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WSN 50 (2016) 95-105 EISSN 2392-2192
On the Mimela Kirby, 1823 (Rutelinae: Scarabaeidae)
of Buxa Tiger Reserve (a forest under biodiversity hot spot zone), Dooars, West Bengal, India
Subhankar Kumar Sarkar1,a, Sumana Saha2,b, Dinendra Raychaudhuri3,c
1Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani - 741235, Nadia, West Bengal, India
2Department of Zoology, Barasat Govt. College, 10 K.N.C Road, Barasat (N 24 Parganas),
Kolkata - 700124, West Bengal, India
3Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, IRDM Faculty Centre,
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Narendrapur, Kolkata - 700103, West Bengal, India
a-cE-mail address: [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Taxonomic account of Mimela Kirby, 1823 fauna included within the subfamily Rutelinae
recorded from Buxa Tiger Reserve, Dooars, West Bengal, India are dealt herewith. Long term
faunistic survey by the authors resulted in the present outcome. Each of the species is redescribed and
illustrated, supplemented by digital images. For easy identification of the species, a key has also been
provided.
Keywords: Mimela; Buxa Tiger Reserve; Dooars; India; Redescription
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1. INTRODUCTION
Figure 1. Location map of Buxa Tiger Reserve.
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Mimela Kirby, 1823 is a little known genus of the subfamily Rutelinae and is
represented by approximately 254 species worldwide (Schoolmeesters 2016). A review of
literatures available on these beetles reveals that the genus is confined primarily to the oriental
region. Although several authors have reported the occurrence of these beetles throughout the
globe yet an updated oriental checklist is not available till date. Some of the noteworthy
taxonomic treatise on these beetles are of Ohaus (1902, 1934, 1935 & 1943), Paulian (1959),
Machatschke (1952, 1957 & 1972), Smith (2003), Arrow (1908, 1915 & 1917), Balthasar
(1963), Lin (1990 & 1993), Sabatinelli (1994), Thapa (2000) and Wada (2001a & b).
Moreover, Indian Mimela is known by the regional reports of Mittal (1999 & 2005),
Chatterjee & Biswas (1995), Saha & Raychaudhuri (1998), Sarkar et al. (2010), Chandra
(1988 & 2005), Chandra et al. (2012), Chandra & Gupta (2012a, b & c).
Though Eastern Himalaya is one of the 18 hotspots of the world and one of the three of
India, the area still lacks a thorough and extensive exploration, particularly for the insect
fauna. We however concentrated on Buxa Tiger Reserve (Figure 1), Dooars, one of the
tropical forests of Eastern Himalaya and the research team is engaged in exploring the insect
fauna of BTR since 1993. In the process a total of 76 scarab species could so far be recorded
(Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014). The protected area falls under the biogeographic province 7B
lower Gangetic plain and occupies an area of about 759.26 sq.kms. The reserve is located
between latitudes 26°30’ to 26°55’ North and longitudes 89°20’ to 89˚35’ East of India.
A detail description with proper illustration of the recorded taxa are not available since
Arrow (1917) and here we redescribe and illustrate the taxa nearly after a century. However,
of the two recorded species, Sarkar et al (2010) though reported Mimela soror Arrow, 1908 as
new from the state but did not provide any other taxonomic detail. Present discourse is the
first ever taxonomic detail of the members of Mimela Kirby, 1823 inhabiting Buxa Tiger
Reserve. The taxa are considered sensu Arrow (1917).
2. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Both extensive and intensive surveys were conducted during 1993 – 2005 in different
beats under different ranges of Buxa Tiger Reserve. Field visits were made in every month of
each calendar year during the period of survey (except 15th
June to 15th
September when the
forest remains closed). For collection of the samples sweep nets, bush beating, hand picking
and UV light trap techniques were used. Samples after collection were killed in chloroform
and preserved in 70% alcohol in glass vials. Necessary data regarding locality, date of
collection, collector’s name was noted in a note book in the field. They were then brought to
the laboratory where stretching, pinning and labeling is done as per the guidelines laid down
by Zoological Survey of India. The collected samples were studied under Stereozoom
Binocular Microscopes Olympus SZX7 and SZX16. Drawings were made with the aid of
necessary accessories attached to the microscopes. Photographs were taken by a digital
camera attached to the microscopes. All measurements are in millimeters, made with an eye
piece graticule and each scale bar represents 1mm, if not otherwise mentioned.
