WSN 50 (2016) 95-105

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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 )

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WSN 50 (2016) 95-105

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