Notes on species of Cardiophorinae (Candeze, 1860) from PAkistan with description of a new species (Coleoptera, Elateridae) and new records.

Abstract

A new species of genus Cardiophorus Eschscholtz is described from Punjab, Pakistan with specieal reference to its male and female genitalia. The present new species is compared to its closet allied species. A key to all the species of genus Cardiophorus Eschscholtz from Pakistan is formulated and the relationship of the present new species is also briefly discussed. Notes on other species of Cardiophorinae are given and new country records for Pakistan are provided.

Full text

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Pakistan J. Zool., vol. 43(3), pp. 477-481, 2011.

Notes on Species of Cardiophorinae (Candèze, 1860) From Pakistan
with Description of a New Species (Coleoptera: Elateridae) and New
Records

Muhammad Atique Akhter*1, Alain Drumont2, Syed Anser Rizvi1 and Zubair Ahmed3
1Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan.
2Département d’Entomologie, Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Bruxelles, Belgium.
3Department of Zoology, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract.- A new species of genus Cardiophorus Eschscholtz is described from Punjab, Pakistan with special
reference to its male and female genitalia. The present new species is compared to its closest allied species. A key to
all the species of genus Cardiophorus Eschscholtz from Pakistan is formulated and the relationship of the present new
species is also briefly discussed. Notes on other species of Cardiophorinae are given and new country records for
Pakistan are provided.

Key words: Coleoptera, Elateridae, Cardiophorinae, Cardiophorus.


INTRODUCTION

Cardiophorinae Candeze (1860) is a
cosmopolitan subfamily of the family Elateridae
Leach (1815).It includes 38 genera harboring 1100
species from throughout the World. This subfamily
includes two tribes, Cardiophorini Candèze (1860)
and Nyctorini Gurjeva (966), of which Nyctorini
consists of a monotypic genus.
Candèze (1891) described this group as tribe
Cardiophorites comprising seven genera. Schwarz
(1906) also treated Cardiophorinae as a tribe.
Fleutiaux (1941) raised it to subfamily. Stibick
(1979) and Vats and Chauhan (1991) also treated it
as subfamily. Cate (2007) listed 11 Genera from
Palaearctic region including six subgenera with 676
species. Fleutiaux (1947) described 23 species from
Indo-Chinese region. Platia and Gudenzi (2003)
divided 9 species of the genus Dicronychus Brullé
of Greece in two groups, the first group with
parameres apex more or less conspicuously toothed,
the second group (two species) with apex of
parameres simple and more or less pointed. Platia
and Gudenzi (2004) added nine new species in the
genus Dicronychus Brullé to the Palearctic fauna.
Vats (1984) described two new species of genus
______________________________
* Corresponding author: atiq_m_akhter@yahoo.com
0030-9923/2011/0003-0477 $ 8.00/0
Copyright 2011 Zoological Society of Pakistan.

Dicronychus Burllé, while Vats and Chauhan
(1991) described 18 species of genus Cardiophorus
Eschscholtz including 14 new species from North
India. Cate et al. (2002) listed species of the tribe
Cardiophorini with seven new species in three
Genera from Iran. Chakraborty and Chakrabarti
(2006) redescribed five species and one new species
within the genus Cardiophorus Eschscholtz from
Bengal.
Fleutiaux (1931) described two species in
subgenus Platynychus s.str and 22 species in
subgenus Paraplatynychus in Indo-Chinese fauna.
Most of these species were later transferred to other
genera. Kishi (1987) listed nine species including
subspecies from Japan.
A new species of Cardiophorus Eschscholtz
from Kalar Khar, Punjab, Pakistan is described in
this paper with a special reference to its male and
female genitalia. The new taxon is compared to its
most closely related species. A key to the three
species of Cardiophorus Eschscholtz presently
known from Pakistan including the present new
species is given and in this light the relationships of
the present new species within the genus
Cardiophorus are also briefly discussed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Body Measurements
The measurements and illustrations were
made by using an ocular grid microscope.

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M.A. AKHTER ET AL.
478

from the anterior margin of the frons to the apex of
the elytra; the width is measured across the broadest
part of the entire beetle.

Pronotal measurements
The pronotal length is measured along the
midline; the width at the broadest part which is most
usually located at the hind angles.

Preservation
For the study of male genitalia, the abdomen
was excised at the base and boiled in 10 % KOH
solution for about 10 minutes. It was then washed in
tap water. The aedeagus was dissected out and
examined under glycerin. After studying, the male
genitalia were placed in microvials with a drop of
glycerin and attached with the respective specimens
for Natural History Museum, University of Karachi.

