Altica corrusca ( Erichson, 1842 )

Reid, C. A. M. & Beatson, M., 2015, Disentangling a taxonomic nightmare: a revision of the Australian, Indomalayan and Pacific species of Altica Geoffroy, 1762 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), Zootaxa 3918 (4), pp. 503-551 : 535-538

Altica corrusca ( Erichson, 1842)

( Figs 5 , 12 , 17, 20 , 27 , 30 , 39, 40, 54, 55, 69, 70 , 80)

Haltica (Graptodera) corrusca Erichson 1842: 235 (type locality: northwest Tasmania). Haltica corusca [misspelling]: Fogg 1859: 334.

Altica corusca: Bryant & Gressitt 1957: 77 (misidentification and misspelling). Altica corrusca: Scherer 1982: 479 .

Haltica pagana Blackburn 1896: 74 (type locality Tasmania, Victoria); syn. nov.

Material examined (301, * = dissected). Types: Altica corrusca (Erichson) : Lectotype (designated by Scherer 1982, with original labels illustrated on page 479): ♂/ corrusca Er Van Diemensland Schayer / Terra van Diem Schayer/ 55784/ Lectoholotypus [sic] Haltica (Graptodera) corrusca Erichson det Dr G. Scherer 10.80/ ( ZMB); Paralectotypes (3): ♂, 2 ♀/ Terra van Diem Schayer nr 55784/ Lectoparatypus [sic] Haltica (Graptodera) corrusca Erichson det Dr G. Scherer 10.80/ ( ZMB); Altica pagana (Blackburn) : Lectotype (this designation): ♂/ T5854 Tasm/ Type / Haltica pagana Blackb. / Blackburn coll. 1910-236/ ( NHML); Paralectotypes (3): 1/ Austral. ex Black. type / Jacoby coll. 1908-28 a/ ( NHML); 1 [upsidedown on card]/ Tas 5854/ Haltica pagana Blackb. cotype/ Tasmania/ Haltica pagana Blk. Vic. Tas. cotype I.4037/ ( SAM); 1/ Al [Alps] 5854/ Haltica pagana Blackb. cotype/ Victorian Alps Blackburn/ ( SAM).

