Cyphochilus gandhii Sabatinelli 2020, n. sp.

Cyphochilus gandhii n. sp.

Figs 32-34, 84

Holotype: MHNG (MHNG-ENTO-81686); 1 ♂; WEST BENGAL: // INDIA / [West Bengal, Darjeeling] Kurseong / V.1975 (H) // HOLOTYPUS ♂ / Cyphochilus / gandhii mihi / G. Sabatinelli, 2020 (T on red) // (Fig. 84).

Paratypes: 78 specimens.

UTTAR PRADESH: BMNH; 1 ♂; Allahabad (sub. C. candidus det. Waterhouse).

WEST BENGAL: ISNB; 8 ♂, 8 ♀; Kurseong (sub C. pygidialis det. Moser). – MHNG; 4 ♂, 6 ♀; same data as previous. – BMNH; 1 ♂; same data as previous (sub C. candidus det. Arrow). – HNHM; 1 ♂; same data as previous. – NMPC; 1 ♂; same data as previous (sub. C. candidus det. Frey). – MHNG; 2 ♂, 6 ♀; Maria Basti [Christian church near Pedong]. – MHNG; 2 ♂, 3 ♀; Pedong. – MSNG; 1 ♂; same data as previous. – ISNB; 2 ♀; Darjeeling. – ISNB; 2 ♂, 1 ♀; Kolkata.

SIKKIM: ISNB; 2 ♂; Sikkim. – MTD; 3 ♂, 3 ♀; same data as previous.

ASSAM: MTD, 1 ♂; Assam. – MHNG 1 ♂; same data as previous.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH: NHMB; 8 ♂, 8 ♀; btw. Dirang & Bomdila pass., 27˚19’ N 92˚22’ E, 2200 m; 15.VI.2004; leg. L. Dembický.

INDIA (generically): ISNB 6 ♂.

Description of the holotype male: Size – BL: 21 mm, BW: 8.8 mm, BWX: 11.4 mm, situated at midpoint of elytra. Color – Integument dark shiny brown except for brown-reddish clypeus, antennal clubs, other appendices and legs; dorsal surface with white scales densely aggregated along the sides of pronotum and margins of elytra. Head – CW/L: 3.5; anterolateral edges of clypeus rounded, lateral edges of clypeus curved divergent posteriad; frons large, making eyes relatively small, not prominent (F/O: 5.4); antennal club slightly longer than antennomeres 2-7 (A2-7/CL: 0.88). Pronotum – Transverse (PnW/L: 2.2), strongly convex; apical angles and lateral margins flattened, apical angles acute protuberant; basal lateral margins curved, basal angles obtuse and largely rounded. Elytra – Smooth, without any elevated stria. Thoracic sterna – Surface with short, white pubescence and scales; mesosternum strongly developed anteriorly (MstL: 1.8 mm) between mesocoxae. Abdomen – Sternites with sparse scales except median part of the eight sternite; pygidium convex with apical margin reflected. Legs – Protibia tridentate with basal tooth well developed; slender apical tooth as long as middle tooth. Aedeagus – Parameres strongly asymmetric (Figs 32-34); left paramere with a long ventral process that wrap the right one like in C. tenzingyatsoi; apical part of right paramere convex and pointed.

Variability: BL: 20-22.5 mm (x = 21.5, n = 72).

Females: BL: 22 mm; antennal club ovate, shorter than preceding antennomeres 2-7 (A2-7/CL: 1.8).

Etymology: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British Rule and in turn inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the World.

Type locality: Kurseong is a city and municipality in Darjeeling District in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Distribution: This species, quite abundant in the collections, shows a distribution concentrated in the Darjeeling municipality of West Bengal, with a few specimens also known from Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Other old record localities are generic and may be unreliable.

Remarks: Cyphochilus gandhii can be readily separated from all other congeners by its: large body size, elytral striae not elevated, mesosternum armed with a long spur and for the unique shape of the parameres. The morphological closest species is C. tenzingyatsoi from which it is easily distinguishable having antennal club longer than antennomeres 2-7 and the apex of the right paramere convex and pointed (Figs 29 vs. 32). In the collections, this new species was identified by Moser as C. pygidialis and by Arrow as C. candidus.