IMPORTANCE OF THE PROSTERNAL CANAL IN THE SYSTEMATICS OF GENUS PODESCHRUS ROELOFS (CURCULIONIDAE: COLEOPTERA)

Abstract

The tribe Isorhynchini is represented from India by three genera viz., Elattocerus Schonherr,Podeschrus Roelofs (1875) and Telephae Pascoe (Pascoe 1870,Hustache,1932 &1934 and Marshall, 1938). The genus Podeschrus Roelofs, is known by two Indian species viz., chatterjee Marshall (1938) and fuscosuturalis Marshall.  A critical examination of the two Indian species viz., chatterjee Marshall and fuscosuturalis Marshall shows that both of them do not actually fall under genus Podeschrus Roelofs. The prosternal canal in chatterjee Marshall reaches to the middle of fore-coxae and that of fuscosuturalis Marshall extends up to the posterior margin of the mesosternum. The prosternal canal in the case of genusPodeschrus Roelofs, as characterized by Morimoto (1960), should reach the posterior margin of fore-coaxae. In fact, this study concluded that chaterjee Marshall fulfils all the important requirements of the genus Kumozo Morimoto. The other species, is exceptional in the extraordinary extension of its prosternal canal and has, therefore, been used as a type of new genus, Hemisulcus, proposed in the present communication.