Non-type material: Australia: 2/ ex coll. Nat. Mus. ( ANIC); Australian Capital Territory: 1/ 2500’ 1.iii.1932 ( QMB); 1/ Ainslie, 2.xii.1948, Carne ( ANIC); 1/ Black Mtn, 15.x.1971, R Kohout ( ANIC); 1/ Blundells, 27.i.1930 IM Mackerras ( ANIC); 1, ditto, 24.viii.1930, WK Hughes ( ANIC); ♂*, 3/ Brindabella Ra, Blundells Ck Rd, 16.xi.1972, RJ Kohout ( ANIC); 1/ Bruce’s Nursery, 21.ii.1929 ( ANIC); 1/ Buleen Ra, x.1982, M. Carson ( ANIC); 3/ nr Bulls Head, Old Mill Rd, 28.ix.1967 CJ Shepherd ( ANIC); 1/ Condor Ck, Canberra, 15.vii.1929 GF Hill ( ANIC); 1/ Coree Ck, 12.ii.1930 JW Evans ( ANIC); 2/ Cotter, flowers, 28.xi.1964, WJM Vestjens ( ANIC); 1/ Cotter Dam, 500m, 8.xii.1962, ES Ross & DQ Cavanero ( CAS); ♂, 3/ Cotter R. ( ANIC); 1, ditto, 29.i.1973, S&M Misko ( ANIC); 1, ditto, 7.xii.1962, DK McAlpine ( AMS); 1/ Kambah Pool, weeds on waters edge, 26.xii.1964, WJM Vestjens ( ANIC); 1/ Monash, 35°24S 149°06E, ex dog dung, 12.xii.1995, W Dressler ( ANIC); 1/ Mt Coree, 1157m, 25xii.1973, E&S Britton ( ANIC); 1/ Murrays Corner, Cotter Rd, Leptospermum , 6.i.1974, W Allen ( ANIC); 3/ Paddys R, 14.xi.1967, R Barker ( ANIC); 1/ 4k SW Picadilly Circus, 29.xi.1972, Misko, Allen & Klingenberg ( ANIC); 1/ Stromlo, 29.i.1973, S&M Misko ( ANIC); 1/ Tidbinbilla, 10.iii.1967 WJM Vestjens ( ANIC); 4, ditto, rushes, 6.x.1964 ( ANIC); 4, ditto, 18.iii.1967 ( ANIC); 4, ditto, 18.iii.1967 ( ANIC); ♂/ Yarralumla Nursery, on Epilobium , 29.ix.1969, F. Grossbechler ( ANIC); New South Wales: 1/ no locality, Sloane ( AMS); 1/ Allyn R, Colchester SF, 32°08S 151°27E, 10–11.xi.1981, T Weir ( ANIC); 4♀/ Appin, xii.1935, E.C. ( AMS); 1♀/ Armidale, C.F.Deuquet ( ANIC); 4/ Barrington Tops, i.1925 ( ANIC, AMS); 1, ditto, via Salisbury, 9– 10.ii.165, G Monteith ( UQIC); 9/ Braidwood, 26.x.1960 ( ANIC); 1/ nr Cutlers Pass, Williams R, 23–30.x.1926, Musgrave & Campbell ( AMS); 10/ Dainers Gap, 15.ii.1960 ( ANIC); 1♂ *, 4♀ / Dignam’s Ck, 26k S Narooma, GD A96 55 767035 5973637, infesting Haloragis exalata, 2006 , coll? ( AMS); 2♀ / Duckmoloi, i.1934, J. C. Wiburd ( AMS); 1♂ */ East Lindfield, infesting Oenanthera, 11.vi.2001, M. McGahey ( AMS); 1♀ / Eastwood, 23.viii.1964, D. A. Doolan ( AMS); 1♂ *, 1♂, 1♀ / Eucumbine R, i.1931, H.J. C[arter] ( ANIC); 2/ 4mi S Glencoe, 1280m, 29.xi.1962, ES Ross & DQ Cavanero ( CAS); 1/ Hartley, 20.ix.1956, DK McAlpine ( AMS); 3♀ / Hazelbrook, i.1935, B. & G. Stoyles ( AMS); 1♀, ditto except 26–28.i.1934 ( AMS); 1♂ *, 1♀ *, 3♀ / Heathcote (centre), on emergent plants, pond in garden, iv.2007, C. Reid ( AMS); 1♀ / Hornsby Heights, 10.iii.1974 ( AMS); 1♀ / Inverell, 7.xi.1950 ( AMS); 1♀ */ Jenolan area, x.1970, P. Zborowski ( AMS); 4/ vic Jenolan