A new species, Krisna pampadumparaensis, is described from Pampadumpara, Kerala, India collected from Ficus exasperata. It is distinguished by its deeply transversely carinate vertex and without any anterior transverse black spot. Three prominent constrictions at the ventral lower margin of aedeagal shaft, hind margin of male eighth sternite medially slightly concave and its lateral angles slightly rounded are the other distinguishing characters. Aedeagus in caudal aspects with shallow concavity in the apical region, second pair of gonapophyses with a smooth area between basal and median teeth, margin between median and apical prominent teeth with denticles and margin beyond apical prominent teeth serrated up to tip, apex with undulated margin and ventral margin with subapical notch, make it distinct from K. varia Viraktamath with which it is closely related.
Iassinae comprises 7 tribes with over 2000 species in 146 genera (Oman et al 1990; Dietrich, 2005). Of these, tribe Krisnini includes the type genus erected by Kirkaldy (1900) with Siva strigicollis Spinola as its designated type species. Distant (1908) treated 3 species of Kisninifrom the Indian subcontinent, while Baker (1919) dealt with its fauna from the Indo-Australian region and described 8 species. Viraktamath (2006) revised the genus from the Indian subcontinent, described 8 new species and speculated that its New World species placed under this genus probably do not belong here. The genus Krisna is distinguished from related genera by the forewing with accessory cross veins and the head angled or rimmed in front (Viraktamath 2006). Zhang et al. (2008) recently synonomized Krisna burmanica Viraktamath with Krisna rufimarginata Cai & He from China. There are 36 known Krisna species of which 8 are from India. The present study describes a new species Krisnapam padumparaensis Meshram collected from Pampadumpara (9°47′ 26.81″N 77° 9′ 28.19″E), Kerala, India. The type material is with the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India (NPC).
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The terminology followed is after Viraktamath (2006). Line diagrams were drawn using a drawing tube attached with a Leica MZ12 stereomicroscope and a Leica DM1000 phase contrast research microscope. Photographs were taken with a Leica DFC 425C digital camera on a Leica M205FA, and SEM images with a Carl Zeiss (EVO-MA 10) SEM in environmental mode under EHT 15 kV and pressure 110–123 P.
Male genitalia dissections were carried out as described by Oman (1949) and Knight (1965). The abdomen was removed by inserting a sharp pin between the abdomen and thorax and gentle piercing. For removal of the unsclerotized tissue, the abdomen was treated in 10% KOH for 2–4 h and the unsclerotized material removed by gently prodding the abdomen with the head of a pin. After the unsclerotized tissue had been removed, the abdomen was rinsed in water thoroughly and stored in glycerine for study. The internal structures were then removed by use of a hooked pin.
Figs. 1–9.
Krisna pampadumparaensis sp. nov.: 1–3 Male; 1. Face; 2. Head and thorax; 3. Forewing. 4–9 Female; 4. Pygofer; 5. Seventh sternite; 6. First pair of gonapophysis; 7. Sculpturing at apex of first pair of gonapophyses; 8. Second pair of gonapophyses; 9. Third pair of gonapophyses.
Figs. 10–17.
Male Krisna pampadumparaensis sp. nov. 10. Aedeagus, ventral lower margin at arrow a, b, c with prominent constrictions; 11. Eight sternite; 12. Apex of apophysis of style; 13. Style; 14. Ventral pygofer process; 15. Subgenital plate; 16. Aedeagus caudal view; 17. Connective.
KRISNA PAMPADUMPARAENSIS MESHRAM SP. NOV. (Figs. 1–25)
Male: (Figs. 1–3, 10–17 and 18–21)
Originally greenish ochraceous changes to brownish red in 70% alcohol. Forewing with costal margin slightly transparent and appendix with basal a piceous spot.
Head medially longer than next to eyes, upper margin of the face transversely striated. Vertex slightly depressed, without any anterior transverse black spot, and deeply transversely carinate (Fig. 20). Clypellus strongly broadened apicad. Frontoclypeus sharply broadening upward (Figs. 1 and 19). Ocellus placed on front margin of crown next to corresponding eye and distance between the eye and ocellus is 0.52× of ocellus diam. Antennal ledges extending to frontoclypeus. Forewing-punctate; venation in apical part reticulate owing to 10 cross veins (Fig. 3). Pronotum with lateral margin carinate, Scutellum 1.13× as long as the pronotum. Pronotum 2.10× longer than broad and 3.22× longer than vertex (Figs. 2 and 20). Hind femoral spinulation 2+2+1. Eighth sternite 1.10× broader than long with macrosetae throughout its surface, hind margin medially slightly concave, lateral angles slightly rounded and densely covered with setae (Figs. 11 and 21)
Male Genitalia (Fig. 21):Ventral pygofer process sinuate at apex with small spine like projection at mid length, without spicules (Fig. 14). Style with type 1 apophysis long, 0.74× narrower than its base, slightly curved at apex with thickening extending to half of the width near apex; its basal region with small microsetae (Figs. 12 and 13). Aedeagal shaft with well developed preatrium, widened near mid length, ventral margin convex at apex, concave in mid and convex at basal region. Ventral lower margin of aedeagal shaft with three prominent constrictions at irregular intervals (Fig. 10). Aedeagus in caudal aspect with shallow concavity in the apical region (Fig. 16).
