Theopea geiseri, 2018

Lee, Chi-Feng & Bezdĕk, Jan, 2018, Revision of the genus Theopea Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) of East Asia: species lacking modified clypeus in males and the T. sauteri species group, Zootaxa 4508 (3), pp. 334-376 : 361

Theopea geiseri sp. nov.

( Figs 13 D–13G, 15)

Types. Holotype ♂ ( BMNH): INDIA. Meghalaya: SW of Cherrapunjee , 25°13–14’N 91°40’E, 900 m, 1– 24.V.2005, leg. L. Dembický. Paratypes. 3♂♂, 14♀♀ ( BMNH), same as holotype ; 8♀♀ ( NHMB), Nokrek N.P., 3km S Darbokgiri, 25°27’N 90°19’E, 1400 m, 16.IV.1999, leg. Dembický & Pacholátko ; 1♂ ( JBCB), SW of Sohra , same locality, 3–22.V.2005, leg. C. L. Peša ; 1♀ ( NHMB), 3km E Tura , 25°30’N 90°14’E, 1150 m, 4.V.1999, leg. Dembický & Pacholátko.

Description. Length 5.1–6.6 mm, width 1.9–2.5 mm. General color ( Figs 13 D–13F) metallic blue; mouth parts brown or dark brown; antennae dark brown; legs yellow, but apices of tibiae, and tarsi darkened. Vertex with reticulate microsculpture. Antennae filiform in males ( Fig. 15A), antennomeres III–VIII slightly curved, length ratios of antennomeres I–XI 1.0: 0.3: 0.9: 1.4: 1.7: 1.4: 1.6: 1.4: 1.4: 1.4: 1.4, length to width ratios of antennomeres I–XI 2.7: 1.2: 2.8: 4.6: 5.6: 4.8: 5.4: 4.9: 5.3: 5.2: 5.6; slender in females ( Fig. 15B), antennomeres III–X straight, length ratios of antennomeres I–XI 1.0: 0.3: 0.6: 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 0.9: 1.0, length to width ratios of antennomeres I–XI 3.6: 1.8: 3.4: 5.6: 5.6: 5.3: 5.8: 5.1: 5.1: 5.2: 5.8. Pronotum transverse, 1.3x wider than long, disc with one pair of lateral depressions, reticulate microsculpture, and with dense, coarse punctures; lateral margin basally narrowed; apical and basal margins subtruncate. Elytra elongate and parallel-sided, 1.9x longer than wide; disc with reticulate microsculpture, dense, coarse punctures, arranged into longitudinal rows, with distinctly longitudinal ridges between longitudinal rows of punctures, these ridges weaker in males. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V in females ( Fig. 15H) subtruncate, slightly depressed near sides. Tarsomeres I of front legs swollen in males ( Fig. 15I), subparallel in females ( Fig. 15J). Penis ( Figs 15 C–15E) slender, 7.5x longer than wide; apex rounded, with medial, shallow, narrow notch, parallel-sided; tectum extremely elongate from apical 1/10 to basal 1/3, apically narrowed; straight in lateral view, slightly curved near base; triangular sclerites well developed and elongate; internal sac with elongate endophallic sclerite complex, 0.5x as long as penis, composed of two sclerites, basal piece much longer (2.7x) than apical piece, with one longitudinal row of tiny teeth along lateral margin, apical piece with narrowly rounded apex; dorsal sclerite almost same shape as apical sclerite; ventral sclerites reduced. Gonocoxae ( Fig. 15F) elongate, slightly broadened at apical 1/6, connected from base to apical 1/5; apices narrowly rounded, each gonocoxa with eight setae along outer margin from apex to apical 1/6; without one pair of lateral processes at basal 2/5. Ventrite VIII ( Fig. 15G) longitudinal and well sclerotized; disc with several long setae at sides and near apical margin, and with dense, short setae along apical margin; spiculum extremely slender. Receptacle of spermatheca ( Fig. 15K) strongly swollen; pump slender and strongly curved; proximal spermathecal duct deeply inserted into receptacle, broad and short.

Diagnosis. Males of T. geiseri sp. nov. are similar to those of T. sauteri Chûjô based on the absence of ventral sclerites (present in others) and longer basal piece (subequal or shorter than apical piece in others). Males of T. geiseri differ in possessing elongate triangular sclerites and a basal piece with longitudinal rows of tiny teeth ( Figs 15 C–15E).

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to Michael Geiser (Curator, BMNH), who assisted this study in many ways.

Food plants. Unknown.

Distribution. Northeast India.