Blepharidina aliquantula, Iannella & Biondi, 2019

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

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4545.1.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1D2EC333-517D-4FC1-A0AA-61EDD8BE8BEE
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5935480
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/DC3DCC40-9994-4A33-AB3D-798DFF6D8842
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:DC3DCC40-9994-4A33-AB3D-798DFF6D8842
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Blepharidina aliquantula
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Blepharidina aliquantula sp. nov.

( Figs 1 View FIGURES 1–10 , 26 View FIGURES 26–33 , 38 View FIGURES 38–43 , 68 View FIGURES 68–69 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DC3DCC40-9994-4A33-AB3D-798DFF6D8842

Blepharidina (Blepharidina) burtli ( Bryant) : Biondi GoogleMaps et al. 2017: 129 (pars) Type material. Holotype ♂: “ Somalia, Mogadiscio (2°02'N 45°21'E), 17.vi.1934, S. Patrizi leg.” (MSNG).

Diagnosis. Blepharidina aliquantula sp. nov. shows major affinity with B. kasigauensis sp. nov. and B. regalini sp. nov. due to the similar shape of the aedeagus ( Figs 38 View FIGURES 38–43 , 45 View FIGURES 44–49 , 54 View FIGURES 50–54 ). However, B. aliquantula sp. nov. has clearly smaller size, brighter color on the dorsal integuments ( Figs 1, 9 View FIGURES 1–10 , 18 View FIGURES 11–19 ) and the aedeagus more distinctly bent dorsally at the apical third in lateral view ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 38–43 ). The new species also differs from B. kasigauensis sp. nov. for the antero-lateral part of pronotum ( Figs 26, 28 View FIGURES 26–33 ), visible in dorsal view (not visible in B. kasigauensis because downward oriented), and from B. regalini sp. nov., for the different punctation on the antero-lateral surface of pronotum ( Figs 26, 33 View FIGURES 26–33 ).

Description of the holotype (♂). Body elliptical-elongate, rather convex ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1–10 ); LB = 4.81 mm; maximum pronotal width (WP = 2.03 mm) in basal third; maximum elytral width (WE = 2.66 mm) in middle. Head brown with yellowish antennae; labrum with lateral pale patches; pronotum with bright yellow and brown patches, latter mostly on groups and lines of punctures; elytra bright yellow with brown striae of punctures and some large and irregular brown patches (4 medial and 5 lateral); legs brown, with slightly paler tarsi. Head distinctly pubescent, roughly and densely punctate; frontal grooves short, weakly impressed; frontal tubercles slightly elongate, flat; interantennal space little wider than length of first antennomere; interocular space wider than transverse ocular width; antennae as long as half body length (LAN = 2.41 mm; LAN/LB = 0.50); LA: 100:46:69:69:85:69:69:69:69:69:85. Pronotum subrectangular, distinctly transverse (LP = 1.19 mm; WP/LP = 1.71), with clearly sinuate lateral margin; anterior margin slightly thicker than basal margin, and slightly sinuate laterally; anterior angles distinctly prominent laterally; pronotal surface with lines and groups of differently sized punctures ( Fig. 26 View FIGURES 26–33 ); pronotal base with two moderately impressed lateral longitudinal striae. Scutellum brown, subtriangular. Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 3.63 mm; WE/LE = 0.73; LE/LP = 3.05), subparallel laterally, jointly rounded and entirely covering pygidium posteriorly; punctation clearly impressed, arranged in 9 (+ 1 scutellar) regular rows; interstriae flat, apart from most lateral weakly carinate posteriorly. First pro- and mesotarsomeres distinctly dilated; tarsal claws bifid. Ventral parts brown; last abdominal ventrite without distinctive preapical impressions. Aedeagus (LAED = 2.31 mm; LE/LAED = 1.57) ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 38–43 ) in ventral view slightly sinuate laterally, with subtriangular apical part and small median tooth; ventral sulcus wide, open towards basal part; in lateral view, median lobe distinctly narrowed subapically, with clearly bent dorsally apical third; dorsal ligula short, connected to apical fourth.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin female adjective referring to its small size.

Distribution. Somalia ( Fig. 68 View FIGURES 68–69 ). Possibly Northern-Eastern Afrotropical (NEA) chorotype.

Ecological Notes. Not available. The collection site falls within the area of Eastern African Xeric Scrub vegetation (belonging to the Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland formation).