Streptogonopus nitens Attems, 1936

Streptogonopus nitens Attems, 1936 View in CoL

Material Examined: Male ( SPC0006 ) from Gujarat University in Ahmedabad, 23° 2' 14.9'' N, 72° 32' 45.86'' E, Gujarat, India, 68 m. alt., 5 August 2023, R. A. Dave ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ) GoogleMaps .

Female ( SPC0007 ) from Bhuj in Kutch, 23° 10' 53.36" N, 69° 40' 2.34" E, Gujarat, India, 224 m. alt., 7 August 2023. R. A. Dave GoogleMaps .

Habitat Preferences: Streptogonopus nitens Attems, 1936 prefer habitats characterized by humid conditions and black and sandy soil. It thrives mainly in soil with high water content, indicating a preference for environments with ample moisture. This species shows swarming behaviour ( Fig. 9D View FIGURE 9 ).

Seasonal Occurrence in Gujarat: In the Gujarat region of India, this species is observed for a relatively short time. It emerges from its habitat around early June and remains active until the beginning of August. This narrow activity window suggests a specific seasonal pattern in the Gujarat region.

Morphology: The identification of S. nitens is facilitated by its unique and discernible morphological features. Colouration predominantly brown, with the metazona displaying a smooth surface interrupted by a transverse sulcus across their dorsal sides. Both the legs and antennae share brown colouration, while the tarsal region of the legs is notably yellow. Paranota rounded posteriorly. Pleurosternal carinae, caudally rounded, and lobiform are the main characteristics of S. nitens . Lateral keels of ring 2 project neither anteriorly nor posteriorly, narrow and developed thereafter only in the posterior two-thirds of the metazonite, gradually vanishing in the first third ( Attems 1936) ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ).

The gonopods show distinct morphological features. Long coxite and relatively short prefemorite. Broad femorite with a short and blunt tooth near its apex. Acropodite displays a spiral twist, contributing to their unique configuration ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). These illustrations match exactly those provided by Attems (1936).