Ernoporus squamosus Buhroo, 2024, sp. nov.

23. Ernoporus squamosus sp. nov. (Figure 30) Diagnosis: This new species is diagnosed by the reticulate frons and longitudinally aciculate vertex; by the pattern of asperities arranged in four concentric rows on the anterior slope of the pronotum. Ernoporus squamosus sp. nov. is very similar to E. tillae (Panzer,1793) but differs from it in the arrangement of asperities (in E. tillae, the anterior two rows have discontinuous asperities). Description: The species is new in Ernoporus by the following morphological characters: ♀ frons convex, weakly impressed just above epistoma, surface sub-shining, reticulate punctate, vertex with fine longitudinal aciculations; vestiture of erect, moderately dense hair-like setae on frontal surface, with a fringe of long hairs on epistomal margin; eyes oval, entire; antennal funicle with four segments, club flat, sub-round with three slightly procurved sutures indicated by rows of setae; pronotum 1.20× wider than long; sides widest slightly above base, arcuately converging; apical margin moderately produced anteriorly, set with four distinct closely placed asperities, median pair larger; summit situated at middle, anterior slope of summit concentrically asperate in four rows, of which posterior two rows fused to form two arcuate carinae, third row of fused asperities with rounded free apices, and fourth row with distinct triangular closely placed asperities; disc somewhat flat, sub-shinning, surface reticulate, rugose on postero-lateral sides; vestiture of moderately long, erect hair-like setae with some shorter, broad, dagger-like setae antero-laterally, posterior half with pale, short, dense, scales intermixed with some relatively longer, stout and blunt scales (nearly as long as wide); suture between pronotum and elytra somewhat straight; scutellum distinct, triangular; elytra 1.71× as long as pronotum, 1.42× as long as wide; sides parallel on more than basal two-thirds, rounded towards apex; elytral surface dark, iridescent; striae narrow, weakly impressed with small, oval, deep punctures separated from each other by about the diameter of a puncture; interstriae nearly 2.5× as wide as striae; interstrial surface with a row of medial pale, erect, flat and blunt scales, separated within the row by the length of a scale, and two rows of dense short scales (each on either side of medial row); declivity evenly convex with sculpture and vestiture as on rest of elytra; undersurface reticulate with moderately dense pubescence; body color dull, black; body length: 1.41–1.45 mm, 2.29× as long as wide. Male similar to female, except for a slightly more produced apical margin of pronotum, and frons with a smooth, shining and impressed circular area above epistoma; body length: 1.42 –1.54 mm. Material examined: Holotype: ♀: India: Kashmir, Srinagar, Theed Harwan (34° 09.858 N, 074° 54.590′ E, 5608 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 02.10.2018 (KUIC). Allotype, ♂: the same site and date as HT; Paratypes: the same data as HT (1 ♀, 3 ♂), except, Kupwara, Teetwal (34° 23.596′ N, 073° 46.458′ E, 3582 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 17.07.2017; Dachigam National Park (34° 08.754′ N, 074° 55.604′ E, 5610 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 02.10.2017; Jammu, Kishtwar, Shasho Padder (33° 19.855′ N, 076° 02.182′ E, 5260 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 09.09.2017; Kishtwar (33° 18.787′ N, 075° 46.451′ E, 5610 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 10.09.2017; HT, AT and PTs deposited at KUIC; 2 PTs NHMW. Type locality: India: Kashmir: Srinagar, Harwan Hosts: Ficus palmata, Morus alba (Moraceae) Etymology: The species epithet squamosus refers to the presence of scale-like setae on the body.