Chrysocoris pulchellus (Dallas)

(Figs. 2f, 3f, 4f, 5f, 6e, 7e, 9e; Plate II- A and III-E). Callidea pulchella Dallas, 1851: 25; Distant, 1902: 59

Diagnosis: Body metallic green or blue, a round to oblong spot near eye region, lateral pronotal angles acute, 1 st pair of conjunctival appendages apically curved, spermathecal duct dilation oblong.

Colour: Dorsally bright bluish or brassy green, antennae, rostrum and sternum black, margins of sternum brassy green, base of head beneath and abdomen ochraceous, femora (except apices) reddish ochraceous, their apices, tibiae and all tarsal segments black.

Head: (Fig. 2f) with lateral margins deeply sinuated; tylus surpasses the jugal lobes; a central fascia present within anterior to posterior margin, a black oval spot near to eye present; breadth (3.6±0.16) 1.5x to length (2.4±0.23), preocular distance (1.1±0.07) 1.8x to postocular (0.61±0.01), eyes produced laterally, interocular distance (2.2±0.11) 2x to interocellar (1.1±0.07); ocellus placed more closer to eyes than to each other.

Antennae: Five segmented; attached ventrally nearer to eyes; I antennal segment (0.9±0.08) never extended beyond apex of head; II smallest (0.37±0.1); III (2.25±0.22) almost 6x to II while IV (2.76±0.3) and V subequal (2.65±0.36); total antennal length 8.9±0.85.

Labium: Four segmented; I labial segment smallest (1.03±0.06); II (2±1.32) longest and 1.9x to I; III (1.3±0.07) and IV (1.23±0.07) subequal; total labial length 5.56±0.25 and exteded upto II-III abdominal segment.

Pronotum: (Fig. 3f) with anterior margin depressed slightly, anterior angles produced forward; lateral angles normal, antero-lateral margins slightly convexed; distance between posterior angles (7.97±0.58), 2x to distance between anterior angles (3.86±0.23) while medial pronotal length (4.06±0.27) almost same as that of latter; surface possessed ten black spots of variable size, 3 at anterior margin, one at each posterior angles, 2 at base, 2 on disc and one largest subquadrate placed centrally.

Scutellum: (Fig. 4f) oval, having anterior margin slightly convexed, anterior angles notched, apical end round; length (9.75±0.82) 1.4x to breadth (6.86±0.72); possessed eight variable sized black spots, 6 in pairs more towards lateral sides, one round to oval located towards scutellar apex and one Y-shaped or elongated placed medially.

External efferent system of metathoracic scent gland: (Fig. 5f) having oval or round ostiole which releases its secretion in transverse peritreme, its exterior end raised laterally from evaporatorial surface, grooved medially throughout the length, evaporatorial surface rugulose and extended upto mesothoracic segment.

Legs: With fore, middle and hind femora 3.5±0.1, 4.1±0.21 and 4.48±0.44 long, respectively while fore, middle and hind tibiae 3.87±0.08, 4.11±0.13 and 5.01±0.49, respectively.

Abdomen: convexed ventrally, length (7.6±0.75) 1.1x to breadth (6.9±0.77), a balck shaded with brassy green stigmata spot on each lateral side from III to VII segment and one medial on III segment present, arrangement of spiracles and trichobothria same as other species of this genus.

Male genitalia having pygophore (Fig. 6e) with dorso-posterior margin concave, postero-lateral angles round, dorso-medial surface concave; strigils scattered in irregular plates on whole surface; proctiger elongate, ventro-posterior margin deeply sinuated.

Aedeagus: (Fig. 7e) with phallotheca slender; not strongly sclerotized, three pairs of conjunctival appendages present, I pair strongly sclerotized, basally broad while apically tapered and curved before apex; II pair long, basal portion sclerotized, rest membranous excepts apical end which is spinose, it bears a short sclerotized spine before end; III pair sclerotized, apical end spinose and curved; vesica strong, elongate and notched where gonopore exit.

Paramere: (Fig. 8e) with stem comparatively short to blade, basal part broader, stem and blade joined with membranous part, blade curved and a tuft of setae present on inner margin. Female genital with ovipositor having VIII paratergites subquadrate with inner margin concave, dorsally fused, IX paratergite comparatively small and thumb shaped; first pair of gonocoxae large and subquadrate with posterior margin almost straight; small setae present on ovipositor.

Spermatheca: (Fig. 9e) with bulb elongated, apical end round, flanges of spermathecal pump present, pump region nearer to distal flange broader than to proximal, distal flange of pump comparatively broader and in disc shape, a sclerotized band present in between two flanges; distal and proximal spermathecal ducts almost same in their length and breadth; spermathecal dilation elongated, medially somewhat broader, membrane transluscent.

Body size: Female 15.06±0.47 and male 13±0.8 long.

Habitat: It is recorded on sandalwood (Chatterjee 1934).

Material examined (FRI): 5 and 3; India: Tamil Nadu: Jawalagiri, North Salem, 2, 18.v.1930, coll. unknown, sandal, [1, 10.vii.1930, 1, 18.vi.1930, 1, 12.vii.1930, 1, 29.vi.1930]. Jawalagiri; North Salem: 1, 12.vii.1930, coll. unknown, sandal; Jawalagiri; North Salem: 1, 18.vi.1930, coll. unknown, sandal.

Comments: The species is allied to C. marginellus but different in its smaller size, in having the antennae much broader and thicker. The species studied in its morphometrics, morphological characters and genitalia.