ISSN 2320-4311

PROMMALIA. Vol. II, 2014

Mitra, B., Majumder, A., Das, S. and Mahajan, B. 2014. Prioninae (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) of
Andaman & Nicobar Islands. PROMMALIA, II, 43-50

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F8516277-5DFE-4909-AB26-1D11212DDB80

Date of Publication: 10th April, 2014

PRIONINAE (CERAMBYCIDAE: COLEOPTERA) OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

BULGANIN MITRA, AMITAVA MAJUMDER, SWATI DAS AND BIDISHA MAHAJAN

Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata,

Postgraduate Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar College, Kolkata
e-mail: bulganinmitra@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The present work deals with 12 species of longhorn beetles belonging to 10 genera under 7
tribes of subfamily Prioninae from Andaman & Nicobar Islands. These include records of
three species viz.Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) indicus (Hope, 1831), Dorysthenes
(Lophosternus) huegelii (Redtenbacher, 1848) and Acanthophorous serraticornis(Olivier,
1795) new to these islands. Two earlier recorded species viz, Remphanhopei Waterhouse and
Nepiodes sulcipennis (White, 1853) are reported here with new localities. The other six
species report here after literature consultation.

KEYWORDS
Cerambycidae, Longhorn beetles, Coleoptera, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

INTRODUCTION
Andaman & Nicobar islands popularly known as Bay islands are located between 10° 13' N
and 13° 30' N latitudes and 92°15'E and 93°10' E longitude. The characteristic tropical
climate of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal harbour a wide variety of timber
yielding plants, which provide unique habitats to the longhorn beetle borers of the family
Cerambycidae.
Cerambycids of Andaman & Nicobar Islands belong to three subfamilies; of them the
subfamily Prioninae can be differentiated from other two with their typically large (25–

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70 mm) size and usually dorsally brown or black and red brown color ventrally. The head of
the members of this subfamily usually oblique, forward anteriorly. The males of a few genera
having large mandibles; pronotum with complete lateral margins, frequently toothed or
spined along margin; procoxae strongly transverse, coxal cavities open behind, inner lobe of
maxillae lacking or vestigial; ligula corneous; antennae inserted more or less close to base of
mandibles; mesonotum lacking striadulatory area.
The most pioneering taxonomic and biological investigations on cerambycid beetles in India were
initiated in the twentieth century. Gahan (1906) and Lameere (1909) gave a comprehensive coverage
of most of the genera represented in the Indian region and also from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Khan (1985) recorded 28 species of cerambycid beetles from Neil Island of South Andamans. Very
recently Lackerbeck, (2000) and Komiya (2010) were also contributed on the Prioninae fauna of
these Islands.
The present work is based on the collection of the first author and from the earlier collection
of National Zoological collections of Zoological Survey of India and also from published
report. This is the first consolidated work on subfamily Prioninae of Andaman & Nicobar
Islands.
The present work deals with 12 species of longhorn beetles belonging to 10 genera under 7
tribes of subfamily Prioninae from Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Three species viz.
Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) indicus (Hope, 1831), Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) huegelii
(Redtenbacher, 1848) and Acanthophorou sserraticornis(Olivier, 1795) are reported as new
to these islands (Table.1:marked with *).

Tribe Prionini Latreille, 1802

Genus Dorysthenes Vigors1826
1826. Dorysthenes Vigors, Zool. Journ, 2:51
Sub-genus Lophosternus Guerin
1844. Lophosternus Guerin, Icon. Regne Anim; Ins.p.209.
1. *Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) indicus (Hope, 1831)
1831. Prionusindicus Hope, Gray’s Zool. Misc., 27 p
1913. Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) indicus Lameere, Col. Cat., 52: 68
1981. Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) indicus (Hope, 1831): Hayashi & Makihara, ESAKIA,
(17): 183-200.
Material examined: 1ex, Neil Island, South Andaman, coll. B. Mitra, 29.iii.1988, ex. at
light; 1 ex, Bakultala guest house, Middle Andaman , coll. B. Mitra, 30.iii.1983, at light.

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Diagnostic characters: Body large, robust, dark brown or almost black in colour, scape
reaching to a short distance beyond the hind margin of the eyes. Antenna robust, stout, dark
brown, punctate, scape small, stout, apically broadened, segment III longest, all the segments
apically angled. Elytra sub squarish, black, parallel sided, basal margin depressed near the
scutellum.
Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar (South and Middle Andaman), Sikkim,North India,
NE India, West Bengal (Karsyong) Elsewhere: Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet

2. *Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) huegelii (Redtenbacher, 1848)

