Monobazus Distant

Monobazus Distant View in CoL

Monobazus Distant, 1908: 351 View in CoL . Type species: Monobazus himalayensis Distant View in CoL , by original designation.

Remarks. This genus can be distinguished by the aedeagus with one or two long basal to subapical processes on the ventral surface (or lateral basal in M. angulatus or dorsal in M dissimilis ), well-developed preatrium (except in M. dissimilis ) and dorsal apodeme often very well-developed (except in the type species), the usually short connective (except in M. dissimilis ) and elongate subgenital plate with or without macrosetae but with hairlike setae. The genus is similar to Mavromoustaca (see Remarks under that genus). Phlogotettix Ribaut is also very similar except for the crown coloration and subgenital plates often with a sclerotized brace, a structure absent in Monobazus . Phlogothamnus also resembles some species of Monobazus , but has a more tubular sinuate aedeagus without a dorsal apodeme or preatrium and also without basal, lateral or ventral processes except small triangular processes near the apical gonopore. Based on the colour pattern of the crown and male genitalia characters, the following species described from China (see Li et al. 2011, Dmittiev et al. 2024), are transferred to this genus (all from Phlogothamnus except where indicated): Monobazus acutaedeagus ((Li) comb. nov., M. aurantius (Xing & Li in Li et al. 2011: 156, figs 5–146 1–8; Dimitriev et al. 2024: 276) comb. nov. (from Osbornellus ); M. circinatus ( Yao, Zhang & Xing 2022: 424: figs 4–6, 25–32) comb. nov., M. polymaculatus (Li & Song) comb. nov., M. productus (Li & Xing in Li et al. 2011: 183, figs 5–177 1–7; Dmitriev et al. 2024: 276) comb. nov. and M. rugosus (Li in Li et al 2011: 183–184, figs 5–178 1–7; Dmitriev et al. 2024: 277) comb. nov.

Key to species of Monobazus View in CoL from the Indian subcontinent (males and some females)

[ M. fletcheri (Distant) , known only from the female sex, runs (un-named) no further than the second part of couplet 5].

1. Crown with brown, orange or reddish markings............................................................. 2

- Crown without any such markings ( Figs 3 View FIGURES 3 OQ)............................................ M. brunnescens (Pruthi)

2. Crown with one brown or black spot on either side of median line ( Figs 3 View FIGURES 3 CG)..................................... 3

- Crown with orange or reddish markings or with more complex brown to dark brown markings ( Figs 3 View FIGURES 3 IM)............... 4

3. Spots on crown large round, exposed mesonotum with basal triangles wholly black, pronotum without brown markings ( Fig. 3C View FIGURES 3 ); crown about 0.7× as long as distance between eyes....................................... M. angulatus sp. nov.

- Spots on crown smaller, exposed mesonotum with basal triangles not wholly black, pronotum with brown markings ( Figs 3 View FIGURES 3 EG); crown about 0.5× as long as distance between eyes.......................................... M. bannericus sp. nov.

4. Crown, pronotum and sometimes mesonotum with orange makings or stripe on either side of median line ( Figs 4 View FIGURES 4 ACE).... 5

- Crown with complex brown or dark brown markings ( Figs 3 View FIGURES 3 IK), pronotum and exposed mesonotum without orange markings or stripes, may be with dark markings.................................................................... 12

5. Pronotum with orange or reddish stripe on either side of median line ( Fig. 4O View FIGURES 4 )..................................... 6

- Pronotum with one orange spot on anterior margin on either side of median line ( Figs 4 View FIGURES 4 AC)......................... 10

6. Aedeagal shaft with ventral processes exceeding shaft apex ( Fig. 34G View FIGURES 34 )........................................... 7

- Aedeagus with ventral processes not reaching shaft apex ( Fig. 40H View FIGURES 40 )............................... M. paulus sp. nov.

7. Pygofer process long, arising at basiventral region ( Figs 34 View FIGURES 34 AB, 39GH)........................................... 8

- Pygofer process short, arising near posterodorsal angle, more or less straight ( Figs 31A View FIGURES 31 , 42A View FIGURES 42 )......................... 9

8. Pygofer process elongate and curved dorsally along posterior margin ( Figs 34 View FIGURES 34 AB)................ M. deccanensis sp. nov.

- Pygofer process short, mesally curved and hook-like ( Figs 39 View FIGURES 39 GH)............................. M. nilgalaensis sp. nov.