Caves, JC Wiburd ( AMS); 1/ 14k E Kiandra, Snowy Mtns Hway, 2.xii.1979, LP Kelsey ( ANIC); 1/ Kosciusco ( ANIC); 3, ditto, 5700–6000’ ( QMB); 1♀, ditto, 5000’, iii.1889, Helms ( AMS); 1/ Kosciusko NP, nr Charlotte’s Pass, 1880m, Sphagnum moss, 20.ix.1978, S&J Peck ( ANIC); 2/ Kurrajong Heights, 25.ix.1951, M Blunden ( AMS); 1/ Medlow, i.1933, KK Spence ( AMS); 2♂, 1♀ / Megalong Vy, Euroka ( AMS); 1/ 5k S Monga, on Epilobium , rainforest swamp, iii.1991, C. Reid ( ANIC); 2/ Mongarlowe R, nr Charleyong, 26.i.1968, Z. Liepa ( ANIC); 5/ Mt Costigan, Tuena, 5.xii.1961 FA Cook ( ANIC); 4/ Mt Irvine, 14.vi.1944, ELG Troughton ( AMS); 1♂ */ Mt Kosciusko, i.1937, H. J. Carter ( AMS); 3, ditto, no date, coll Helms ( BMH); 1♂ */ Pt Lookout Rd, 16.ii.1981, R. H. Mulder ( AMS); 7/ Prison Farm, Glen Innes, 1969–1970 ( ANIC); 3/ Ross Hill, Inverell, 11.iv.1956, N Riley ( AMS); 4♀ / Scone, on Godetia , x.1928, E.B. ( AMS); 1/ Stuarts Brook SF, 31°57S 151°25E, on wood in swamp, 18.i.1992, T Gush ( ANIC); 1/ Sydney, KK Spence ( AMS); 2/ Tomalla Rd, below Tubrabucca, 19.x.1956, DK McAlpine ( AMS); 4♀ / Tuross, 17–22.i.1936, K. C. McKeown ( AMS); 4/ Springwood, taken on garden Fuschia ( ANIC); 1♀ / Upper Colo R., x.1922, J. R. Kinghorn ( AMS); 1♀ / Wagga, 10.ii.1931, W.D. ( AMS); Queensland: 2♀ / Stanthorpe, E. Sutton ( AMS); South Australia: 1/ no data ( AMS); Tasmania: 1/ Blessington, ii.1939 B. Plumley ( ANIC); 5♀ ( AMS); 5/ Bust-me-Gall Ck, 12.4k W Buckland, 200m, 11.ii.1980, Newton & Thayer ( ANIC); 1/ 2k S Cambridge, 11.xi.1975, KR Norris ( ANIC); 1/ 90k S Coleraine, 28.ii.1981, EB Britton ( ANIC); 6♀ / Cushion Ck Cave, Florentine Vy, 7.xi.1966, T. Goede ( AMS); 4/ Eaglehawk Neck, 12.i.1934, AJ Turner ( QMB); 1♂ *, 11/ Florentine Vy, 42°38S 146°28E, 7.ix.1993, AR Clarke ( ANIC); 1♂, 9/ Florentine Vy, 42:37S 162:27E, swarming on Acaena anseri [- nifolia] foliage, Euc. regnans plantn, 3.ii.1992, C. Reid ( ANIC); 1♀ / Great Lake, 23.i.1928, G. P. Whitley ( AMS); 1, ditto, on bush, 7.i.1981, S Fearn ( ANIC); 4/ 12k S Grotty, 24.i.1985 GG Burns ( ANIC); 1♂ *, 1♀ / Harallay Ba[y], Epil. & Olearia 16.xi. [18]86 Tepper, K29787 [collected King Island] ( AMS); 3/ Kermandie Falls tk, Geeveston, 7.iii.2003 J Balderson ( ANIC); 1/ Lake St Clair, 42°08S 146°13E, roadside sweep, 16.ii.1997, P Greenslade ( ANIC); 2/ Launceston ( QMB); 4, ditto, 25.i.1914 ( QMB); 1, ditto, Launceston, xi.1933, RH Bevin ( ANIC); 1♂ *, 3♀ / Lenah Vy, Hobart, 25.i.1928, G.P. Whitley ( AMS); 3, ditto, 10.x.1981, J Lesek ( ANIC); 1/ Liffey Vy, 12.xi.1981, S Fearn ( ANIC); 1♀ / Macquarie Heads, ex Senecio , 2.i.1990, G. Cassis ( AMS); 2♀, ditto except ex compost ( AMS); 1/ Miena, Great Lake, 41°59S 