New state records of longhorn beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Meghalaya, India

: We report the range extension of 11 species of Cerambycidae fauna into Meghalaya, northeastern India, based on our studies on the unidentified specimens of longhorn beetles deposited in the National Zoological Collection of the Zoological Survey of India, Shillong. These 11 species under 11 genera, nine tribes, and three subfamilies increases the known Cerambycidae diversity in Meghalaya from 81 species to 92 species.

For Focus, Scope, Aims, and Policies, visit https://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/aims_scopeFor Article Submission Guidelines, visit https://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissionsFor Policies against Scientific Misconduct, visit https://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/policies_various The longhorn beetles (Family Cerambycidae) are one of the most spectacular insect groups due to their strikingly long antennae and colourful elytra.However, the records of longhorn beetles from northeastern India are very poor, despite the region being located in the confluence of two biodiversity hotspots (the Himalaya and the Indo-Burma), with probably many species yet to be documented from this region.Our knowledge on the Indian longhorn beetles are largely enhanced by the works of Kariyanna (2016) and Kariyanna et al. (2017).The earliest known work on the cerambycid beetles of Meghalaya dates back to Breuning (1938).However, since then, no further addition was made to our knowledge on this group of insects from the State.It was in the 21 st century that voluminous work on the cerambycid fauna of Meghalaya was made by Mukhopadhyay & Biswas (2000) where they reported 71 species.So far, a total of 81 species under 53 genera of 28 tribes under three subfamilies are known from the State of Meghalaya (Mitra et al. 2016).
Herein, we examine the cerambycid beetles specimens deposited in the National Zoological Collections (NZC) of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Shillong, Meghalaya

Material and Methods
The Cerambycidae specimens present in the backlog collections of ZSI, Shillong are identified.The identification is based on the morphological characters.Classification and the distribution records were followed after Kumawat et al. (2015) and Kariyanna et al. (2017), respectively.The specimens are photographed using a Nikon D300s DSLR camera and registered in the NZC of ZSI, Shillong.The museum catalogue numbers are provided under the respective species account.The known distribution ranges of these identified species are J TT also mentioned.The collection details of the specimens are arranged in the following order: number of specimen(s) denoted as ex., collection location, date of collection, collector's name, museum catalogue number of ZSI, Shillong.Diagnostic Characters: Small sized (L 14 mm, B 5 mm); red-brown in colour; eyes large; antenna 11 segmented, longer than body, segment 3-6 with acute spine; pronotum globular, longer than broad; elytra Diagnostic Characters: Medium sized (L 24 mm, B 6 mm); antenna 10-segmented, spur on the first sengment; pronotum globular with dark coloured border dorsally, centrally brown; elytra long and elongated, brown in colour with a single dark colour longitudinal stripe on each elytra; femur bulged.Diagnostic Characters: Body large, broad and robust (L 54 mm, B 20 mm); antenna 11-segmented, 3 rd the longest; pronotum is as long as broad with a pair of thorn on lateral side, a pair of prominent yellow marks in the middle; scutellum tongue shaped, whitish in colour; elytra slaty-grey in colour, anterior portion with dark dots and whitish patches, mid to posterior portion with irregular and large whitish patches.

Family
Distribution: India (Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, & Sikkim); China; Japan; Korea; Myanmar; Nepal; and Vietnam.Remark: Kariyanna et al. (2017) included Assam under its distribution as they included Naga Hills as one of the known localities.However, post the bifurcation of erstwhile Assam, Naga Hills now comes under the state

Discussion
Kariyanna et al. ( 2017) reported 1,536 species of longhorn beetles from India including 592 species from northeastern India.In Meghalaya, only 81 species of longhorn beetles were recorded prior to this report, wherein we are reporting 11 new records of longhorn beetles from the State.Hence, with this finding, the current cerembycid fauna of Meghalaya stands at 92 species.Despite being an economic pest, there is a general lack of research thrust in this group of insects as highlighted by the limited number of known species from the Region and as well as from the State.Kariyanna et al. (2017) included Assam under the distribution range of Baralipton maculosum and Anoplophora stanleyana.A perusal of the report by Kariyanna et al. (2017) reveals that B. maculosum is known from Patkai Mountains while A. stanleyana is known from Naga Hills, due to which Assam was erroneously included in their distribution range, as both the locations were a part of the erstwhile undivided Assam.However, with the bifurcation of the erstwhile Assam which had resulted in the creation of Nagaland State in 1963, the new state included both Patkai Mountains and Naga Hills within its jurisdiction; hence, the occurrence of these above species in Assam is erroneous.
The specimens reported herein were collected from four localities: forest near Mawsmai Cave in Cherrapunjee (=Sohra) and some forests patches of Shillong, both the areas located in East Khasi Hills District, Umiam, and Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary and around, in Ri-Bhoi District of the State.The State being largely a producer of different varieties of fruits, especially citrus fruits, there is a high probability of occurrence of many undocumented species of longhorn beetles.Further extensive surveys, particularly into the protected areas Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org| 26 August 2022 | 14(8): 21720-21726 21721