body is probably an adaptation for its cryptic habit. The pupa (Fig. 7j–l) is pinkish to orange-red and medially exposed with radiating waxy projections on the lateral sides. Adults were also collected from other host plants including mango ( Mangifera indica , Anacardiaceae ), guava ( Psidium guajava , Myrtaceae ), teak ( Tectona grandis ), portia tree ( Thespesia populnea , Malvaceae ) and neem ( Azadirachta indica , Meliaceae ).Adults were commonly collected throughout the year and particularly active during March–June in the research farm at NRCB, Trichy.