146°43E, under rocks edge of lake, 10.xii.1993 W Horning ( ANIC); 10/ Mt Arthur ( QMB); 4/ Mt Barrow, nr Launceston, 16.i.1948, Key, Carne & Kerr ( ANIC); 2, ditto, on Acaena sanguisorba , 28.iii.1969, BP Moore ( ANIC); 1♀ / Mt Field NP, 42:40S 146:43E, 160m, 8–13.xi.2010, C & E. Reid ( AMS); 2/ Mt Rufus, 42°10S 146°07E, 800m, under bark, 26–28.i.1980, Lawrence & Weir ( ANIC); 1♀ / 3k E National Park, 42:40S 146:44E farmland, 155m, 8–13.xi.2010, C. Reid ( AMS); 3/ Nubeena, Lea ( ANIC); 1/ Quambys Bluff, nr Deloraine, 12.i.1948, Key, Carne, Kerr ( ANIC); 1/ 16mi SW Scottsdale, 16.i.1948, Key, Carne & Kerr ( ANIC); 1/ Sheffield, 8.i.1977, PG Kelly ( ANIC); 4♂ *, 1♀ *, 4♀ / 6k S Tayana, route C405, riparian vegetation, 23.ii.1994, C. Leask ( AMS); 1/ S Tayene, ck along rd, yellow pan, 1.ii.1989, D Bickel ( ANIC); 1/ Tewkesbury, 4.i.1948, Key & Carne ( ANIC); 1/ 2k ENE Tim Shea,42°43S 146°29E, 600m, 1.ii.1980, Lawrence & Wear ( ANIC); 3/ Waratah, Lea ( AMS); 1, ditto, 21.ii.1971, BP Moore ( ANIC); 6/ nr Weldborough, 41°09S 147°53E, roadside, 11.xi.1993, J Trueman, W Lee ( ANIC); 1/ Willowdale, Deloraine, 14.xii.1984, S Fearn ( ANIC); 1/ 14k SSW Wilnot, 41°30S 146°05E, yellow pan, 31.i.1983, Naumann & Cardale ( ANIC); Victoria: 2, no locality ( ANIC); 2, ditto, coll. Helms ( BMH); 1/ Bernhard, Mt Hotham, 1375m, 13.xii.1962, ES Ross & DQ Cavanero ( CAS); 2/ Broadford, ix.1903, Helms ( BMH); 1/ Cann R, i.1971, J Strong ( ANIC); 6/ Cape Liptrap, 11.viii.1972 ( ANIC); 4/ Cockatoo, GF Hill ( ANIC); 1♂ */ Eurobin, 20.iii.1965, C. Smithers ( AMS); 1/ Fern Tree Gully, H Blackwood ( AMS); 1/ Flinders, ii.1930 MB Sproule ( ANIC); 1/ Icey Grb [?], 16.iii.1958 CGL Gooding ( ANIC); 1/ Kalista, xi.1950, AB ( ANIC); 1/ Kallista, 26.xii.1941, Smith ( ANIC); 1/ Macedon, i.1916, JC Dixon ( ANIC); 6, ditto, 16.viii.1923, OH Swezey ( BMH); 2/ Marysville, R Blackwood ( AMS); 1♀, ditto, 31.xii.1930 A. Musgrave ( AMS); 1♀ / Melb[ourne], xi.1925 ( AMS); 2/ Mirimbah, 1.i.1964, PG Kelly ( ANIC); 1/ Moonderra area, xi.1970, M Coulson ( ANIC); 1/ Mt Cobungra, xii.1933, A Musgrave ( AMS); 1/ Mt Hotham, Blackburn ( AMS); 1/ Mt Macedon, 10.xi.1972, M Schwartz ( ANIC); 2/ Nelson, Blackburn ( ANIC); 8/ Olinda, 5.xi.1967, B Hardie ( ANIC); 1♂ / Rokeby, 15.ii.1958, C.G.L. Gooding ( ANIC); 1/ S Gippsland, 26–30.x.1930 WK Hughes ( ANIC); 4/ Stockmans Reward, 25.xi.1962, PG Kelly ( ANIC); 10/ Traralgon, 6.xi.1958 A Whyte ( ANIC); 1/ Tyres R, 5.ii.1966 M Coulson ( ANIC); 1/ Upper Tarago R, 6.vi.1969, B. May ( ANIC); 1♂ *, 1♀ / Wannon R, nr Jimmy’s Ck, Grampians, 10.xii.1977, D.K. McAlpine & M. A. Schneider ( AMS); 6/ Waratah Bay, x.1969 G May ( ANIC); 1/ Yarrah, 7.i.1966 PG Kelly ( ANIC).

