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Issue: Vol. 5729 No. 2: 15 Dec. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-12-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5729.2.9
Page range: 383-393
Abstract views: 134
PDF downloaded: 5

A new species of Ichthyurus (Coleoptera: Cantharidae: Chauliognathinae) preying on tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta (Drury) from India

Division of Germplasm Collection and Characterization; ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR); P. B. No. 2491; H. A. Farm Post; Bellary Road; Hebbal; Bengaluru-560024; Karnataka; India
Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZSP); Avenida Nazaré; 481; Ipiranga; CEP: 04263-000; São Paulo-SP; Brazil
Central Tasar Research and Training Institute (CTRTI); Piska-Nagri Post; Ranchi-835303; Jharkhand; India
Central Tasar Research and Training Institute (CTRTI); Piska-Nagri Post; Ranchi-835303; Jharkhand; India
Central Tasar Research and Training Institute (CTRTI); Piska-Nagri Post; Ranchi-835303; Jharkhand; India
Division of Germplasm Collection and Characterization; ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR); P. B. No. 2491; H. A. Farm Post; Bellary Road; Hebbal; Bengaluru-560024; Karnataka; India
Division of Germplasm Collection and Characterization; ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR); P. B. No. 2491; H. A. Farm Post; Bellary Road; Hebbal; Bengaluru-560024; Karnataka; India
Coleoptera Barcode new species predation Sericulture soldier beetle

Abstract

The Ichthyurini are a diverse and widespread tribe of Chauliognathinae (Cantharidae) comprising nearly 300 species, but, so far, their biological data are scarce, and nothing is known about their behaviour and feeding habits. Here, we describe and illustrate a new species, Ichthyurus antheraeanus Sreedevi, Reddy, and Biffi, sp. nov. from Jharkhand, India, and report for the first time the predatory behaviour of a species in the tribe. Males and females of I. antheraeanus sp. nov. were found preying on early instar larvae of the tasar silkmoth, Antheraea mylitta (Drury, 1773) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Detailed descriptions and photographic illustrations of adult habitus and genitalia of both sexes of the species as well as their COI mtDNA barcode are provided. The potential harm that I. antheraeanus sp. nov. may have on the tasar silk production in India is discussed.

 

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How to Cite

Reddy, K.M., Biffi, G., Gadad, H., Bhagat, A., Chowdary, N.B., Sushil, S.N. & Sreedevi, K. (2025) A new species of Ichthyurus (Coleoptera: Cantharidae: Chauliognathinae) preying on tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta (Drury) from India. Zootaxa, 5729 (2), 383–393. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5729.2.9