Calotheca carolineae sp. nov.

Figures 1A-D, 4, 5

Type material.

Holotype ♂: Republic Of South Africa: KZN: Kosi Bay Mouth Nature Reserve, 26°53'31"S, 32°52'39"E, c. 0 m, 24.i.2006, adults collected on Allophylus natalensis ( Sapindaceae), C. Chaboo & E. Grobbelaar leg. (SANC). Paratypes: Republic Of South Africa: 1♂1♀, same data as for holotype (SANC); 1♂1♀, KZN: Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, 26°58'S, 32°48'E, 50 m, 08-11.ii.1990, E. Grobbelaar leg., beaten off Ozoroa obovata (Oliv.) R.&A. Fern. ( Anacardiaceae) (SANC); 2♂5♀, Natal [KZN]: Sodwana Bay Park, 27°32'S, 32°41'E [27°32'25"S, 32°40'37"E], 9-11.xi.1986, D. D’Hotman & A. Nel leg. (SANC).

Diagnosis.

Calotheca carolineae sp. nov. displays major similarities with C. nigromaculata and C. wanati sp. nov., more so than with other known Calotheca species. It is mainly characterized by the differently shaped median lobe of the aedeagus (Figs 1B, 2F, 3B) which is not sinuate in lateral view, and widely rounded in the apical part in ventral view (in C. nigromaculata, even though quite variable, it is curved in proximal 1/2 and distinctly sinuate in apical 1/2 in lateral view, and produced and subtruncate apically in ventral view; in C. wanati sp. nov. it is curved in proximal 1/2 and more distinctly curved in apical 1/2 in lateral view, and produced and sub-rhomboidal in the apical 1/4, with prominent angulate lateral projections in ventral view). Other differences include: color of the dorsal integument with more clearly defined and generally larger colored elytral patches, reddish-brown on a yellow background (smaller and more confused, from brown to black, in C. nigromaculata and C. wanati sp. nov.) (Figs 1A, 2A-C, 3A); punctate lateral pronotal striae less dark (Figs 1A, 2A-C, 3A); antennae generally longer with LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.48 ± 0.01 in male, and = 0.41 ± 0.01 in female (in C. nigromaculata LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.42 ± 0.02 in male, and = 0.38 ± 0.02 in female; in C. wanati sp. nov. LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.42 ± 0.02 in male, and = 0.37 ± 0.02 in female) (Fig. 4A); shape of the pronotum, straight laterally in basal 2/3 and abruptly incurved in apical 1/3 (slightly curved in basal 2/3 and distinctly incurved in apical 1/3 in C. nigromaculata and C. wanati sp. nov.) (Figs 1C, 2D, 3C).

Description of the holotype

(♂). Body elliptical in dorsal view (Fig. 1A), rather convex in lateral view; total body length (LB) = 7.00 mm; maximum pronotal width in the apical third (WP = 3.05 mm); maximum width of elytra in the basal 1/3 (WE = 3.85 mm). Head and antennae pale brown, with antennomeres 6-11 slightly darker (Fig. 1A); head surface microreticulate, with evident setiferous punctures on most of the vertex and part of the frons (Fig. 1C); frontal grooves sinuate, deeply impressed, extending approximately from the dorsal ocular margin to the inter-antennal space (Fig. 1C); eyes elliptical, clearly elongate; antennae slightly shorter than half the body length (LAN = 3.15 mm; LAN/LB = 0.45); LA: 100:44:61:63:73:68:73:68:73:63:88. Pronotum (Fig. 1A, C) slightly convex, pale brown; punctate lateral stria, basal dimples and margins slightly darker; distinctly transverse in dorsal view (LP = 1.53 mm; WP/LP = 2.00), sub-rectangular, distinctly incurved laterally in the anterior third only; surface microreticulate, with minute punctation; anterolateral surface with very shallow depressions; lateral punctate striae distinctly impressed, C-shaped and slightly curved on the disc; some additional sparse punctures along the pronotal margins; basal furrows short and moderately incised; anterior and basal margins finely bordered, lateral margins thickened slightly, poorly visible in dorsal view; anterior angles distinctly prominent, moderately swollen; posterior angles obtuse. Scutellum brown, sub-triangular. Elytra (Fig. 1A) pale yellow, with irregular wide brown patches and dark punctation; elytra moderately elongate (LE = 5.10 mm; WE/LE = 0.75; LE/LP = 3.34), distinctly sinuate laterally, jointly rounded apically; lateral margin narrow, visible in dorsal view; elytral punctation arranged in single regular rows formed by distinctly impressed punctures; interstriae flat on the elytral disc, with finely microreticulate and sparsely micropunctate surface; humeral calli indistinctly raised. Macropterous. Basal pro- and mesotarsomeres clearly enlarged (Fig. 1A). Underside pale brown; apical abdominal ventrite without preapical sculptures or impressions. Median lobe of the aedeagus (LAED = 2.65 mm; LE/LAED = 1.92) (Fig. 1B) with subparallel sides in ventral view, widely rounded in the apical part; ventral surface with a pair of lateral U-shaped depressions with a wrinkled surface in the distal half, and evident punctation apically; moderately and evenly curved up to the apex in lateral view; dorsal ligula short, formed by a wide subtriangular, apically truncate median lobe, and two narrow lateral lobes.

