Meridindia magnolia Salini & Gracy & Sushil 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Salini, S.
name: Gracy, R. G.
name: Sushil, S. N.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Pentatomidae
Meridindia
Meridindia magnolia

description: Meridindia magnolia Salini sp. nov.
https://zoobank.org/ D02004C2-0278-49C9-9792-100A0AFAAC5B
(Figs. 57–81)
Type locality. India, Karnataka, Bangalore, Yelahanka, Attur, 13°05'59″N 77°34 05″E.
Type material. Holotype: INDIA: KARNATAKA: Bangalore: Yelahanka, Attur, 13 o 05’ 59” N 77 o 34’ 05” E, 1♂, 04.x.2017, Prabhu. G. // HOLOTYPUS / MERIDINDIA MAGNOLIA / sp. nov. / det. Salini. S., 2023 [p, red label]’. Deposited at NIM (ICAR-NBAIR), Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The holotype is pinned through the scutellum, antennomere IV of left antenna and tarsomere II and III of right mid leg are missing. The dissected male genitalia are placed in a plastic microvial with glycerol attached to the same pin.
Paratypes (20♂ 21♀). INDIA: KARNATAKA: Bangalore: Yelahanka, Attur, 10.vi.2020, 1♂, 23.vi.2020, 2 ♂, 13.vii.2020, 1♀, 03.viii.2020, 1♀, 13.viii.2020, 1♂, 25.viii.2020, 2♂, 29.viii.2020, 1♀, 08.ix.2020, 2♂, 11.xi.2020, 1♀, Rabbani, M. K., ex. Magnolia champaca; 15.v.2020, 1♂, Salini. S., ex. Magnolia champaca; 12.v.2020, 1♀, 15.vii.2020, 1♀, 27.vii.2020, 1♀, 05.viii.2020, 1♀, 25.viii.2020, 1♀, 07.x.2020, 1♂, 19.x.2020, 1♂, Maruthi, K. V., ex. Magnolia champaca; 18.iv.2020, 1♀, 18.vi.2020, 1♀, 28.vii.2020, 1♀, 17.vi.2021, 1♂, 07.viii.2021, 4♂, Rabbani, M. K.; 19.vii.2018, 1♀, 20.xi.2018, 2♂, 2♀, Prabhu, G.; 10.x.2019, 1♀, 09.xii.2020, 1♀ (dissected female genitalia in glass microvial attached to the same pin, tergites and sternites glued to pale white rectangular card paper), 06.vii.2021, 1♀, 24.v.2022, 1♂, 09.xii.2020, 1♀, Maruthi, K. V.; Hebbal, 15.iii.2013, 1♂ (dissected male genitalia in plastic microvial attached to the same pin), Salini. S.; 04.vi.2016, 1♀, Prabhu, G. TAMIL NADU: Nilgiris: Kotagiri, 21.-25.vi.1984, 1♀, A. Křížová lgt. (NMPC). Each bearing the following identification label: ‘ PARATYPUS / MERIDINDIA MAGNOLIA / sp. nov. / det. Salini. S, 2023 [p, yellow label]’. All the material deposited in NIM (ICAR-NBAIR) unless mentioned otherwise.
Additional material examined. The materials were identified by Salini. S and deposited in NIM (ICAR-NBAIR) unless mentioned otherwise. INDIA: KARNATAKA: Bangalore: Yelahanka, Attur, 03.xi.2019, 1♂, 05.xi.2019, 1♀, Maruthi K. V.; Yelahanka, Attur, 04.x.2017, 1♂, 07.xi.2018, 1♀, Prabhu G.; Yelahanka, Attur, 24.ix.2018, 1♂, 15.vii.2019, 1♀, Salini. S. ex. Magnolia champaca; Yelahanka, Attur, 14.v.2020, 1♀, 15.v.2020, 1♀, 23.vi.2020, 1 ♂, 1♀, 13.vii.2020, 1♂, 25.vii.2020, 1♂, 08.ix.2020, 3♂, 2♀, 14.ix.2020, 1♂, 22.ix.2020, 1♀, 03.x.2020, 2♀, 17.vi.2021, 1♀, 21.vi.2021, 1♀, 07.vii.2021, 1♀, 21.viii.2021, 1♀, Rabbani M.K., ex. Magnolia champaca; Yelahanka, Attur, 23.x.2018, 1♂, 1♀, Nithya S., ex. Magnolia champaca; Yelahanka, Attur, 26.v.2019, 1♂, 01.ii.2020, 1♀, 15.v.2020, 1♂, 1♀, 19.v.2020, 2♂, 29.v.2020, 1♀, 22.vii.2020, 1♀, 19.viii.2020, 1♂, 05.x.2020, 1♀, 07.x.2020, 2♂, 22.x.2020, 1♀, 02.xi.2020, 1♂, 10.xi.2020, 1♀, 22.xi.2020, 1♀, 09.xii.2020, 1♀, 08.i.2021, 1♀, 05.ii.2021, 1♀, 21.vi.2021, 1♀, 24.vii.2021, 1♂, Maruthi K. V., ex. Magnolia champaca; GKVK, N13°05 E77°34, 29.xi.2010, 1♂, Mallesh, NBAII, ex Red gram; Kanakapura, N12° E77°31, 1♀, 6.ix.2011, Mahendra R., ex. Lantana camara. Chikkamagaluru: Mudigere, 30.ix.2015, 1♀, A. Ramesh Kumar. Chikkaballapur: Chintamani, SCC Farm, 11.x.15, 1♀, Lavanya Raj; Hebbal, N13°02 E77°35, 21.vii.2011, 1♀, Mahendra R. // Ex. Magnolia champaca. TAMIL NADU: Thandigudi, 1311m, 10°18′N 77°38′E, 11.xi.2010, 1♀, Sweep net, Yeshwanth H.M., Halys serricollis Westwood, Det. C.A. Viraktamath (UASB).
