Blepharidina partita (Jacoby)

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 partita (Jacoby)

( Figs 16 , 52 , 63–64 , 68 )

Blepharida partita Jacoby, 1895: 323 ; Weise 1902: 160

Blepharidina partita (Jacoby) : Biondi et al. 2017: 132, 143

Type material examined. Lectotype ♀ (Biondi des. in Biondi et al. 2017): “ Zambeze ” ( BMNH). Additional material examined in Appendix 1.

Taxonomic observations. Blepharidina partita can be attributed to the species group including B. bimbiensis , B. carinata , B. guttulata , B. rudeli and, probably, B. sedecimguttata ( Figs 2, 4, 6 , 16, 19 ) (see the paragraph “Taxonomic observations” in B. bimbiensis ). However, B. partita is recognizable by the: elytra black, with numerous subrounded and more or less fused yellow patches; pronotum reddish-brown or pale brown, with irregular yellow patches; third and ninth elytral interstriae entirely yellow ( Fig. 16 ). Aedeagus is similar to B. carinata ( Figs 41 , 52 ), but it is distinguishable because of the apex more triangular in ventral view. Basal part of spermatheca is comparatively shorter about as long as the proximal part of the ductus ( Figs 56, 58, 63–64, 67 ). Both males and females are moderately variable in size, but with constant morphometric ratios (see Appendix 2). Females generally show more transverse pronotum, higher LE/LP ratio, and slightly shorter antennae.

Distribution. Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Zambia ( Fig. 68 ). Central Afrotropical (CAT) chorotype.

Ecological notes. Not available. The collection sites fall mainly within vegetation types belonging to the Tropical Lowland Humid Forest, and Tropical Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland formations.

Figures

FIGURES 11–19. Blepharidina s. str. species habitus: 11, B. knighti (Bryant), ♂ lectotype; 12, B. laesa (Kolbe), ♂ lectotype; 13, B. macarthuri (Bryant), ♂ lectotype; 14, B. matabelelandensis sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 15, B. ornaticollis (Jacoby), ♂ lectotype; 16, B. partita (Jacoby), ♂ from Solwezi, Zambia; 17, B. picta (Kolbe), ♂ from Mikindani, Tanzania; 18, B. regalini sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 19, B. rudeli (Weise), ♀ lectotype.

FIGURES 50–54. Blepharidina s. str. species aedeagus, from left to right in ventral, dorsal, and lateral view: 50, B. matabelelandensis sp. nov., holotype; 51, B. ornaticollis (Jacoby), from Ramisi River, Kenya; 52, B. partita (Jacoby), from Solwezi, Zambia; 53, B. picta (Kolbe), from Mikindani, Tanzania; 54, B. regalini 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 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 38–43. Blepharidina s. str. species aedeagus, from left to right in ventral, dorsal, and lateral view: 38, B. aliquantula sp. nov., holotype; 39, B. bimbiensis (Bechyné), lectotype; 40, B. burtli (Bryant), from Manjoni, Tanzania; 41, B. carinata (Bryant), lectotype; 42, B. guttulata (Baly), from Masséssé, Republic of Congo; 43, B. himba sp. nov., holotype.