Same as male except distance between the eye and ocellus 0.75× of ocellus diam.
Female Genitalia (Figs. 4–9 and 25). Seventh sternite 2.14× broader than long, setae confined to median area, lateral area with hair like setae, hind margin with shallow median concavity but without median notch, lateral angles rounded, mid lateral margin slightly concave (Fig. 5). Second pair of gonapophyses with smooth area between basal and median teeth, margin between median and apical prominent teeth with denticles, and margin beyond apical prominent teeth serrated up to tip; apex with undulated margin and ventral margin with a subapical notch (Fig. 8). First pair of gonapophyses with sculpturing at the apex (Figs. 6 and 7). Third pair of gonapophyses with sparse hair like setae on mid hind margin (Fig. 9).
Measurements
Male 10.20 mm long, 2.39 mm wide across eyes, 3.01 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum. Female 11.45 mm long, 2.72 mm wide across eyes, 3.31 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum.
Host: Ficus exasperata
Remarks
Krisna pampadumparaensis sp. nov. closely resembles K. varia Viraktamath but differs in the following: 3 prominent constrictions at the ventral lower margin of aedeagal shaft (vs. ventral lower margin without any constriction in K. varia) and hind margin of male eighth sternite medially slightly concave and densely covered with setae (vs eighth sternite slightly convex and sparsely covered with setae in K. varia). Second pair of a gonapophyses with a smooth area between basal and median teeth, margin between median and apical prominent teeth with denticles, and margin beyond apical prominent teeth serrated up to tip; apex with undulated margin and ventral margin with a subapical notch. (vs. margin between basal and median and median and apical prominent teeth with denticles; apex with smooth margin and ventral margin without subapical notch of K. varia).
Type material
Holotype male INDIA: Kerala, Pampadumpara, 04-XII-2010, from stem and leaves of Ficus exasperata, N. M. Meshram; Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females with data as Holotype (NPC).
Etymology
The species is named after the locality, Pampadumpara.
Ethology
This new species was found resting on the stem and leaves of Ficus exasperata during morning hours in Pampadumpara, Kerala, India.
Figs. 18–25.
Krisna pampadumparaensis sp. nov.: 18–21; Male 18. Habitus; 19. Face; 20. Pronotum; 21. Genital capsule, ventral view; 22–25 Female 22. Habitus; 23. Face; 24. Pronotum; 25. Genital capsule, ventral view.
Figs. 26–40.
Krisna varia: 26–35 Male; 26. Face; 27. Pronotum; 28. Connective; 29. Adeagus caudal view; 30. Forewing; 31. Eight sternite; 32. Aedeagus, lateral view; 33. Sugenital plate; 34 Apophysis of style; 35. Ventral pygofer process; 37–40 Female; 37. Seventh sternite; 38. Second pair of gonapophyses; 39. First pair of gonapophyses; 40. Third pair of gonapophyses.
KRISNA VARIA VIRAKTAMATH
(Figs. 26–40)
Material examined: INDIA: Karnataka: 1 male & 3 female Bangalore: GKVK, 7.vii.2011. from Croton, Yeshwanth H. M., Det. C. A. Viraktamath; Karnataka: 2 male, Chettalli, 3.v.2011, Shakti Singh.
In the key given by Viraktamath. (2006), this new species will key in at the couplet no. 6 leading to K. raja and K. varia. This is to be modified as follows:
6. Aedeagal shaft in lateral view short and stout, ventral pygophore process without spine like outgrowth or its remnant, slender, arched uniformly K. raja Viraktamath
— Aedeagal shaft in lateral view more elongate and slender; ventral pygophore process with or without spine like outgrowth, sinuate or bisinuate 11
11. Hind margin of male eighth sternite medially slightly concave, ventral lower margin of aedeagal shaft without constrictions. Female seventh sternite with a median notch on hind margin; second pair of gonapophyses with denticles both between basal and median teeth, and median and apical prominent teeth with denticles; apex with smooth margin and ventral margin without subapical notch K. varia Viraktamath
— Hind margin of male eighth sternite medially slightly concave (Fig. 11), ventral lower margin of aedeagal shaft with three prominent constrictions at irregular intervals (Fig. 10). Female seventh sternite with shallow median concavity but without median notch (Fig. 5); second pair of gonapophyses with a smooth area between basal and median teeth, margin between median and apical prominent teeth with denticles, and margin beyond apical prominent teeth serrated up to tip; apex with undulated margin and ventral margin with a subapical notch (Fig. 8) K. pampadumparaensis sp. nov.
