Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb Ghosh & Sengupta sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype, female, INDIA: Assam, Nahortoli Tea Estate, 27˚81'15"N, 95˚05'05"E, 16.xi.2024, coll. Sheela, S. & Party, Reg. No. 35423/H3 (NZC-ZSI). Paratypes, 5 males, INDIA: Assam, Hathikuli Tea Estate, 26˚35'09"N, 93˚21'53"E, 19.xi.2024, coll. Sheela, S. & Party, Reg. No. 35424/H3–35428/H3 (NZC-ZSI).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 4.6 mm, fore wing 3.2 mm.

Head. Antenna with 16 antennomeres (Fig. 1A), scape swollen in the middle (Fig. 1B), subapical antennomeres broadened, shorter than basal antennomeres, apical antennomeres narrow (Fig. 1A); third antennomere 1.3 × longer than fourth; third, fourth and terminal antennomeres 4.7 ×, 4.0 × and 2.0 × longer than wide, respectively; head transverse (Fig. 1B), in dorsal view roundly constricted behind eyes (Fig. 1D); OOL: OD: POL= 4.8: 1.0: 3.0; longitudinal diameter of eye 1.6 × height of temples; vertex coarsely longitudinally striate; frons distinctly concave, longitudinally striate, polished posteriorly with midlongitudinal carinae (Figs 1C–D); occiput longitudinally striate (Fig. 1D); temple longitudinally striate (Fig. 1E); face coarsely rugose with almost complete midlongitudinal carina (Fig. 1B); clypeus flat and densely punctate, polished and shiny (Fig. 1B); mandible with two prominent teeth, densely setose (Fig. 1B); length of malar space 2.2 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.4 × long of its height; pronotum rugose-reticulate laterally (Figs 1E–F); mesoscutum areolate-rugose (Fig. 2A); middle lobe of mesoscutum punctate, rugose and shiny (Fig. 2A); notauli impressed as large pits (Fig. 2A); lateral lobes of mesoscutum rugose posteriorly (Fig. 2A); transverse suture distinct, deep (Fig. 2A); scutellar sulcus divided by four carinae (Fig. 2A); scutellum irregularly punctate, sparsely setose, with crenulate groove laterally (Fig. 2A); mesopleuron evenly convex, reticulate-rugose and densely setose especially on ventral side (Fig. 1F); propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose, areolate medially, setose laterally; transverse carina on propodeum distinct and complete (Fig. 2B).

Wings. Fore wing infuscate in apical half; length of fore wing 3.6 × its width; length of marginal cell 1.1 × pterostigma; vein 2-R1 present, short; vein r shorter than vein 3-SR; ratio of length of veins r: 3-SR: SRl = 1.0: 1.5: 5.5; vein SR1 almost straight; parastigma distinctly swollen; ratio of length of veins 1-CU1: 2-CU1= 1.0: 7.7; vein CUlb present (Fig. 2F).

Legs. Hind coxa rugose laterally, densely punctate, setose (Figs 1A); hind femur robust, setose and shiny; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.2 ×, 4.1 × and 4.3 × their maximum width, respectively; mid and hind tibia with numerous short, pointed spines in apical half, a small yellow patch on inner side of hind tibia.

Metasoma. Metasomal carapace elongate-oval in dorsal view, coarsely reticulate-rugose, longitudinally striate antero-medially with a pair of parallel sided midlongitudinal carinae basally (Fig. 2C); length of carapace 2.1 × its maximum width in dorsal view; carapace without undulating lamella laterally (Figs 2D, E); ventral cavity closed apically, bordered with crenulate lamellae (Fig. 2E); ovipositor long, slender and the ovipositor sheath 0.1 × as long as fore wing, 0.4 × as long as hind tibia (Fig. 2E).

Colour. Head black, antenna dark brown at the base and light brown at apex, eyes and ocelli golden yellow, maxillary and labial palps brown at base and golden-yellow at apex, mandible brown; mesosoma black, except in wings and legs; fore wing veins, tegula and pterostigma dark brown, parastigma light brown; legs black except trochanter and tibial spurs; metasoma black with yellow patches separated by a narrow black line dorsally at the basal third, ventral lamella yellow.

Male (Fig. 3A–D). Similar to female except the size, body length varies from 4.4–5.0 mm; number of antennomeres 25; presence of prominent and exposed inverted bell shaped aedeagus.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. India (Assam) (Fig. 5).

Etymology. The species is named after Lord Mahadeb, the Hindu deity for creation and destruction as this is the first new species described by the first author.

Comparative diagnosis. The new species comes closer to C. (C.) siangensis, however it can be differentiated prominently from the latter in having 4 scutellar lunules (3 in C. (C.) siangensis), face with almost complete medio-longitudinal carina (medio posterior groove on face in C. (C.) siangensis), mesopleuron densely setose (sparsely setose in C. (C.) siangensis) and pterostigma 1.1 × longer than vein 1-R1 of fore wing (1.0 × in C. (C.) siangensis).