All materials are in the collection of Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, IRDM
Faculty Centre, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Kolkata, India.
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3. RESULTS
Family Scarabaeidae Latreille, 1802
Subfamily Rutelinae MacLeay, 1819
Tribe Anomalini Streubel, 1839
Sub tribe Anomalina Streubel, 1839
Genus Mimela Kirby, 1823
Type species: Mimela chinensis Kirby, 1823
Diagnosis: Body long, oval and convex; shiny; labrum horizontal; antennae 10
segmented; head short; clypeus semicircular or subquadrate, front margin reflexed and may or
may not be round at angles; pronotum transverse, sides round, base sinuate and medially
produced; scutellum elongate; elytra punctured in irregular rows; pygidium medially raised
with a shallow depression near each lateral angle; prosternum elevated and bent forward;
mesosternum with an anteriorly projected process; fore tibia tridentate, mid and hind tibiae
carinate externally and truncate at extremity.
Distribution: Tropical Asia and Indonesia (Arrow, 1917; Chatterjee & Biswas, 1995;
Saha & Raychaudhuri, 1998; Smith 2003; Sarkar et al.,2010; Chandra & Gupta, 2012a, b & c;
Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014; GBIF, 2016).
Key to species:
1. Elytra decorated with fiery red stripes; clypeus quadrate, coarsely punctured, front margin
not round at angles; mesosternal process short.................................................. leei Swederus,
1787
- Elytra not decorated with fiery red stripes; clypeus semicircular, rugose, front margin round
at angles; mesosternal process long.................................................................. soror Arrow,
1908
Mimela leei Swederus, 1787
(Figure 2A, 3A-H)
Mimela leei Swederus, 1787: 180.
Mimela leei – Arrow, 1917: 111.
Description: ♀
Length 17.9 mm, humeral width 10.6 mm. Body long, compact, oval & convex.
Colour and markings (Figure 2A, 3A-H): Dorsum metallic green, with elytra decorated with
fiery red stripes; venter red brown with greenish reflection; very shiny.
Head (Figure 3A & B): Short and transverse; minutely punctured, densely at sides and
scantily at centre.
Clypeus (Figure 3A & B): Narrow and rectangular; coarsely punctured; front margin gently
reflexed.
Fronto-clypeal suture (Figure 3A & B): Marked by a transverse sinuate line.
Interocular width: 3.6 x transverse eye diameter.
Antenna (Figure 3C): 10 segmented, club 1.03 x stem.
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Pronotum (Figure 3A): Transverse; coarsely and densely punctured; margins elevated except
above scutellum; sides round; base strongly sinuate and produced medially; front angles acute
and hind angles obtuse.
Scutellum (Figure 3A): Triangular; smooth except few fine punctures; sides sinuate; apex
obtusely pointed.
Elytra (Figure 3A): Minutely and densely punctured in irregular rows; sutural margin
elevated near apex and with a fine membranous fringe; humeral and apical angles not formed;
humeral and apical hump evident.
Pygidium (Figure 3D): Finely and scantily punctured; medially raised with a shallow
depression near each lateral angle.
Mesosternum (Figure 3E): Nearly smooth; anteriorly with a short process.
Fore tibia (Figure 3F): Bluntly tridentate, second tooth being very short; subterminally with 1
short spur.
Mid and hind tibiae (Figure 3G & H): Carinate externally; truncate and fringed with long
spines at extremity; terminally with 2 unequal spurs.
Tarsi (Figure 3F, G & H): 5 segmented.
Claws (Figure 3F, G & H): Unequal; with the longer one of fore and mid deeply cleft.
Material examined: 2♀, RMT, BTR, 30.v.96, coll. S.Saha; 1♀, NM, BTR, 13.iii.03, coll.
S.K.Sarkar; 1♀, BB, BTR, 14.iii.03, coll. S.K.Sarkar
Distribution: India: Assam and West Bengal (Arrow, 1917; Saha & Raychaudhuri, 1998;
Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014).
