Batriscenellus cuccodoroi Jiang and Yin, new species

(Figs 3 A, 4A, 4C–D, 4F–G, 5D–F)

Type material (43 exs). Holotype: ♂: ‘ INDIA: Meghalaya, West Garo Hills dist., Trail Tura–Tura Peak, summit, 650 m, 14.X.2004, 25°30'28"N, 90°13'54"E, #2a / Leg. G. Cuccodoro, C. Carlton, R. Leschen & D. Eme.’ (MHNG). Paratypes: 11 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, same label data as the holotype (MHNG, SNUC); 7 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀: ‘ INDIA: Meghalaya, West Garo Hills dist., Trail Tura–Tura Peak, summit, 800 m, 14.X.2004, 25°30'12"N, 90°14'07"E, #2b / Leg. G. Cuccodoro, C. Carlton, R. Leschen & D. Eme.’ (MHNG, SNUC); 1 ♂, same collection data as above, except ‘ 18.X.2004, 6#’ (MHNG); 3 ♂♂: ‘ India, Meghalaya, Garo Hill, 1–XI–78, Tura, 700–900 m, Besuchet, Löbl.’ (MHNG); 2 ♀♀: ‘ INDIA: Meghalaya, Ri Bho dist., Umran, 700 m, 22.X.2004, 25°46'28"N, 91°52'26"E, #10/ Leg. G. Cuccodoro, C. Carlton, R. Leschen & D. Eme.’ (MHNG); 5 ♀♀: ‘ India, Meghalaya, Garo Hills, 1– XI–78, Tura, 700–900 m, Besuchet, Löbl.’ (MHNG); 3 ♀♀: ‘ INDIA: Meghalaya, Ri Bhoi dist, near Nongpoh, 600 m, 12.X.2004, 25°55'31"N, 91°52'25"E, #1 / Leg. G. Cuccodoro, C. Carlton, R. Leschen & D. Eme.’ (MHNG).

Diagnosis of male. Dorsal surface of head, pronotum, and tergite IV coarsely punctate; antennomeres subquadrate; elytra with deep sutural and discal striae; all legs simple; tergites V–VII modified, V with a median setose tuft and two lateral bunches of long setae, VI concave medially, VII with a triangular median projection curved upwards, and with two triangular lateral projections; aedeagus with a relatively short ventral lobe, and an elongate, medially bifurcate dorsal lobe.

Description. Male (Fig. 3 A). Body reddish-brown, length 1.85–1.92 mm. Head subrectangular, about as long as wide, HL 0.43–0.44 mm, HW 0.44–0.45 mm, dorsal surface coarsely punctate, with large and round punctures (Fig. 4 A); vertex lacking median ridge, U-shaped sulcus only weakly indicated; antennomeres subquadrate, clubs distinct, formed by apical three enlarged antennomeres; each eye composed of about 20 facets. Pronotum as long as wide, PL/PW 0.41–0.43 mm, coarsely punctate (Fig. 4 A). Elytra wider than long, EL 0.56–0.57 mm, EW 0.66– 0.69 mm, narrowed at base, discal striae extending to near elytral apex, curved laterally at apices; sutural striae complete. All legs simple, lacking modification. Abdomen wider than long, AL 0.45–0.48 mm, AW 0.65–0.68 mm, coarsely punctate and with long setae; tergite V (Fig. 4 C–D) with median setose tuft and two lateral bunch of long setae, VI (Fig. 4 C–D) strongly concave at middle, VII (Fig. 4 C–D) with triangular median projection curved upwards, and with two triangular lateral projections. Aedeagus (Fig. 4 F–G) strongly asymmetric, length 0.33 mm, ventral lobe broad at base and narrowing toward apex, curved leftwards in ventral view, dorsal lobe much longer than ventral lobe, bifurcate near apical 1/3, strongly curved ventrally.

Female. Similar to male in general appearance; each eye composed of about 20 facets; tergites lacking modification; tergite VIII semicircular and covered with large round punctures (Fig. 5 D); sternite VIII transverse, rounded and covered with large round punctures (Fig. 5 E). Measurements: BL 1.77–1.79 mm, HL 0.40–0.41 mm, HW 0.43–0.44 mm, PL 0.40–0.41 mm, PW 0.40–0.41 mm, EL 0.52–0.53 mm, EW 0.64–0.65 mm, AL 0.44–0.45 mm, AW 0.63–0.64 mm. Female genital complex transverse, well-sclerotized (Fig. 5 F), width 0.26 mm.

Comparative Notes. This new species belongs to the B. besucheti group by the coarsely punctate head, pronotum, and tergite IV, and modified male tergites VI–VII. It is most similar to B. loebli by sharing a pair of laterally bunched long setae on male tergite V. These two species can be separated by the different shape of male tergite VII, and more reliably, by the structures of the aedeagus. Batriscenellus cuccodoroi can be separated from B. besucheti by the simple protarsomeres I of the male, and from B. carltoni by the discal striae being curved laterally at the apices, and the quite different form of the male tergites V–VII.

Distribution. India: Meghalaya.

Etymology. The new species name is dedicated to Giulio Cuccodoro, co-collector of the holotype.