1848. Cyrtognathushuegelii Redtenbacher, Hiigel’s Kaschmir, 4 (2):550
1981. Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) huegelii, Redtenbacher: Hayashi & Makihara, ESAKIA,
(17): 183-200.
Material examined: 3 exs., Wimberleygunj, South Andaman, coll. P.T. Rajan, 14.v.1988, at
light.
Diagnostic characters: Body large, robust, chestnut brown, scape not reaching beyond the
hind margin of the eyes. Antenna smaller than body, chest nut brown, segments small, stout
squarish, apically angled, segment III longest. Elytra large, robust, red brown, generally
converged toward apex, longitudinal striae, basally prominent, obsolete near the apex, lateral
margins margined, outer angle broadly round, sutural angle ended with acute spine.
Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar (South Andaman) Assam, North-West India,
Punjab. Elsewhere: Nepal

Tribe Acanthophorini Thomson, 1864

Genus Acanthophorus Audinet-Serville, 1832
3. *Acanthophorus serraticornis(Olivier, 1795)
1795. Prionusserraticornis Olivier,Ent., 4 (66):14
1906. Acanthophoru sserraticornis, Olivier: Gahan,Fauna. Brit. India, 1:23
Material examined: 1ex, Pawaji Coup, Baratang, South Andaman, 18.xii.1985.coll: B.Mitra
Diagnostic characters: Body large, robust, reddish tawny brown, with the head, the basal
half of the antenna and the pronotum black or brownish-black. Antenna smaller than body,
fifth to eleventh dentate, scape relatively very short and thick, the labrum triangular and the
mandibles projecting forward almost horizontally in both the sexes. Elytra large, most part

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coriaceous and dull, but sparsely punctured and glossy near the base, each with a very closely
punctured basal spot. Third tarsal’s joint of the leg is completely bilobed.

Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar (South Andaman), Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Sikkim, TamilNadu.Elsewhere: Sri Lanka
Tribe Remphanini Lacordaire, 1869
Genus Rhaphipodus Audinet-Serville, 1832
4. Rhaphipodus andamanicus Gahan1894
1894. Rhaphipodus andamanicus Gahan, Ann. Mag .Nat. Hist. (6) 14: 224.
Material examined: Reported from Literature.
Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar (South Andaman). Elsewhere: None

Genus Remphan Waterhouse, 1836

5.Remphanhopei Waterhouse 1836
1836. Remphanhopei, Waterhouse, Trans. ent . Soc. Lond.:67
Material examined: 1ex, Rangat, Middle Andaman,19.viii.1984. coll. H.S. Mehta, 1ex,
Pawaji Coup, Baratang, South Andaman, 18.xii.1985.coll: B.Mitra, 1ex, 16 km. Forest,
18.x.1981.coll.B.Mitra, 1ex, 19 km. forest, Little Andaman,30.vii.1982. coll. B.Mitra.
Diagnostic characters: Body dark brown, with elytra much glossy red, robust, elongate, and
rectangular.Antenna dark brown, longer than body, Scape and segment III with short
spine.Pronotum transverse, rectangular, lateral margins strongly reflexed and spined
continuing up to the humeral area. Elytra red brown, basally dark, elongate, rectangular,
punctate basally. Legs dark red brown, robust, elongate, first joint of fore tarsus much longer
than the second.Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar (Middle, South and Little
Andaman).Elsewhere: Myanmar, Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Kalimantan, Laos.

Tribe Macrotomini Thomson, 1861

Genus Zooblax Thomson, 1877
6. Zooblaxe lateroides Thomson, 1877
1877. Zooblaxe lateroidesThomson, Rev. Mag. Zool.: 274.
Material examined: Reported from Literature.
Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar, Tamil Nadu. Elsewhere: None

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 7. Zooblax nicobarensisLackerbeck, 2000
2000. Zooblax nicobarensis Lackerbeck, Entomofauna, 21(15):189-196
Material examined: Reported from Literature.
Distribution: India: Nicobar. Elsewhere: None

Genus Anomophysis Quentin & Villiers, 1981

8. Anomophysis majerorum Lackerbeck, 2000
2000. Anomophysis majerorum Lackerbeck, Entomofauna, 21(15):189-196
Material examined: Reported from Literature.
Distribution: India: Andaman (Havelock, South Andaman).Elsewhere: None

Tribe EurypodiniGahan, 1906

Genus Eurypoda Saunders, 1853
Sub-genus Neoprion Lacordaire, 1869
9. Eurypoda (Neoprion) parandraeformis (Lacordaire, 1869)

1869.Neoprionparandroeformis Lacordaire, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret., 8: 132

1904. Eurypoda (Neoprion) parandraeformis, Lacordaire: LameereAnnales de la ociete
Entomologique de Belgique 48: 10.
Material examined: Reported from Literature.
Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar, Tamil Nadu. Elsewhere:Malacca

Tribe Aegosomatini Thomson, 1861

Genus Aegolipton Gressitt, 1940
10. Aegoliptongahani (Lameere, 1909)
1909. Megopis (Baralipton) gahaniLameere, (îles Nicobar BMNH)(Lameere,1913
[catalogue])
2004.Aegoliptongahani, Lameere: Komiya, Elytra, Tokyo, 32: 187-193.
Material examined: Reported from Literature.
Distribution: India: Nicobar Island.