Mimela soror Arrow, 1908
(Figure 2B, 4A-H)
Mimela soror Arrow, 1908: 245.
Mimela soror – Arrow, 1917: 114.
Description: ♀
Length 13.6 mm, humeral width 7.42 mm. Body long, compact, oval and convex.
Colour and markings (Figure 2B, 4A-H): Metallic green and extremely shiny.
Head (Figure 4A & B): Short and transverse; coarsely punctured, densely at sides and scantily
at centre.
Clypeus (Figure 4A & B): Short and semicircular; rugose; front margin reflexed and round at
angles.
Fronto-clypeal suture (Figure 4A & B): Marked by a transverse sinuate line.
Interocular width: 2.9 x transverse eye diameter.
Antenna (Figure 4C): 10 segmented, club 1.9 x stem.
Pronotum (Figure 4A & B): Transverse; densely punctured with the punctures coarse
laterally; margins elevated except above scutellum; sides round; base strongly sinuate and
produced
medially; front angles acute and hind angles obtuse.
Scutellum (Figure 4A & B): Triangular; smooth except few fine punctures; sides sinuate;
apex obtusely pointed.
Elytra (Figure 4A & B): Minutely and densely punctured in irregular rows; sutural margin
elevated and with a fine membranous fringe apically; angles not formed; humps evident.
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Figure 2. A. Mimela leei Swederus, 1787, ♀ Dorsal habitus; B. Mimela soror Arrow,
1908, ♀ Dorsal habitus.
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Figure 3. Mimela leei Swederus, 1787, Female: A. Dorsal habitus; B. Head & Clypeus, dorsal
view; C. Antenna, lateral view; D. Pygidium, dorsal view; E. Mesosternum, ventral view;
F. Fore tibia, tarsi & claws; G. Mid tibia, tarsi & claws; H. Hind tibia, tarsi & claws.
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Figure 4. Mimela soror Arrow, 1908, Female: A. Dorsal habitus; B. Head & Clypeus, dorsal
view; C. Antenna, lateral view; D. Pygidium, dorsal view; E. Mesosternum, ventral view;
F. Fore tibia, tarsi & claws; G. Mid tibia, tarsi & claws; H. Hind tibia, tarsi & claws.
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Pygidium (Figure 4D): Finely and scantily punctured; medially raised with a shallow
depression near each lateral angle.
Mesosternum (Figure 4E): Medially smooth; anteriorly having a long elevated process with
the tip projecting into a point.
Fore tibia (Figure 4F): Bluntly tridentate the second being very short; subterminally with 1
short spur.
Mid and hind tibiae (Figure 4G & H): Carinate externally; truncate and fringed with long
spines at extremity; terminally with 2 unequal spurs.
Tarsi (Figure 4F, G & H): 5 segmented.
Claws (Figure 4F, G & H): Unequal, longer one of fore and mid deeply cleft.
Material examined: 1♀, SR, BTR, 09.iii.03, coll. S. K. Sarkar
Distribution: India: Assam, Manipur and West Bengal (Arrow, 1917; Sarkar et al., 2010;
Raychaudhuri & Saha, 2014).
4. CONCLUSIONS
The present work is intended to provide a first ever comprehensive taxonomic account
of beetles comprising the genus Mimela Kirby, 1823 within the subfamily Rutelinae
(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) occurring in Buxa Tiger Reserve. Extensive survey on insect
fauna of the study area revealed in the recognition of the two recorded species of the genus
dealt herewith. At the species level BTR is found to harbor nearly one fourth of the state
fauna of the genus recorded
till date.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are grateful to MOEF, GOI for financing the research work (Sanction no. – 14/34/2000-ERS/RE,
Dt.17/10/01), Head, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta. Hon’ble Vice chancellor, Ramakrishna
Mission Vivekananda University, for providing necessary laboratory facilities. Thanks are extended to all
officials and field staffs of Buxa Tiger Reserve for their cooperation during field work. Thanks are due to all
laboratory colleagues for their assistance.
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( Received 03 June 2016; accepted 20 June 2016 )