New species, new synonym, and redescription of Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from the Western Ghats, India
Author
Sathiandran, Nithya
Author
Sabu, Thomas K.
text
Zootaxa
2012
3526
53
58
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.213360
b1a33963-aa99-478f-8b76-50c13ada801c
1175-5326
213360
Onthophagus sahai
Biswas & Chatterjee, 1986
(
Figs. 4–6
)
Description.
Shiny black, with the tarsi, antennae, and the lower surface red, body smooth and without setae (
Fig. 4–5
).
Head.
Broad; ocular lobes rounded; clypeus separated from the frons by a strong, straight carina; vertex with a small, transverse elevation, area behind elevation smooth.
Pronotum.
Convex with fine punctures. Front angles blunt, sides nearly straight in front and sinuate behind, base gently rounded.
Elytra.
Black and shiny; finely striate, striae lightly punctate, intervals feebly convex, finely but not closely punctate. Elytron with orange spot at base.
Wings.
Hind
wings present.
Lower surface.
Pygidium in male with an incised line near the outer margin (absent in female). Metasternal shield smooth and shiny with a large, rounded pit anteriorly; with a longitudinal groove in the middle and the sides of the metasternal shield with setiferous punctures.
Legs.
All femora and tibiae with few setiferous punctures; protibia quadridentate externally.
Male genetalia.
Parameres angled relative to the basal piece, symmetrical, pointed towards the apex (
Fig. 6
).
Measurements
(mm; n = 47): TL = 4.5–6.0, BW = 2.7–3.3, PL = 1.50–1.95, PW = 2.4–3.0, EL = 2.25–3.00.
Material examined
:
Holotype
(male, ZSI- Calcutta): “
India
, Kerala, Silent valley, No.10793/H4A”.
Paratypes
(
2 female
, ZSI- Calcutta): Kerala, Silent valley, No. 10794/H4A; 10795/H4A. Additional material:
2 males
and
2 females
in NPC labeled “
India
, Kerala, Silent valley National Park, Walakkad,
1100 m
,
5.vi.2009
, Vinod, K.V.”;
21 males
and
8 females
in SJC with same data,
8 males
and
6 females
in ZSI-Ca labeled “Kerala: Thirunelly,
1395m
,
18. v. 2009
, Nirdev, P.M.
Distribution.
India
(South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion).
Remarks.
Onthophagus sahai
differs from
O. refulgens
by the presence of an orange spot on the base of each elytron in contrast with the absence of orange spots in
O. refulgens
. Males and females of
O.sahai
can be differentiated on the basis of variation in the punctures on clypeus and the additional carina on the clypeus of the female. The front part of the clypeus strongly punctate in males and closely rugose in females.