Abbreviations
The names of institutions, museums and
collections containing
abbreviated as follows:
collection.Department of Zoology, University of
Karachi, Pakistan; NHMUK, Natural History
Museum, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.

RESULTS

Genus CARDIOPHORUS Eschscholtz, 1829

Cardiophorus Eschscholtz, 1829:34; Candezè,
1891: 125; Schwarz, 1906: 162; Hyslop,
1921: 633; Vats and Chauhan, 1991: 11; Cate
et al., 2002: 60.
Caloderus Stephens, 1830: 269; Castelnau, 1840:
249.
Dicronychus Brulle, 1832:138.
Drasterius and Dolopius Falderman, 1835: 172-177.
Platynychus Motschulsky, 1858: 59.
Gauroderus Thomson, 1859: 104.

Type species

Elater gramineus Scopoli, 1763

Diagnosis
Head capsule usually wider than long, oval,
Body length is measured along the midline
study material
CAP,
are
Akhter
depressed, frons ridged between and above
antennae; mouth parts inferior; prosternum variable;
pronotum usually wider than long occasionally as
wide as long, convex, prosternal process short,
truncate; mesepisternum and mesepimeron cut off
from mesocoxal cavity by meso- and metasternum,
mesepimeron reduced in size; scutellum cordate;
tarsi, simple; claws, simple, dentate or undentate.

KEY TO THE SPECIES OF CARDIOPHORUS FROM
PAKISTAN

1. Elytra without patches ................................................ 2
- Elytra with four broad patches .......................................
........................Cardiophorus quadrillum Candèze
2. Aedeagus with median lobe, narrower, apically long
apex, parameres contact to median lobe, basal plate
rounded, median strut slightly passes in the cavity,
female genitalia with bursa copulatrix leaf-like with
several denticles, tubercles on surface ...........................
..............................Cardiophorus varius Cate et al
-
Aedeagus with median lobe, broadened up to apex,
parameres distinctly isolated from median lobe, median
strut reaches up to base of basal plate, female genitalia
with bursa copulatrix sickle-like with four external
denticles, without tubercles on surface ..........................
..................Cardiophorus kaharensis, new species

1. Cardiophorus kaharensis, new species
(Fig. 1A)

Type locality
Pakistan; Kalar Kahar, Punjab Province.

Coloration

brown, legs and antennae castaneous brown,
garishly recumbent pubescence.

Head
Moderately lobate, clypeus margin slightly
excised in the middle, transverse laterally, frons
almost flattened with deep punctation, dense
recumbent long pubescence; antennae extending to
the base of pronotum, basal segment broad and
robust, 1st segment small but cylindrical.

Thorax
Slightly broader than long, sides entire,
subrounded, hind angles broadly acute, disc slightly
Head, pronotum, scutellum and elytra piceous

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CARDIOPHORINAE OF PAKISTAN
479

A

B C

Fig. 1. Cardiophorus kaharensis, new
species; A, male adult; B, male genitalia; C,
bursa copulatrix. Scale line: A, 0.6mm; B,
0.25mm; C, 0.25mm

convex, strongly bisinuate basally, dense but deep
punctures on disc, scattered recumbent pubescence;
Scutellum cordiform, medially depressed, pit-like;
elytral shoulders slightly broader than base of
pronotum, parallel to apex, strial margins with
distinct groove, interstriae with fine puncture, very
dense pubescence on the entire elytra, 1st elytral
interval at the apex of the elytra carinate.

Male genitalia
Aedeagus (Fig. 1B) with median lobe longer
than parameres, broadened up to apex, towards apex
slightly narrower, apex truncated; parameres
evidently away from median lobe, thin, tubiform
apically, broad at base; two median struts elongate,
lying in the cavity of basal plate, reaching at base;
basal plate pear-shaped, apically broad, sides
rounded then obliquely turned, forming rounded
base.

Female genitalia
Bursa copulatix (Fig. 1C) sclerotised without
tubercle on surface, with four external teeth, upper
long pointed teeth; remains smaller than previous
but all of spiny, posteriorly form a short stalk, which
ended in a subrounded apex.

Etymology
This species name was derived from the type
locality.

Measurement
Holotype; Length 4.5 mm; width 1.3-1.7 mm.

Material examined
Pakistan: Punjab: Kalar Kahar; Holotype 1♂;
2.ix.2007, leg., Akhter (NHMUK). Allotype 1 ♀,
with same data as holotype(CAP).