Description. Colour, integument and vestiture as in M. salmana, except the following: antennae with basal one fourth of antennomere IV pale yellow; tarsomere I–III usually pale yellow.
Male genitalia with posterior half (= caudal half) of genital capsule on ventral side with a mixture of coarse and fine, dark brown, dense punctures; dorsal side with fine, sparse punctures concentrated laterally. Posterior half of genital capsule including the caudal margin with fine, moderately elongate, golden setae; dorsal margin of ventral rim with a row of moderately, elongate, golden setae at middle; anterior half of ventral side of genital capsule with sparse, short, golden setae.
Female genitalia with dark brown, coarse punctures on valvifers VIII (sparsely distributed over the disc and coalesced to broad brown patches covering mesial margins, posterior margins and one third breadth of disc); laterotergite VIII (sparsely distributed on disc and forming brown border on inner and outer posterior angles). Disc of valvifers VIII, IX, laterotergite VIII and IX with short, brown setae sparsely distributed. Valvifers VIII with elongate, brown setae bordering mesial and posterior margins; valvifers IX at the middle with tuft of elongate golden yellow setae, caudal apex of laterotergite IX with elongate, golden yellow setae.
Structure. Mainly as in generic redescription. Head (Figs. 61–63) slightly longer than wide, dorsal surface of head more or less flattened; apex of mandibular plates, sinuate with anterior apex of inner lobe subacute; denticle in front of compound eyes minute and often prominent. Bucculae moderately high with anterior apex angulate. Length of labium variable, reaching middle of ventrite III to middle of ventrite V.
Pronotum (Fig. 64). Anterolateral pronotal margin serrated. Humeri subrounded. Transverse impression at middle of pronotum nearly indistinct.
Scutellum (Figs. 58, 59) subtriangular, longer than wide at base.
Hemelytra. Membrane translucent, broadly rounded apically, simple venation with 6–7 veins.
Pregenital abdomen. Posterolateral angles of each ventrite angulate. Abdominal venter with a shallow sulcation, usually extending to ventrite V.
Male genitalia (Figs. 66–76). Genital capsule (Figs. 67–69) subquadrangular with posterolateral lobes (= caudal lobes) broad and rounded, slightly angulate towards ventral rim. Ventral rim posteriorly divided vaguely into dorsal and ventral margins; dorsal margin (Fig. 69: dm) concave and wide at middle and gradually indistinct towards posterolateral lobes; inner ventral margin (Figs. 67–69: vm) of ventral rim, wide and deep V-shaped and nearly angulate towards posterolateral lobes; ventral side of genital capsule with 1+1 small, tumescence submedially anteriad of ventral rim; internal vertical ridges (Fig. 67: ivr) on inner ventral wall of genital capsule, well developed and sclerotized, each possessing incomplete circular fenestrum at anterior end; infoldings of ventral rim well developed laterally, strongly impressed, produced posteriad, fused with infoldings of dorsal rim and forming 1+1 moderately deep pouch-like concavities inner to caudal lobes. Dorsal rim (Fig. 67: dr) broadly concave, with narrow median process; superior processes of dorsal rim absent. Paramere (Figs. 70–72): Crown broad, roughly L-shaped in outline, vertical arm shorter and broader than horizontal (= dorsal) arm; black, sclerotized, ridge (Fig. 71: sr) on crown restricted to apical half of horizontal (= dorsal) arm; stem short with well developed apodeme. Articulatory apparatus (Fig. 73) similar to preceeding species. Phallus (Figs. 74–76): Phallotheca, convex dorsally, sclerotized and constricted towards both ends; proximal end slightly twisted ventrad possessing short angular process (Fig. 76: vt) ventromedially (= ventral tubercles of theca by Gapon & Konstantinov 2006); two pairs of conjunctival processes (Figs. 74–75: cj): dorsal pair (Fig. 74: cjd) longer, membranous, broadly subovate apically, two third proximal dark and pigmented, apical one third transparent; ventral pair shorter, bilobed with inner lobe (Fig. 75: cjv 1) short, membranous, outer lobe (Fig. 75: cjv 2) longer, apical half narrow and finger-like, sclerotized black; a pair of processes of aedeagus (= penial lobes) (Fig. 74: pa) sclerotized, narrow, finger-like, connected along midline by a transparent thin membrane and adpressed to basal region of aedeagus from dorsally; aedeagus (Fig. 76: ae) elongate, sclerotized, sickle-shaped, tubular longer than conjunctival processes and processes of aedeagus.