9. Pygofer process very small, lobe-like arising ventrad of posterodorsal angle on posterior margin ( Fig. 31A View FIGURES 31 ); aedeagus in lateral view, with shaft anteriorly curved near apex ( Fig. 31F View FIGURES 31 )........................................ M. bilineatus sp. nov.

- Pygofer process longer, spine-like, arising on posterodorsal angle ( Figs 42 View FIGURES 42 AD); aedeagus in lateral view with shaft directed dorsally near apex ( Fig. 42I View FIGURES 42 )......................................................... M. rubrostriatus sp. nov.

10. Aedeagal shaft with an unforked ventral process ( Figs 36 View FIGURES 36 GHI).................................. M. fanjingensis (Li)

- Aedeagal shaft with forked or paired ventral processes ( Fig. 33I View FIGURES 33 )............................................... 11

11. Pygofer rounded posteriorly in lateral view, pygofer process with indication of arising at basiventral region, apical region differentiated into triangular curved process ( Figs 41 View FIGURES 41 AB)...................................... M. rotundus sp. nov.

- Pygofer triangular in lateral view, pygofer process a short triangular lobe arising on posterodorsal angle ( Figs 33 View FIGURES 33 BC).......................................................................................... M. confuscus (Pruthi)

12. Aedeagus with processes arising basally on dorsal surface ( Fig. 35G View FIGURES 35 )........................... M. dissimilis (Distant) View in CoL

- Aedeagus with processes arising on ventral surface ( Figs 43F View FIGURES 43 , 44H View FIGURES 44 )............................................ 13

13. Pygofer in lateral view narrowed posteriorly and posterolateral angle produced into a sharply pointed hook ( Figs 37 View FIGURES 37 ABC); aedeagal shaft ventral process forming a U-shape with shaft in lateral view ( Fig. 37I View FIGURES 37 )............ M. himalayensis Distant View in CoL

- Pygofer not so narrowed posteriorly in lateral view and not produced into a hook ( Fig. 30A View FIGURES 30 ); aedeagal shaft process not forming a U-shape with shaft in lateral view ( Figs 30G View FIGURES 30 , 44H View FIGURES 44 )........................................................ 14

14. Subgenital plate more than 1.5× as long as pygofer in lateral view ( Figs 30A View FIGURES 30 , 44D View FIGURES 44 )................................ 15

- Subgenital plate less than 1.5× as long as pygofer in lateral view ( Fig. 38A View FIGURES 38 )..................................... 16

15. Pygofer posterior margin for the most part truncate, pygofer process extending beyond pygofer margin ( Fig. 30A View FIGURES 30 ); aedeagal shaft strongly curved, C-shaped ( Fig. 30G View FIGURES 30 )............................................... M. biligiriensis sp. nov.

- Pygofer posterior margin rounded, pygofer process not extended beyond pygofer margin ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 44 DE); aedeagal shaft more or less straight in basal 0.66, then curved anteriorly, not C-shaped ( Fig. 44H View FIGURES 44 )........................ M. shrunga sp. nov.

16. Pygofer process short not reaching dorsal pygofer margin, arising at midlength on ventral margin ( Fig. 38A View FIGURES 38 ) or beyond midlength on ventral margin (43A)...................................................................... 17

- Pygofer process long, extending considerably beyond dorsal margin ( Figs 45A View FIGURES 45 , 46A View FIGURES 46 ).............................. 18

17. Pygofer in lateral view 2× as long as height, pygofer ventral process arising at mid-ventral margin( Fig. 38A View FIGURES 38 ); style apophysis with blunt apex ( Fig. 38C View FIGURES 38 )............................................................... M. longulus sp. nov.

- Pygofer in lateral view less than 1.5× as long as height, pygofer process arising beyond midlength of ventral margin ( Fig. 43A View FIGURES 43 ); style apophysis with apex acutely pointed ( Fig. 43D View FIGURES 43 )....................................... M. sahyadricus sp. nov.

18. Subgenital plate less than 5× as long as wide at base ( Fig. 45C View FIGURES 45 ); aedeagal shaft apex slightly widened in lateral view ( Fig. 45H View FIGURES 45 ); style apophysis with acutely pointed apex ( Figs 45 View FIGURES 45 EF)...................................... M. sikkimensis sp. nov.

- Subgenital plate more than 5× as long as wide at base ( Fig. 46B View FIGURES 46 ); aedeagal shaft apex narrowed in lateral view ( Fig. 46E View FIGURES 46 ); style apophysis with blunt apex ( Fig. 46C View FIGURES 46 )..................................................... M. sudindicus sp. nov.