Marimuthu Muthukatturaja

Clypeocaenis malzacheri is known from nymphs and eggs from the Western Ghats (Kottagudi River, Kurangani, Theni district, Tamil Nadu), India. The unknown adult stage (male and female imagoes) is described herein based on our recent collection. A key to the imagoes of the genus Clypeocaenis in the Oriental region is also provided. Type locality and the map showing the localities are also provided.

The present study provides an integrative taxonomic assessment of the burrowing mayfly family Ephemeridae (Ephemeroptera) from the Western Ghats, India, through a combination of morphological and molecular approaches. Four new species viz., Ephemera kapilaensis sp. nov., Ephemera kodai sp. nov., Ephemera kudremukha sp. nov., and Ephemera subramanyai sp. nov., are described based on both larval and imaginal characters. This work provides the first molecular characterization of Ephemera species from southern India and generates the first DNA barcodes for the subgenus Ephemera in this region. The finding highlights the importance of integrative taxonomy in resolving species boundaries and evolutionary relationships among Oriental Ephemera. Additionally, the study provides distributional data, habitat ecology of the new species, and an identification key to all known species of the Western Ghats.

Choroterpes (Euthraulus) kanagae sp. nov. is described based on larvae and male imago, collected from the River Cauvery, Karnataka, India. The new species is differentiated from other known species of the subgenus Euthraulus Barnard, 1932 by the following combination of characters: posterior margin of abdominal terga I–VII with a dark brown band; tergalius I absent; dorsal lamella of tergalius VII with two terminal processes; costal projection of hind wing acute; segment I of gonostylus slender without inner-apical angle; penis slender, elongated, little longer than ½ of gonostylus length. Comparison of larvae and male imaginal characters of known species of Indian Choroterpes (Euthraulus) are provided. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was amplified from larva and adult, and compared with published sequences of related species.

The description of Notophlebia kabini sp. nov., identified as new species of mayfly, is based on larval characteristics from Karnataka, India. The larvae bear resemblance to N. jobi larvae as they possess highly specialized mouth apparatuses of the «Dilatognathus-type». However, the new species can be distinguished from N. jobi and other Notophlebia in the Oriental region by the following combination of characters: (i) proximal 1/3 of labial palp segment III tapered (sheared like) with long thin hair-like setae; (ii) segment III of maxillary palp has very long, stout, pointed setae directed apically and roughly forming regular rows; (iii) the dorsal side of the fore tibia lacks a longitudinal row of stout blunt setae; and (iv) Gill VI has a prominent lobe in the anterior margin. The information about species' range and ecology were provided.

Sparsorythus srokai is known from larva and eggs from the Western Ghats (Veerapandi River, Theni district, Tamil Nadu), India. The unknown adult stage (male and female subimagoes and imagoes) is described herein. An additional locality and its habitat ecology are also given for the species.

The interdigital gland is a specialized skin gland located between the digits of Artiodactyla (i.e., even-toed ungulates). Its secretion participates in semiochemical communication, and protects from ultraviolet radiation as well as fungal and bacterial infections of the feet. The present study aimed at finding if there are male-female differences in the anatomy, morphology, and volatile compounds of the interdigital gland of the South Indian breed of Vembur sheep. A total of 24 sheep (12 each of male and female) were spotted at the slaughterhouse and the interdigital gland was removed for examination. The anatomical examination revealed it to resemble a tobacco pipe and to consist of a body, flexure, and excretory duct with an external orifice located at the cleft of the digits. Morphometrically, the interdigital glands differed between males and females. The gland possesses a distinct fibrous capsule, epidermis, and dermis. The fibrous capsule contains several parallel bundles of collagen fibers, nerve fibers, and blood vessels, etc. The epidermis consists of keratinized squamous epithelium formed of stratum basale, stratum granulosum and stratum spinosum. The dermis consists of hair follicles, nerve plexuses, arrector pili muscles, and apocrine and sebaceous glandular lobules. The latter, lined by a simple cuboidal epithelium, are arranged in clusters of acini in the upper portion of the dermis. The apocrine secretory lobules, made up of parenchymal cells, are found in the lower portion of the dermis. The density and diameter of the apocrine and sebaceous secretory lobules were significantly higher in the males than females. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis confirmed the apocrine and sebaceous secretory components. Twenty-three major compounds were identified in the interdigital gland postings of male and female sheep, among which butanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, 1-heptanol and octadecanoic acid were present only in the male glandular post, whereas octane, 7-hexyl-tridecane, tetradecane, heptadecane and decanoic acid were present only in the female glandular post. Tetradecanol, tetradecanoic acid and hexadecanol peaks, reportedly antibacterial compounds in pronghorn antelopes, were highly prominent in both male and female sheep. Thus, the interdigital gland of Vembur sheep has two major secretory lobules, namely, sebaceous and apocrine, larger in males than females, which secrete a variety chemical compounds that may serve as chemical communication systems and protect the sheep from foot-borne diseases.

A new species of Choroterpes (Choroterpes) Eaton, 1881 is described based on nymphs from southern Western Ghats, Karnataka, India. Choroterpes (Choroterpes) kumaradhara sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Oriental species of Choroterpes s.str. by the following combination of characters: (i) median emargination of labrum deeply cleft (U-shaped) with few denticle-like protuberances; (ii) the lateral margin of mandibles with a cluster of thin, long setae medially; (iii) gill I single lamellate, basal half broader and tapered to apex; (iv) median projection of dorsal lamella of gills II–VII plate-like and markedly larger and longer than laterals, ventral lamella small, trifurcated and (v) abdominal segments II–IX with posterolateral spines progressively longer posteriorly. Distribution and habitat ecology of the new species are provided.

A new species Procloeon (Procloeon) kottagudiensis sp. nov. is described based on larva and adult characters from a submontane stream of the Western Ghats, peninsular India. Diagnostic characters, distribution and habitat ecology of the described species are provided. Keys for the known larvae and male imagos of Oriental Procloeon (Procloeon) are provided.

A little stout crawler mayfly Sparsorythus nanjangudensis sp. nov., is described based on nymphs and male adult from Western Ghats, southern India. The new species is differentiated from all known species on the basis of the extended anterolateral margin of pronotum, absence of subapical teeth on claws and wing pads reaching abdominal segment III. Distribution and ecological notes are provided for the new species.

A new mayfly species Caenis maduraiensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated from nymph and adults collected from lentic habitat around Madurai. The nymph can be distinguished by the following characters: anterior margin of labrum with row of bipectinate setae longer laterally and a group of highly fringed setae behind emargination; and hind claw long, slender and hooked with row of denticles. Adults are characterized by prosternal triangle with slightly concave sides, tip acutely pointed; apical part of forceps abruptly narrowed to the tip, with a long apical spine, and few trichomes on surface.