Buprestodera mimetica Sicard, 1911

Buprestodera mimetica Sicard

( Figs 3–6 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 )

Buprestodera mimetica Sicard, 1911: 380 .

Buprestodera mimetica : Korschefsky 1932: 384.– Miyatake 1969: 211; Poorani 2002: 360.

Diagnosis. Length: 4.10–4.70 mm; width: 3.20–3.50 mm. Form ( Fig. 3a, c, e View FIGURE 3 ) broad oval, moderately convex, dorsal side almost glabrous, only head with fine yellowish setae. Ground colour bright reddish orange; each elytron with a small, black spot touching basal margin and an adjoining transverse yellow spot just behind in anterior half and two small black spots with a transverse yellow spot between them in posterior half, all the spots/patches arranged more or less vertically in a row ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 , 5a View FIGURE 5 ); elytral maculae variable in size and shape, rarely elytra reddish with only four yellow, transverse maculae ( Fig. 3c, d View FIGURE 3 ) or with an additional black spot below the anterior yellow macula and two small black spots on either side of suture between the posterior set of spots ( Fig. 3e–g View FIGURE 3 ), or black spots greatly enlarged and fused with each other forming a pattern around the yellow transverse maculae ( Fig. 4a–c View FIGURE 4 ). Ventral side more or less yellowish brown except middle area of mesoventrite and first abdominal ventrite somewhat darker reddish brown. Pronotal hypomera with anterolateral foveae. Abdominal postcoxal lines complete, semicircular, broadly angular outward ( Fig. 6a–c View FIGURE 6 ). Male genitalia ( Figs 5b–d View FIGURE 5 , 6d–k View FIGURE 6 ), female genitalia ( Fig. 4d View FIGURE 4 ), and spermatheca ( Fig. 4e View FIGURE 4 ) as illustrated.

Material examined. Type material: Holotype, “Type (red bordered circular label)/Nilgiri Hills, H.L.Andrewes / Buprestodera n.g. mimetica n. sp. Sic./ TYPE (red rectangular label)/Type”, on rectangular card ( BMNH) . Other material: Sidapur, Coorg , 3000’, 31.X.17, Y. R. Rao Coll., 2 ex. ( BMNH) ; with same data, Pres. by Comm. Inst. Ent. B.M. 1949/261/ Buprestodera mimetica Sic., A.P. Kapur det. 1948, 1 ex. ( BMNH) ; S. India: Kerala St., Trivandrum Distr. , 900m, Ponmudi Ra., IV-V.71, P.S. Nathan, 1 male ( NRCB) ; India: Kerala: Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kakkayam , 2015, Shameem KM Coll., 1 male ( NRCB) ; Bangalore, Chikkangalur, Tabourel 1900/ Museum Paris 1952, Coll. Oberthür, 1 male ( NRCB) ; INDIA W, 30.ix.-2.x.2005, Maharashtra state, Mabalashwar env., 70 km SSW of Pune , 1400m, 1 female ( NMPC) .

Distribution. India: Western Ghats [ Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris), newly recorded from Maharashtra].

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during April–May, October–November (label data).

Notes. It is a strikingly beautiful, but variable species collected occasionally from different parts of the Western Ghats and the male genitalia in all these variants ( Figs 5b–d View FIGURE 5 , 6d–k View FIGURE 6 ) show minor intraspecific variations in the shape of the penis guide. It is newly recorded from Maharashtra here based on a female specimen in the collections of NMP (see Fig. 4a–c View FIGURE 4 ). Miyatake (1969) redescribed it in detail with illustrations.