Comparative note
This species is most closely related to C.
varius Cate et al. (2002) in having elytra without
any patches, head moderately lobate, prothorax
slightly broader than long, hind angles acute but it
can easily be separated from C. varius by its
aedeagus broader up to apex, parameres distinctly
isolated from median lobe, median struts reaching
up to base of the basal plate, female genitalia with
bursa copulatrix sickle-like with four external
denticles.

Discussion
The new species C. kaharensis is remarkably
closely related to C. varius Cate et al. (2002) and
appears to form a sister group to this species. Both
the species are brown, head moderately lobate,
prothorax slightly broader than longer, hind angles
acute, aedeagus with median lobe longer than
paramers. C. varius is represented in Pakistan from

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M.A. AKHTER ET AL.
480
Sindh province but C. kaharensis n.sp. appears to be
restricted to Punjab province in Pakistan, the new
species also seems to be more advanced than C.
varius in having parameres evidently away from the
median lobe, thin, tubiform apically, basal plate
pear-shaped. The species C. quadrillium Candèze
appears to play out-group relationship with varius
and kaharensis and is quite advanced with four
broad yellow patches on elytra.
The new species appears to be quite isolated
in the entire genus as the 1st elytral interval at the
apex of the elytra carinate. The new taxon is not
only the smallest in all the Indian species but
Aedeagus with median lobe, broadened up to apex,
parameres distinctly isolated from median lobe,
median strut reaches up to base of basal plate,
female genitalia with bursa copulatrix sickle-like
with four external denticles, without tubercles on
surface are entirely different among all the
described Indian species. This bizarre looking
elaterid appears endemic distributed as far as Kalar
Khar in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It basically
appears to be a Palearctic species just extending
itself into the Northern borders of Oriental region.

2. Cardiophorus quadrillum Candèze

Cardiophorus quadrillum Candèze, 1860:207.

Type locality

Hindoustan.

Material examined
Pakistan: Sindh: Thatta; 1 ♂; 13.vii.2005, leg.
Akhter (NHMUK). Tandojam;1 ♂, 14.iiiv.2007,
leg. Imran (CAP).

3. Cardiophorus varius Cate et al.

Cardiophorus varius Cate et al., 2002: 50.

Type locality
Southern Iran: Hormozgan Province; Dar-
pahn

Material examined
Pakistan: Sindh: Karachi; 4 ♂, 16.iv.2007,
leg. Ahmed (CAP). Thar; 05 ♂, 23.iiiv.2007, leg.
Ahmed (CAP). Mirpur Khas; 3 ♀, 10.iv.2007, leg.
Ahmed on light (NHMUK).
New record for Pakistan

4. Dicronychus hobertlandi Cate et al.,

Dicronychus hobertlandi Cate et al., 2002:55.

Type locality

Southern Iran: Hormozgan Province: Issin.

Material examined
Pakistan: Sindh: Thar, 31 ♂, 20.x.2007, leg.
Ahmed (CAP). Kantio, ♂ male and 4 ♀,
23.iiv.2007, leg. Ahmed(CAP). Islamkot, 3 ♂ and 1
♀, 23.vii.2007, leg. Ahmed on light (CAP). Punjab:
Kalar Kahar, 2 ♂, 2.ix.2007, leg. Ahmed(NHMUK).
New record for Pakistan

5. Platynychus marginalis (Candèze), 1860

Cardiophorus marginalis Candèze, 1860:138.

Platynychus marginalis Fleutiaux, 1905:328.

Type locality
Hindoustan.

Material examined
Pakistan: North West Frontier Province:
Dader, 1 female, 29.iiv.2004, leg. Ahmed(CAP).
New record for Pakistan

6. Platynychus systenus (Candèze), 1860

Cardiophorus systenus Candèze, 1860:210.

Platynychus systenus Schenkling,1925:240.

Type locality

Hindoustan.

Material examined
Pakistan: Punjab Province: Kalar Kahar 3 ♂,
2.ix.2007, leg. Ahmed (CAP). Bhakar, 01 ♂,
14.ix.2007, leg. Ahmed(CAP).
New record for Pakistan

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CARDIOPHORINAE OF PAKISTAN
481
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS


for the loan of the material and Dr Hume Douglus
Carleton University, Canada, for providing valuable
literature and suggestions.

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(Received 30 March 2010, revised 31 May 2010)
North India (Coleoptera: