Nitela nasseri Mawadda & Girish Kumar, 2025

Nitela nasseri Mawadda & Girish Kumar sp. nov.

( Figs 24–31 View FIGURES 24–31 )

Material examined. Holotype ♀, INDIA: Kerala, Malappuram district, Calicut University Campus ( 10°08'07"N, 75°53'34"E), 10.viii.2018, Coll. C. Binoy, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV/20952. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. This new species differs from all other Nitela by the following character combination: anterolateral angle of pronotal collar not acutely pointed ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); posterior margin of mesoscutum with longitudinal ridges; anterior margin of scutellum with transverse row of conspicuous pits ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); mesoscutum and scutellum microcoriaceous, without transverse ridges ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); clypeus as in Fig. 26 View FIGURES 24–31 , mandible with preapical teeth; lower frons medially raised and carinate ( Fig. 26 View FIGURES 24–31 ); lateral side of posterior ocellus near eye with smooth, shiny depression, area behind anterior ocellus smooth, shiny, without any depression ( Fig. 25 View FIGURES 24–31 ); legs lightly ferruginous from apex of tibiae up to apical tarsomeres ( Fig. 24 View FIGURES 24–31 ).

In the key to Oriental Nitela by Li & Li (2010), females of this new species run to N. pendleburyi because of the anterolateral angle of pronotum not acutely pointed, slightly curved, anterior margin of scutellum with a transverse row of conspicuous pits, and posterior ocelli near to eye. The species differs from N. pendleburyi in having: (1) mesoscutum and scutellum alutaceous with small setae (in N. pendleburyi , mesoscutum and scutellum shiny with small microscopic setigerous punctures); (2) propodeum reticulate (in N. pendleburyi , propodeum coarsely longitudinally striate, longitudinal striae connected by transverse striae); (3) pronotum without transverse groove, medioapically depressed into mesoscutum (in N. pendleburyi , pronotum with transverse groove, divided in the middle by low carina); (4) gaster extensively with microscopic setae, surface slightly microcoriaceous (in N. pendleburyi , G1 & G2 smooth and shiny, with sparse setae on G2); and (5) mesopleuron more or less microcoriaceous (in N. pendleburyi mesopleuron shiny and extensively smooth).

This new species differs from N. neoapoensis in having: (1) mesoscutum and scutellum alutaceous or microcoriaceous (in N. neoapoensis , mesoscutum and scutellum conspicuously coarsely reticulate); (2) anterolateral angle of pronotal collar rounded (in N. neoapoensis , anterior margin of pronotal collar acutely pointed); and (3) posterior declivity of propodeum nearly straight (in N. neoapoensis , posterior declivity of propodeum heart shaped).

This new species differs from N. pseudocollaris in having: (1) anterolateral angle of pronotal collar rounded (in N. pseudocollaris , anterolateral angle of pronotal collar pointed); (2) mesoscutum alutaceous (in N. pseudocollaris , mesoscutum with irregularly transverse carina); and (3) propodeal dorsum reticulate (in N. pseudocollaris , propodeal dorsum longitudinally ridged).

Description. Holotype ♀ ( Fig. 24 View FIGURES 24–31 ). Head. IODc 1.63 × IODv; posterior ocellus close to eye, area between posterior ocellus and eye depressed, area around posterior ocellus smooth and shiny, area behind posterior ocelli smooth and shiny, without depression; POD 0.164 × OOD; eye margins converging above; vertex and frons alutaceous, with fine setae; lower frons divided by conspicuous carina; clypeal basin with somewhat dense silvery setae, anterior margin of clypeus as in Fig. 26 View FIGURES 24–31 ; mandible with one preapical tooth; F1 shorter than F2, length of F1 1.73–1.75 × its apical width.

Mesosoma. Pronotal collar with anterolateral angle not acutely pointed, approximately rounded, without transverse groove, medioapically depressed into mesoscutum ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); mesoscutum posteriorly with several oblique ridges ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); mesopleuron more or less microcoriaceous; anterior margin of scutellum with six conspicuous pits ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); pronotal collar, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum alutaceous, with fine setae ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); propodeal dorsum reticulate, medial longitudinal carina conspicuous ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 24–31 ); posterior propodeal surface rugulose, carina separating dorsal and posterior propodeal surfaces approximately linear dorsally ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 24–31 ); lateral propodeal surface irregularly striate, with conspicuous oblique rugae ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 24–31 ); forewing as in Fig. 30 View FIGURES 24–31 .

Metasoma. Metasoma alutaceous, with microscopic setae ( Fig. 31 View FIGURES 24–31 ).

Vestiture. Setae silvery; clypeus and lower frons with dense silvery setae, body extensively setose including eye ( Fig. 25 View FIGURES 24–31 ).

Colouration. Black; mandible except basally, all femora apically, and tibiae brownish; all tarsi, palpi and tibial spurs yellowish; wings hyaline, veins testaceous, posterior segments of metasoma slightly brownish.

BL. 3.17 mm.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. India: Kerala.

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. M. Nasser, Professor (retired) and former Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Calicut, for his contributions in insect ecology.