Monobazus paulus, VIRAKTAMATH & WEBB & YESHWANTH, 2025

Monobazus paulus sp. nov.

Figs 4 View FIGURES 4 OP, 9P, 40A–H

Diagnosis. Externally similar in coloration to M. bilineatus but differs in the structure of male genitalia. The pygofer ventral process arises basiventrally and obliquely crosses pygofer, its apex slightly expanded and curved mesally; aedeagus with ventral processes not reaching apex of shaft in lateral view.

Description. External coloration and structure similar to those in M. bilineatus .

Male genitalia. Pygofer slightly (1.1×) longer than wide in lateral view, posterior margin broadly conically rounded, ventral process with indication of arising at basiventral region crossing pygofer diagonally with hook-like stout process exceeding posterior margin and curved mesally. Subgenital plate with macrosetae in distal half, and also with hair-like setae, about 6× as long as wide basally. Aedeagus with shaft in lateral view widest at basal 0.33, then slightly narrowed distally, smoothly curved, but more so anteriorly near apex, ventral processes arising at basal 0.33 and not reaching shaft apex in lateral view, in dorsal view apices diverging from median line laterally.

Measurements. Male 4.7–4.9 mm long, 1.0 mm wide across eyes and 0.9 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂ INDIA: Karnataka: Bangalore GKVK, 12 o 58’N 77 o 35’E, 930m, 14.iii.2011, Girish, R., Light trap ( UASB) GoogleMaps . PARATYPES 2♂, DELHI: New Delhi, IARI campus, 18.ix.2021, mercury vapour light trap, Rajgopal N. N. (1♂), same data except 14.ix.2020, Mogli Ramaiah, ex Bamboo ( NPC) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin adjective paulus, -a, -um (= little, small), referring to the short aedeagal shaft processes.

Remarks. See Remarks under M. deccanensis .