The apterous endemic genus Omphra Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Helluonini) of the Indian subcontinent: taxonomy with notes on habits and distributional patterns

Authors

Shiju T. Raj, The New College, Royapettah, IndiaFollow
Thomas K. Sabu, St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, IndiaFollow
Zhao Danyang, South China Agricultural University, Wushan, China

Date of this Version

2-29-2012

Comments

Insecta Mundi 0206: 1-15

Published in 2012 by Center for Systematic Entomology, Inc. P. O. Box 141874 Gainesville, FL 32614-1874 U. S. A. http://www.centerforsystematicentomology.org/

Abstract

Among the four oriental genera of the tribe Helluonini, Omphra Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae), is unique for its endemism to the Indian subcontinent and aptery. High intraspecies variability in morphological characters and limited diagnostic information makes species differentiation of the genus Omphra a complicated task. The present study provides a description of a new species, Omphra drumonti n. sp. from the Western Ghats, redescriptions and a key to the species of Omphra, details of intraspecies variation, discussion of relationships between taxa and distributional patterns of the genus. Based on the distributional patterns in the Indian subcontinent and flightlessness of the genus, inability to cross the physical barrier of the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta between north and peninsular India is indicated as the reason for its absence in the northeastern Indian subcontinent and endemism to the lower Indian subcontinent.