Taumacera indica

Taumacera indica (Jacoby, 1889)

(Figs 27, 34, 53, 91–92)

Dorydea indica Jacoby, 1889: 231 (original description)

Paraenidea azurea Laboissière, 1933: 67 (original description); KIMOTO (1989): 202 (synonymized with Taumacera indica)

Paraenidea azurea var. hoabinhia Laboissière, 1933:69 (original description); KIMOTO (1989): 202 (synonymized with Taumacera indica)

Palpoxena yunnana Medvedev, 2015:327 (original description), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Dorydea indica: LECTOTYPE: ♂ (designated here), ‘Type / H. T. [white round label with red collar, p] // Teinzo / Birmania / Fea, Maggio 1886 [w, p] // Jacoby Coll. / 1909-28a [w, p] // Dorydea / indica / Jac. [b, h] // LECTOTYPUS, / Dorydea indica / Jacoby, 1889 / J. Bezděk des., 2018 [r, p]’ (BMNH). PARALECTOTYPES: 1 ♂ (photograph), ‘Teinzo / Birmania / Fea, Maggio 1886 [w, p] // 1st Jacoby / Coll. [w, p] // Dorydea? / indica Jac. [b, h] // Type. [p] / 18355 [r, p]’ (MCZ); 1♂, ‘Teinzo / Birmania / Fea, Maggio 1886 [w, p] // indica / Jac. [w, h] // Dorydea? / indica Jac. [b, h] // SYNTYPUS [p] / Dorydea (?) / indica / Jacoby, 1889 [orange, h] // Museo Civico / di Genova [w, p] // Platyxantha / indica Jac. [h] / L. Medvedev det. [w, p]’ (MSNG); 1 ♂, ‘Teinzo / Birmania / Fea, Maggio 1886 [w, p] // SYNTYPUS [p] / Dorydea (?) / indica / Jacoby, 1889 [orange, h] // Museo Civico / di Genova [w, p]’ (MSNG); 1 ♂ (= T. variceps), ‘Tenasserim / Thagatà / Fea., Apr. 1887 [w, p] // SYNTYPUS [p] / Dorydea (?) / indica / Jacoby, 1889 [orange, h] // Museo Civico / di Genova [w, p]’ (MSNG).

Paraenidea azurea: SYNTYPES: 1 ♂, ‘ Hoa Binh / de Cooman [w, h] // TYPE [red letters, p] / ♂ [w, h] // Paraenidea / azurea / m [h] / V. Laboissière – Dét. [w, p] // Le Moult Vend. / via Reinbek / Eing Nr. 1, 1957 [w, p]’ (ZMUH); 1 ♀, ‘ Tonkin / Lac Tho / HOA BINH / A. de Cooman [w, p] // Paraenidea / azurea m [h] / V. LABOISSIÈRE DÉT. [p] / Paratyp [w, h] // Para- / type [orange, p] // cf. Ann. Soc. Ent. / Fr., [p] CII, 1933 / p. 67-69, fig. 41 [w, h] // R. Mus. Hist. Nat. / Belg. I. G. 12.752 [w, p]’ (ISNB).

Paraenidea azurea var. hoabinhia: SYNTYPES: 1 ♂, ‘Hoa-Binh / de Cooman [w, h] // TYPE [w, red letters, p] // Paraenidea / azurea / v. Hoabinhia m[h] / V. Laboissière – Dét. [w, p] // Le Moult Vend./ via Reinbek / Eing Nr. 1, 1957 [white w, p]’ (ZMUH); 1 ♂, ‘ Tonkin / Lac Tho / HOA BINH / A. de Cooman [w, p] // V. Laboissière det., [p] / Paraenidea / azurea / v. hoabinhia m / Paratyp. ♂ [w, h] // Para- / type [orange, p] // cf. Ann. Soc. Ent. / Fr., [p] CII, 1933 / p. 69 [w, h] // R. Mus. Hist. Nat. / Belg. I. G. 12.752 [w, p]’ (ISNB).

Palpoxena yunnana: HOLOTYPE: ♂, ‘ CHINA: S-YUNNAN / (Xishuangbanna) / 45 km NW Jinghong, / vic. Bangzhang vill. [w, p] // N21°44.37, E100°27.02 / 16-1700m, 03.-05.V.2009 / leg. A. Weigel, blüh. Cast. [w, p] // HOLOTYPUS / Palpoxena / yunnana / L. Medvedev [r, p]’ (NMEG).

Additional material examined. LAOS: HOUA PHAN PROV.: Ban Saluei-Phou Pane Mt., 20°12′–13.5′N, 103°59.5′–104°01′E, 1340–1870 m, 15.iv.–15.v.2008, 1 ♂, Lao collector leg. (NMPC). XIENG KHOUANG PROV.: Xieng Khouang, i.1920, 10 ♂♂ 1 ♀, R. Vitalis de Salvaza leg. (NMPC). VIETNAM: HOA BING PROV.: Hoa Binh, 1♂, A. De Cooman leg. (BMNH). LANG SON PROV.: Than Moi, vi.–vii.1917, 1 ♂, R. Vitalis de Salvaza leg. (BMNH). VINH PHUC PROV.: Tam Dao, 27.v.–2.vi.1986, 1 ♂, J. Macek leg.(NMPC). INDIA: HIMACHAL PRADESH: Kangra valley, vii.1899, 1 ♂, Dungeon leg. (BMNH).

Comments. During the last century, the generic position of Dorydea indica reflected unstable definition of the genus. Consecutively it was classified in Platyxantha subgen. Haplotes by WEISE (1924), in Palpoxena by MAULIK (1936) and WILCOX (1973), in Platyxantha by KIMOTO (1989), again in Palpoxena by REID (1999) and BEENEN (2010), and finally in Taumacera by MOHAMEDSAID & CONSTANT (2007). REID (1999) placed Dorydea indica to Palpoxena without any explanation, however, the study of relevant material undoubtedly showed it as a representative of Taumacera having a metasternal process.

JACOBY (1889) described Dorydea indica from two localities in Burma, Teinzo and Thagata. I examined four male syntypes from Teinzo (one in BMNH, one in MCZ and two in MSNG) and one male syntype from Thagata (MSNG). The male from Thagata is not conspecific with the specimens from Teinzo therefore I designate here one male from Teinzo (BMNH, Fig. 91) as the lectotype. Also the specimens from Teinzo agree with the widely used concept of this species. The specimen from Thagata is a male of T. variceps.

Taumacera indica is a very variable species with regards to colouration of the elytra, underside, and legs. I examined the type specimens of Paraenidea azurea and P. azurea var. hoabinhia and I agree with KIMOTO (1989) who synonymized them with Taumacera indica.

MEDVEDEV (2015) described Palpoxena yunnana from Yunnan (Fig. 92) and compared it with Taumacera indica. Both taxa were differentiated by the colour of the antennae, metasternum, and legs; the curved antennomere IV; and the form of the head cavity. However, the coloration of the underside, legs, and antennae is very variable throughout the distributional area. The shape of antennomere IV and the head cavity are exactly the same as in the type specimens of Taumacera indica. Therefore I hereby synonymize Palpoxena yunnana with Taumacera indica.