GenusNepiodesPascoe, 1867
11. Nepiodessulcipennis(White, 1853)

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1853. Aegoso masulcipenne White, Cat. Col.B.M., Longic 1: 31
2010. Nepiodes sulcipennis,White: Drumont, Sama et Komiyo, Cat. Palaearct. Coleopt., 6.

Material examined : 3 ex, Wimberleygunj, South Andaman, coll. P.T.Rajan, 14.v.1988, at

light; 1ex, Neil Island, South Andaman, coll. B.Mitra, 29.iii.1988, at light; 1 ex, Corbyn’s
cove, South Andaman, coll. R.M.Sharma, 19.v.1981, on wing; 1 ex, Phoenix bay, South
Andaman , coll. V. Arumugam, 19.iii.1979, at light; 1 ex, Bhat line, South Andaman, coll.
G.Ponnuswamy, 26.iii.1983, on wing; 6 ex, Uttara village, Middle Andaman, coll.B.Mitra,
28.iii.1983, Sap wood of Sonneratia sp., 1 ex, Bakultala guest house, Middle Andaman, coll.
B.Mitra, 30.iii.1983, at light; 1 ex, Bakultala guest house, Middle Andaman , coll. B.Mitra,
4.iv.1983, at light.
Diagnostic characters: Body red brown, elongate, clothed with yellowish pubescence.
Antenna 11-segmented, red brown, as long as body, coarsely, densely punctate, rugose,
segment III longest, inner margin weakly produced rest of the segments subequal.Pronotum
transverse, rectangular, surface strongly uneven, disc gibbous, medially depressed.
Elytraelongate, parallel sided, narrow near apex. Legselongate, hairy and punctuate.
Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar (South and Middle Andaman), Tamil Nadu.
Elsewhere: Myanmar, Northern Thailand, Cambodia, Laos.

Tribe Anacolini Thomson, 1857

Genus Sarmydus Pascoe, 1867
12. Sarmydusantennatus Pascoe 1867
1867. Sarmydus antennatus Pascoe, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 19: 410.
Material examined: Reported from Literature
Distribution: India:Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Manipur. Elsewhere: Myanmar,
Taiwan, Laos, Sunda islands, Java.
Tribe Species
PrioniniLatreille, 1802 *Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) indicus (Hope, 1831)
*Dorysthenes (Lophosternus) huegelii (Redtenbacher,
1848)
Acanthophorini Thomson, 1864 *Acanthophoru sserraticornis(Olivier, 1795)
RemphaniniLacordaire, 1869 Rhaphipodus andamanicusGahan1894
Remphan hopei Waterhouse 1836

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Macrotomini Thomson, 1861 Zooblaxe lateroides Thomson, 1877
Zooblax nicobarensis Lackerbeck, 2000
Anomophysis majerorum Lackerbeck, 2000
EurypodiniGahan, 1906 Eurypoda (Neoprion) parandraeformis (Lacordaire, 1869)

AegosomatiniThomson, 1861 Aegolipto ngahani (Lameere, 1909)

Nepiodes sulcipennis (White, 1853)
AnacoliniThomson, 1857 Sarmydus antennatus Pascoe 1867

Table.1. List of species of the Subfamily Prioninae reported from Andaman & Nicobar
Islands(* New Records)

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors are grateful to Dr. K. Venkataraman, Director, Zoological Survey of India, for
providing necessary facilities. We are also thankful to Dr. Kailash Chandra for his supportand
encouragements.Thanks are also due to Dr. H.V. Ghate, Modern College, Pune for necessary
help to identify the materials and relevant literatures.

REFERENCES
Gahan, C. J. (1906). The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma. Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae. Taylor and Francis, London, 329pp.
Khan, T. N. (1985). The longicorn betles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Neil Island, Ritchie’s
Archipelago, Bay of Bengal. Journ.Beng. Nat. Hist. Soc. (N.S.), 4(1):49-59.
Komiya, Z. (2010). A Revision of the Genus Nepiodes (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae)
Revisional Studies of the Genus MegopissensuLameere 1909.Elytra, Tokyo, 38(2):1-24
Lameere, A. (1909). Revision des Prionides (Douziemememoire:Megopis). Annls Soc. ent. Belg., 53:
135-170.
Lackerbeck, K. (2000). VierneuePrioninae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae),
Entomofauna,ZEITSCHRIFT FÜR ENTOMOLOGIE,21(15):189-196

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Figure: 1: New Records from Andaman & Nicobar Islands

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