Cyphochilus pentaphysia Sreedevi, Sahoo & Sabatinelli, 2025

Cyphochilus pentaphysia Sreedevi, Sahoo & Sabatinelli View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figs 32–35 View FIGURES 32–35 )

Type material. Holotype ♂ NBAIR: India: Mizoram, Kolasib / ICAR-NEH, 24°13′N, 92°40′E / 888 m, 18.vi.2014 / leg. T. Boopathi (P) // ICAR-NBAIR-CYP3 (P, red label) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1 ♂ NBAIR: same data as previous // ICAR-NBAIR-CYP4 (P, yellow label) GoogleMaps — 1 ♂ NBAIR: same locality as previous / 07.vi.2014 / leg. T. Boopathi // ICAR-NBAIR-CYP5 (P, yellow label) GoogleMaps — 1 ♂ NBAIR: same locality as previous / 15.ii.2014 / leg. T. Boopathi // ICAR-NBAIR-CYP6 (P, yellow label) GoogleMaps — 1 ♂ NBAIR: same locality as previous // 5.ii.2010 / leg. T. Boopathi / ICAR-NBAIR-CYP7 (P, yellow label) GoogleMaps — 1 ♂ NBAIR: Tripura, Dharmanagar / 24° 22′N, 92° 10′E / 14.x.2013 / leg. P. Susmita // ICAR-NBAIR-CYP8 (P, yellow label) GoogleMaps — 2 ♂♂ NBAIR: Nagaland, Medziphema / 26°N, 94°E, 360 m / 05.ii.2015 / leg. K.Sreedevi // ICAR-NBAIR-CYP9-10 (P, yellow label) GoogleMaps .

Description of the holotype ♂. Body: length (L): 17.7 mm; width across humeri 8.2 mm; greatest body width 9.2 mm, located at the midpoint of the elytra. Integuments dark brown; surface covered with off-white, oval, adpressed scales, which are densely aggregated along the margins of the clypeus, frons, pronotum, elytra, and throughout the pygidium. Head: clypeus with an anterior margin more or less trapezoidal, lateral margins convex and diverging posteriorly. Frons broad, making the eyes relatively small (F/O: 3.7). Posterior portion of the clypeus and anterior portion of the frons exhibit a slight median concavity. Antennal club longer than antennomeres 2–7 (A2–7/CL: 0.6). Pronotum: transverse (PnW/L: 2.1), moderately convex, widest at the middle. Apical angles acute and slightly protuberant. Lateral margins convex, with basal lateral margins curved inward and basal angles obtuse. Elytra: smooth, lacking elevated striae, except for the sutural interstria. Thoracic sterna: covered with off-white hair and scales. Prosternum and metasternum have relatively dense, short hair and scales. Mesosternum bears dense, long hair and sparse scales, with the mid-region of the mesosternum devoid of scales. Mesosternal spur distinct, tongue-shaped, reaching the anterior margin of the mesosternum (MstL: 0.73 mm). Abdomen: sternites covered with sparsely distributed scales, which are more densely aggregated towards the lateral sides. Pygidium convex, with the apical margin broader, densely covered with scales, which are more concentrated towards the lateral and apical margins. Legs: foretibiae tridentate, with the basal tooth smaller than the apical tooth. The angle between the apical (1st) and middle (2nd) teeth is narrower than that between the middle (2nd) and basal (3rd) teeth. All legs covered with sparse scales. Tarsal claws equal and toothed. Aedeagus: asymmetric, right paramere with two apophyses overlapping each other. Apical apophysis is horn-shaped, broader at the base with a pointed, narrow tip at the apex while basal apophysis is broader throughout, with a deep curvature towards the apical region and a straight, flat apical margin. Left paramere with three apophyses: basal apophysis is narrow at the base and flattened anteriorly, with a curved margin; middle apophysis is slender, with a D-shaped terminal structure; apical apophysis is broader at the base with a narrow, curved apical tip. Right paramere displays a triangular lateral projection ( Fig. 32A–C View FIGURES 32–35 ).

Variability. Body length 15.9–20.3 mm (mean = 17.5 mm, n = 8). In male specimens, the color of the scales varies from off-white to yellow, and in some specimens, the scales can be deciduous, leaving only punctures on the integument.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The species is named in reference to the presence of five apophyses on the parameres—two on the right paramere and three on the left.

Differential diagnosis. This species is easily distinguished from all other congeners by its large body size, non-elevated elytral striae, mesosternum with a prominent short process, and the distinctive morphology of its parameres. It is most morphologically similar to C. gandhii , but can be clearly separated by its shorter antennal club (shorter than antennomeres 2–7) and the concave apex of the right paramere, which features a straight apical margin ( Figs. 32 View FIGURES 32–35 vs. 8).

Distribution: India: Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura.