Blepharidina delineata (Bryant)

Iannella, Paola D’Alessandro Mattia & Biondi, Maurizio, 2019, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle subgenus Blepharidina s. str. Bechyné (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Zootaxa 4545 (1) : -

Blepharidina delineata (Bryant)

( Figs 5 , 57 , 68 )

Blepharida delineata Bryant, 1944: 135

Blepharidina delineata (Bryant) : Biondi et al. 2017: 129

Type material examined. Lectotype ♀ (Biondi des. in Biondi et al. 2017): “ Germ. E. Africa ( Tanzania), Lulanguru, G.D.H. Carpenter, 1918–56 /17 mls. W. of Tabora (5°05′42''S, 32°38′09''E), 1148 metors. (sic!), Oct.– Dec. 1917.” ( BMNH).

Taxonomic observations. Blepharidina delineata , known from a single female ( Fig. 5 ), is similar to females of B. burtli in size, general shape, and color pattern. However, differences in spermatheca ( Figs 55, 57 ) do not allow to think about a real affinity between these two species. The spermatheca of B. delineata ( Fig. 57 ) is easily recognizable by the elongate ductus and the very short and apically rounded distal part, distinctly bent from the piriform basal part. Other characters useful for distinguishing B. delineata are: the lateral margin of pronotum almost straight and entirely visible in dorsal view (moderately sinuate ( Fig. 27 ), with antero-lateral part not visible in B. burtli ); pronotal surface with a complete medial stria of punctures touching both posterior and anterior margins) (incomplete ( Fig. 27 ) in B. burtli ); elytral surface with larger points and more distinctly carinate interstriae (with smaller points and flatter interstriae ( Fig. 34 ) in B. burtli ). Morphometry in Appendix 2.

Distribution. Tanzania ( Fig. 68 ). Possibly Northern-Eastern Afrotropical (NEA) chorotype.

Ecological notes. Not available. The collection site falls within the area of Miombo & Associated Broadleaf Savanna vegetation (belonging to the Tropical Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland formation).

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Blepharidina s. str. species habitus: 1, B. aliquantula sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 2, B. bimbiensis (Bechyné), ♂ lectotype; 3, B. burtli (Bryant), ♂ from Manjoni, Tanzania; 4, B. carinata (Bryant), ♂ lectotype; 5, B. delineata (Bryant), ♀ lectotype; 6, B. guttulata (Baly), ♂ from Zamibuo, Angola; 7, B. himba sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 8, B. intermedia (Jacoby), ♂ from Kindwitvi, Tanzania; 9, B. kasigauensis sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 10, B. kenyana sp. nov., ♂ holotype.

FIGURES 55–67. Blepharidina s. str. species spermatheca: 55, B. burtli (Bryant), lectotype; 56, B. carinata (Bryant), paralectotype from Angola; 57, B. delineata (Bryant), lectotype; 58, B. guttulata (Baly) lectotype; 59, B. intermedia (Jacoby), from Bagamoyo, Tanzania; 60, B. macarthuri (Bryant), from Usambara, Tanzania; 61, B. matabelelandensis sp. nov., paratype from Lonely, Zimbabwe; 62, B. ornaticollis (Jacoby), from Ramisi River, Kenya; 63, B. partita (Jacoby), from Huila region, Angola; 64, ditto, from Democratic Republic of The Congo; 65, B. picta (Kolbe), from Lindi region, Tanzania; 66, B. regalini sp. nov., paratype from Taveta, Kenya; 67, B. rudeli (Weise), lectotype.

FIGURES 68–69. Blepharidina s. str. species distribution. Vegetation types are from Sayre et al. (2013).

FIGURES 26–33. Blepharidina s. str. species pronotum and basal part of elytra, in lateral view: 26, B. aliquantula sp. nov.; 27, B. burtli (Bryant); 28, B. kasigauensis sp. nov.; 29, B. kenyana sp. nov.; 30, B. knighti (Bryant); 31, B. ornaticollis (Jacoby); 32, B. picta (Kolbe); 33, B. regalini sp. nov.

FIGURES 34–37. Blepharidina s. str. species elytra, in lateral view: 34, B. burtli (Bryant); 35, B. carinata (Bryant); 36, B. knighti (Bryant); 37, B. picta (Kolbe).