ON THE GENUS RHIZOPHAGUS HERBST ( COLEOPTERA : RHIZOPHAGIDAE ) AND DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES FROM INDIA

The genus Rhizophagus belongs to the family Rhizophagidae : Cla\icronia: Cucujoidea : Polyphaga. Crowson (1955) proposed four subfamilies Rhizophaginae, Monotominae, Thioninae and Lenacinae under the family Rhizophagidae. The sub-family Rhizophaginae includes only one genus Rhi=ophagus Herbst, which has been subdivided into four subgenera Rhizophagus s. str., Eurhizophagus Mequignon, Anomo!ophagus Reitter and C),anostolus Gangl bauer. Johnson (1964) provided a key to the subgenera of Rhizophagus in his work "The British species of the genus Rhizophagus" Representatives of the genus are commonly found under bark, fungus infested wood and their distribution is restricted to warm temp~rate zone of the world. Mequignon (1913) described the only species R. indiclls from Dehra Dun: Uttar Pradesh : India, based on single specimen (&') under the family Nitidulidae, collected by F. Cladow, and deposited in Indian Museum Registration No. 1881/14. One of us (Sengupta), while working as Pool·Officer (C.S.I.R.), has collected two specimens from Kashmir, which is the second new species recorded from India.


INTRODUCTION
The genus Rhizophagus belongs to the family Rhizophagidae : Cla-\icronia: Cucujoidea : Polyphaga.Crowson (1955) proposed four subfamilies Rhizophaginae, Monotominae, Thioninae and Lenacinae under the family Rhizophagidae.The sub-family Rhizophaginae includes only one genus Rhi=ophagus Herbst, which has been subdivided into four subgenera Rhizophagus s. str., Eurhizophagus Mequignon, Anomo!ophagus Reitter and C),anostolus Gangl bauer.Johnson (1964) provided a key to the subgenera of Rhizophagus in his work "The British species of the genus Rhizophagus" Representatives of the genus are commonly found under bark, fungus infested wood and their distribution is restricted to warm temp~rate zone of the world.Mequignon (1913) described the only species R. indiclls from Dehra Dun: Uttar Pradesh : India, based on single specimen (&') under the family Nitidulidae, collected by F. Cladow, and deposited in Indian Museum Registration No. 1881/14.One of us (Sengupta), while working as Pool•Officer (C.S.I.R.), has collected two specimens from Kashmir, which is the second new species recorded from India.
Rhizophagus Herbst .-Speciesranging frolD about 2 to 5 mm'J elongated more or less paralled-sided, easily recognisible from other related families of c~avicornia by its typical antenna I club (Textfig.1 A) and from other subfamilies of Rhizophagidae by its almost fully exposed front trochantin, middle coxal cavities distinctly open outwardly, without head constriction behind the eyes.
Thorax.-Prothorax: elongate, pronotum without prebasal impression.Front coxae rather closely situated, cavities transverse, trochantins fully exposed, cavities internally and externally closed behind.Mesocoxae narrowly seplrated, cavities op~n outwardly, meso-epimera extending to the coxal cavities, sternal fitting between mesoc~xae with a single kno b.Metacoxae.rather closely situated and transverse.Legs with trochanters simple and short, tibiae widened at apex, tarsi simple, tarsal formula 5-5-4 in male and, 5-5-5 in fe:male.Head (Fig. A) elongaed, broadest aCross eyes and narrowed behind, eyes coarsely faceted, vertex of head ;more coarsely and slightly densely punctured than pronotrJn, anterior part of head ;more finely and sparseJy punctured than that of vertex of head, clypeus (Text-fig.1 A) broad, its apical margin almost straight, anterior part of clypeus with a distinct curved impress~d line, labrum not visible.Antenna rather short, 10-jointed, insertions hidden, scap~ moderately large, pedecil small, about two-third of length of joint 3, joints 4-9 short and equal, club typical (Text-fig.1 A) Rhizophagidlike and densely pubescent.
Prothorax slightly long!r than wide, widest in front :margin and progressively slightly narlow~d behind, lateral and hind :margin uniformly t>or4ered, front mlr~in with a row of fine setae~ front an~les obtusely rounded, hind angles rounded with 5 spines on each side (Text-fig.1 A), puncturation on pronotum distinct but smaller and s1ightly sparser than vertex of head.Lateral and basal :margins narrowly bordered, front margin with a row of small hairs.Elytra elongated, almost parallel-sided, slightly narrowed posteriorly, lateral margin bordered, humeral angles with calosities (Text-fig.1 A). 9 rows of distinct p:J.nctures 6xtending up to the apex, scutellary striole not distinct but with a row of minute punctures extending up to the apex.First row of punctures near scutellum with a distinct impressed line which extending to posterior three-fourths.Puncturation on elytra distrinct slightly larger than that of .vertex of head.Scutellum glabrous and its apical :

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This study has been carried out in Zoological Survey of India, C:dcutta.We are indebted to Director, Zoological Survey of India for provi')ion of all requisite facilities.We would also like to thetnk Mr. D. MandaI of Zoological Survey of India for tra,ns1atin~ the liter~ture, margin rounded (Text-fig."1 A).Last two exposed' abdominal segments as figured (Text-fig.1 C).Leg (Text-fig.1 B) with trochanter short, simple end with a single distinct seta.Ventral side glabrous with distinct punctures.,Front coxal cavities slightly transverse with exposed trochantlns and externally distinctly closed behind, prosternal process broad at apex (Text-fig.1 B), anterior part of prosternal process with distinct undulated transverse ridges.Holotype (a) and a Paratype.-India: Kash.mir.: Pahalgam (7000 ft.) 30.5.1972 (T Sengupta), on fungusy bark of a fallen tree, deposited in the collection of the Zoo1ogical Survey of India, Calcutta.The chief characters in which Rhizophagus indicus Mequignon differs from R. pahal gamus sp.D. are given below :-R.indicus ~ (Text-fig.1 D & E) R. pahalgamus ~ ( Text-fig. 1 A-C.) 1. Colour redish brown 2. Hind angles of prothorax smooth (Fig. D.) 3. Elytral puncturation as figured (Fig. D) 4. Exposed part of apex of abdomen of male as figured (Fig. E) 5. Species (Fig. D) comparatively shorter and broader, length 4.10 mm.long and maximum width across middle of elytra 1.10 mm. 1. Colour blackish brown.2. Hind angles of prothorax with 5 spi.nes (Fig. A) 3. Elytral puncturation different (Fig. A) 4. Exposed part of apex of abdomen different (Fig. C) 5. S pedes (Fig. A) more elongated and narrower, length 4.70 mml.and width across middle of elytra 1.10 mm.