Monobazus sahyadricus, VIRAKTAMATH & WEBB & YESHWANTH, 2025

Monobazus sahyadricus sp. nov.

Figs 5G–J View FIGURES 5 , 10 View FIGURES 10 CD, 43A–F

Diagnosis. Crown markings more or less similar to those in M. himalayesnsis or slightly reduced, however this is a smaller species and with different male genitalia. Aedeagus with ventral process arising slightly distad of midlength of shaft and each fork of the process widened distally in basal 0.75, then abruptly narrowed and laterally curved, apex pointed, in lateral view base of process wider than shaft and far exceeding shaft apex.

Description. Ochraceous with crown markings similar to those of M. himalayensis or slightly reduced. In a few specimens from Sirsi face brown with pale brown markings laterally on frontoclypeus and large areas on genae and lora. Pronotum brownish with a few pale spots along anterior margin. Exposed mesonotum with basal triangles margined by brown spots, lateral margins yellow. Forewing with apices of claval veins, clavus prominently marked by dark brown, apices of R 1 and R 2+3, R 4+5 dark brown, a few cells and cross veins are also dark brown on corium.

Head as wide as or narrower than pronotum. Crown conically rounded, 0.7–0.9× as long as interocular width. Pronotum 1.9–2.1× as wide as long, either as long as or slightly longer than exposed mesonotum.

Male genitalia. Pygofer 1.25× as long as wide at base, posterodorsal angle conically rounded, with a short spine-like ventral process not attaining dorsal margin, arising along posterior margin. Subgenital plate with macrosetae in proximal half, distal half with only hair-like setae, about 4.5× as long as wide at base. Style apophysis curved slightly laterally, apex attenuated. Connective with stem slightly longer than arms. Aedeagal broad in proximal half then narrowed and curved anteriorly, with apical gonopore, ventral process arising slightly distad of midlength, forked, in ventral view each fork widened distally in basal 0.75, then abruptly narrowed to half width, laterally curved and tapered to pointed apex, in lateral view base of process wider than shaft and far exceeding shaft.

Measurements. Male 3.1 mm long, 1.1mm wide across eyes and 1.2 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum. Female 4.9–5.4 mm long, 1.2–1.3 mm wide across eyes and 1.3 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, INDIA: Karnataka: Sirsi: Navanagere , 27.iii.2006, Radhamani, T.R. ( UASB) . PARATYPES, 3♂, data as for holotype ; 1♀, data as in holotype except collected on 25.v.2005; INDIA: Karnataka : 1♀, Mudigere, 970m, 27.v.1976, C.A. Viraktamath; 3♂, Bhagamandala, 30.i.1993, Shashidhar ( NBAIR, UASB) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is the combination of the Sanskrit name for the Western Ghats namely, Sahyadri where the species lives and of the suffix -icus, ica, -icum (=belonging to, derived from, connected with).

Remarks. This species is unique among the species of Monobazus in having each of the ventral process of the aedeagal shaft abruptly narrowed and laterally curved subapically in ventral view ( Fig. 43E View FIGURES 43 ).