Rhysida konda, Joshi & Karanth & Edgecombe, 2020

RHYSIDA KONDA SP. NOV.

( FIG. 11)

h t t p: / / z o o b a n k. o r g / u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: 97E7286E-95A8-4241-8B01-6C8A62B08D5D

Diagnosis: Eighteen antennal articles. Coxosternal tooth-plates with four main teeth, separated into two groups, two outer teeth distinct, inner two/three teeth fused, with a cusp on inner part of innermost tooth. Sternites with paramedian sutures along 5–10% of their length. Coxopleural process bearing two apical, one subapical and one lateral spine. Ultimate leg prefemoral spine formula VL3, VM2, DM3. Two tarsal spurs on legs 1–7 (12), remaining legs to leg 20 with one; tibial spur on legs 1–4.

Type material

Holotype: CES091394 , Devmali , Kaorput district, Odisha, India (18.6600°N, 82.9900°E, 1200 m a.s.l.), collected by Ishan Agarwal and Aniruddha Datta-Roy in September 2010. GoogleMaps

Paratypes: CES091029 , Sitakund , Mayurbhanj district, Odisha ; CES091030 , Bali , Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, India . Locality coordinates in the Supporting Information ( Table S1).

Etymology: From ‘ konda ’, meaning hills in Telegu, a language spoken predominantly in Andhra Pradesh. It is a noun in apposition.

Description: Length ≤ 60 mm. Eighteen antennal articles, basal three articles glabrous dorsally and ventrally ( Fig. 11A). Cephalic plate and T1 smooth. Longitudinal median furrow on anterior 10% of cephalic plate. Cephalic plate and T1 red–brown, the following tergites red–brown with weak green pigmentation, legs pale yellow–red. Forcipular coxosternal tooth-plates wider than long, with four main teeth, the outer two teeth distinct, the inner two or three fused with a cusp on the innermost tooth; base of tooth-plates defined by oblique sutures diverging at 110°; median suture about as long as tooth-plates, extending 10% length of coxosternum ( Fig. 11B, F). Trochanteroprefemoral process bearing two apical teeth and one lateral tooth. Tergites with paramedian sutures complete from TT4– 5. Tergites fully marginate from TT12–15. Tergites smooth ( Fig. 11G). Paramedian sutures 5–10% length of sternites ( Fig. 11H). Tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment ~1.8 times wider than long, with parallel lateral margins, rounded posteromedially ( Fig. 11C). Sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment slightly shorter than wide, lateral margin convex, moderately convergent posteriorly, posterior margins concave ( Fig. 11H). Coxopleuron almost twice the length of sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment; coxopleural process with two apical, one subapical and one lateral spine. Pores dense, with pore-field nearly reaching dorsal margin of coxopleuron; non-porose area on coxopleural process a narrow strip almost reaching to opposite posterior margin of sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment ( Fig. 11D, E). Ultimate legs long, prefemur ≤ 5 mm, femur ≤ 4.75 mm, tibia ≤ 4 mm, tarsus 1 ≤ 3 mm and tarsus 2 ≤ 1.5 mm; prefemoral spine formula VL3, VM2, DM3 ( Fig. 11I, J). Legs 1–12 (only in holotype) with two tarsal spurs, legs 13–20 with one; other three individuals with legs 1–7 with two tarsal spurs, legs 8–20 with one. Legs 1–4 with tibial spur. Leg 1 with femoral spur.

Distribution: This species is recorded from hill ranges (1200–1600 m a.s.l.) in the moist forests and coffee plantations in central and northern parts of the Eastern Ghats. The mountains of the Eastern Ghats are much more fragmented and isolated than those of the Western Ghats and, apart from the mountain tops, much of the region has predominantly savanna or deciduous forests. More detailed surveys are required through central and northern parts of the Eastern Ghats. This distribution pattern has also been reported in some of the lizards and caecilian species found in similar habitat ( Agarwal & Karanth, 2015; Gower et al., 2016). This species has an overlapping range in Chandragiri–Pottangi (Deomali) hill ranges with a species from the R. immarginata clade: R. sp. 2.

Remarks: This species is part of the R. longipes species complex, sister species to the widespread R. longipes from peninsular India and Asia. The genetic divergence in COI (corrected p -distance) is high among R. konda , 0.117, and it is retrieved as a distinct species by both GMYC and mPTP ( Fig. 2). Additionally, individuals sampled in the present study occupy distinct geographical areas in the Eastern Ghats, suggesting that a detailed survey across these mountain tops might reveal more diversity.

Morphologically, it differs from its sister species, R. longipes , by having tibial spurs on the first four pairs of legs, vs. leg 1 only, lateral margination of tergites from TT10–15, vs. TT7–8 for R. longipes , and the ultimate leg prefemur having VM2 vs. VM3.