Variability.

Males (n = 5; mean ± standard deviation, range): LE = 5.21 ± 0.17 mm (5.05 ≤ LE ≤ 5.50 mm); WE = 3.89 ± 0.14 mm (3.70 ≤ WE ≤ 4.10 mm); LP = 1.57 ± 0.04 mm (1.55 ≤ LP ≤ 1.63 mm); WP = 3.14 ± 0.09 mm (3.05 ≤ WP ≤ 3.25 mm); LAN = 3.25 ± 0.9 mm (3.15 ≤ LAN ≤ 3.35 mm); LAED = 2.70 ± 0.08 mm (2.60 ≤ LAED ≤ 2.80 mm); LB = 6.83 ± 0.31 mm (6.45 ≤ LB ≤ 7.15 mm); LE/LP = 3.32 ± 0.09 (3.20 ≤ LE/LP ≤ 3.44); WE/WP = 1.24 ± 0.02 (1.21 ≤ WE/WP ≤ 1.26); WP/LP = 2.00 ± 0.03 (1.97 ≤ WP/LP ≤ 2.03); WE/LE = 0.75 ± 0.01 (0.73 ≤ WE/LE ≤ 0.75); LAN/LB = 0.48 ± 0.02 (0.45 ≤ LAN/LB ≤ 0.51); LE/LAED = 1.93 ± 0.05 (1.89 ≤ LE/LAED ≤ 2.00). Females (n = 7; mean ± standard deviation; range): LE = 5.40 ± 0.31 mm (4.80 ≤ LE ≤ 5.70 mm); WE = 4.23 ± 0.24 mm (3.95 ≤ WE ≤ 4.60 mm); LP = 1.57 ± 0.08 mm (1.45 ≤ LP ≤ 1.70 mm); WP = 3.18 ± 0.15 mm (2.90 ≤ WP ≤ 3.38 mm); LAN = 2.87 ± 0.14 mm (2.70 ≤ LAN ≤ 3.05 mm); LSP = 0.74 ± 0.05 mm (0.68 ≤ LSP ≤ 0.80 mm); LB = 6.79 ± 0.51 mm (5.85 ≤ LB ≤ 7.25 mm); LE/LP = 3.43 ± 0.09 (3.31 ≤ LE/LP ≤ 3.55); WE/WP = 1.33 ± 0.04 (1.29 ≤ WE/WP ≤ 1.36); WP/LP = 2.03 ± 0.03 (1.99 ≤ WP/LP ≤ 2.06); WE/LE = 0.78 ± 0.02 (0.76 ≤ WE/LE ≤ 0.82); LAN/LB = 0.42 ± 0.03 (0.39 ≤ LAN/LB ≤ 0.47); LE/LSP = 7.28 ± 0.29 (6.94 ≤ LE/LSP ≤ 7.85). Paratypes very similar in shape, sculpture, and color to the holotype. Basal furrows and punctate lateral striae weakly to distinctly impressed. Female with basal pro- and mesotarsomeres less enlarged than in male. Spermatheca (Fig. 1D) sub-fusiform and elongate basally, narrowing towards the ductus attachment; distal part distinctly curved and about 2/3 the basal part in length, with a distinct appendix; ductus basally inserted, thickset, short, uncoiled, roughly U-shaped.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive case after our friend Caroline S. Chaboo (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, USA), one of its collectors and appreciated expert of chrysomelid Coleoptera .

Distribution.

Republic of South Africa (KZN) (Fig. 5). Chorotype: Southern-Eastern African (SEA).

Ecological notes.

Adults were collected in November, January, and February, between 0-50 m a.s.l., on Allophylus natalensis ( Sapindaceae) and Ozoroa obovata ( Anacardiaceae).