Female genitalia (Figs. 77–81). Terminalia (Figs. 77–79): Valvifers VIII (Fig. 78: vlf8) subtriangular, disc convex dorsally with inner lateral margins (mesial margins) slightly convex, inner posterior angles rounded, posterior margin slightly concave; inner to posterior margin of valvifers VIII with sunken area bordered with black serration. Valvifers IX (Fig. 78: vlf9) transversely trapezoidal and contiguous with gynatrium. Laterotergite IX (Fig. 78: lt9) elongate, oblique, with posterior apex narrowly rounded. Laterotergite VIII (Fig. 78: lt8), subtriangular, caudal margin of laterotergite VIII convex, sometimes with minute denticle. Gynatrium (Fig. 79): Spermathecal opening surrounded with an inverted U-shaped sclerite (Fig. 79: us); ring sclerites (Fig. 79: rs) well developed into transversely elongate, subovoid sclerites (medially transparent). Spermatheca (Fig. 80): Spermathecal dilation regularly, obliquely fluted externally; intermediate part of spermtheca (= spermthecal pump) with distal flange larger than proximal flange; apical receptacle (Fig. 81: ar) hemispherical with 2 ductules, directed towards proximal flange; one shorter than the other (Fig. 81).
Measurements (mm). Males (n = 5; median (minimum–maximum)). Body length 16.08 (15.37–16.52); head: length 3.56 (3.49–3.65), width (including eyes) 3.33 (3.28–3.50), interocular width 2.07 (1.96–2.11); lengths of antennomeres: I—0.88 (0.84–0.95), II—2.04 (1.82–2.19), III—2.18 (1.92–2.12), IV—2.79 (2.68–3.09), V—2.36 (2.14–2.44); length of labiomeres: I—1.69 (1.67–1.73), II—3.03 (2.86–3.09), III—2.78 (2.75–2.94), IV—1.58 (1.50–1.60); pronotum: length 3.19 (2.90–3.25), width (including humeri) 7.13 (6.69–7.37); scutellum: length 5.59 (5.14–5.75), width (at basal angles) 4.48 (4.28–4.67).
Females (n = 5; median (minimum–maximum)). Body length 16.85 (15.85–17.01); head: length 3.68 (3.39– 3.80), width (including eyes) 3.37 (3.19–3.57), interocular width 2.08 (1.96–2.18); lengths of antennomeres: I— 0.87 (0.86–0.92), II—1.82 (1.76–1.89), III—1.94 (1.78–2.46), IV—2.82 (2.52–2.91), V—2.35 (2.30–2.41); lengths of labiomeres: I—1.72 (1.49–1.78), II—2.99 (2.96–3.45), III—2.85 (2.66–3.29), IV—1.59 (1.37–1.78); pronotum: length 3.28 (3.03–3.33), width (including humeri) 7.47 (6.90–7.71); scutellum: length 5.78 (5.43–6.06), width (at basal angles) 4.67 (4.32–5.03).
DNA barcode. GenBank accession number MW033975 (1♂, INDIA: Karnataka, Attur, Yelahanka, 08.v.2020, N 13°5′37.4568″, E 77° 3′38.7252″, Rabbani, M. K.).
Etymology. The specific epithet, ‘ magnolia ’, is based on the name of the tree, on which this species was usually found taking shelter; noun in apposition.
Bionomics. This species is usually associated with bark of Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill.ex Pierre (Magnoliales: Magnoliaceae) (Figs. 57, 58), however, no evidence was found that the species is feeding on the plant. Therefore, it could be a shelter plant or casual plant according to Burckhardt et al. (2014). The species was found coexisting with M. salmana, Eupaleopada concinna (Westwood, 1837) and Dalpada spp. on the same tree.
Distribution. At present M. magnolia sp. nov. restricted to southern regions of India. India: Karnataka (Bangalore, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur); Tamil Nadu (Thandigudi).
Remarks. This species is closer to M. salmana in external colouration and appearance, however it differs in shape of head, humeri and by the genitalia of both sexes. A detailed comparison of the diagnostic characters of the two species is provided in Table 1.
description: Published as part of Salini, S., Gracy, R. G. & Sushil, S. N., 2024, Revision of Meridindia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), an endemic genus, with description of a new species from India, pp. 207-234 in Zootaxa 5428 (2) on pages 226-231, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5428.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/10847508