Description. Relatively small, length: male 4.2–5.8mm, female 4.7–6.1mm.

Colour: entirely black with metallic reflection, dorsum usually bright dark blue, less frequently purplish-blue, dark green, dark bronze, purple or non-metallic, rarely bicoloured (blue anterior and green elytra, or asymmetrically with one elytron green and one dark purple), venter and legs with duller reflection; antennae black, or first antennomere with apex reddish-brown (rarely also second).

Head: ratios (Tables 3 & 4): male: EG 3.00–3.32; IE 1.58–1.61; HG 7.50–8.50; HN 1.06–1.10; NE 2.36–2.42; female: EG 3.00–4.00; IE 1.51–1.72; HG 8.18–10.25; HN 1.06–1.14; NE 2.25–2.58; pubescence: a few small setae at inner edge or posterior of orbit, longitudinal row of short setae at sides of frontoclypeal ridge, 3–4 pairs of long setae behind clypeal anterior margin; transverse row of long setae between eye and buccal cavity; face impunctate except minute punctures at bases of setae and occasionally extra punctures on orbit; vertex with or without microreticulation; postantennal calli smooth, microreticulate at base, to mostly microreticulate; eyes small but laterally prominent; postantennal calli elongately to transversely triangular, with acute to blunt triangular anterior angles (70–90°) and almost truncate bases; frontoclypeal ridge lanceolate, smooth to rugose, varying from broad and almost flat to narrow and convex, anteriorly terminating in a short keel before clypeal margin; anterior edge of clypeus generally smooth, weakly raised, sides of clypeus microreticulate, slightly rugose.

Thorax: pronotum often laterally depressed or transversely depressed behind anterior border; shining, entirely non-microscuptured; pronotum minutely and sparsely punctured on disc, punctures slightly closer at anterior margin, usually denser and larger on basal field (separated by 2–5 diameters); hypomeron almost entirely smooth, without microreticulation; prosternum smooth and shining; scutellum triangular but with slightly curved sides, microreticulate or shining and smooth; elytra shining, without microreticulation, usually strongly and closely but irregularly punctured, interspaces mostly 0.5– 2 x diameters, discal punctures often partly aligned in short rows; elytral laterally smooth behind humeri or weakly to strongly keeled to middle, rarely with traces of other longitudinal ridges on disc; femora densely microsculptured and pubescent; outer face mid tibia with prominent median keel for most of length, on a concave (male) to flat (female) surface; male first protarsomere distinctly longer than broad, female c. 1.5x longer than broad.

Abdomen: abdominal ventrites densely microsculptured and pubescent; male: penis 1.5–1.7mm long; in dorsal view almost entirely parallel-sided to the angulate apex, which has a short projecting right-angled but rounded lobe; dorsal and ventral surfaces curved in lateral view, with tip weakly bent; dorsal surface smooth, without ridges; venter without transverse or oblique ridges, two long apicoventral depressions present, 0.25– 0.3x penis length, elongate, smooth surfaced and laterally smooth edged, separated by a broad shallowly convex ridge which continues basally beyond the grooves; female: tignum 0.95–1.1mm long, basal part with blunt tip and irregularly expanded sides, broader than base of apical part, minute lateral arms, triangular to threadlike, tip of apical part slightly to broadly expanded; spermathecal collum of variable length and thickness and containing 1–2 twists; vaginal palpi short and almost conical, length: width ratio 0.8–1, with obliquely truncate or concave apex, and concave inner margin; palpal apodemes 3– 4 x length palpi, 0.3–0.5x width palpi.

Distribution and biology. Altica corrusca is endemic to southeast Australia including Tasmania, as far north as the Queensland border (Stanthorpe) and as far west as the South Australian border (Mount Barker) and Grampian Mountains (Victoria), but is absent from low elevation areas of the Murray-Darling basin. The record of A. corrusca feeding on Ludwigia in north Queensland is likely to refer to A. aenea ( Hawkeswood 1988) , however records of A. corrusca on Rosa and Clarkia from central Queensland may possibly refer to this species ( Hawkeswood & Furth 1994).

Altica corrusca has been regularly identified outside Australia ( Allard 1891, 1904; Bryant & Gressitt 1957; Samuelson 1973; Kamnerdratana 1982) but these are all misidentifications. Our studies of Pacific material show that only A. aenea (q.v.) is present there, but mainland southeast Asian records of A. corrusca may belong to the similar species A. aenea or A. cyanea or possibly other species.

Altica corrusca is polyphagous and occasionally a pest. Its native hosts include Acaena (Rosaceae) ( A. ovina and A. sanguisorbae: French 1913 ; A. anserinifolia : pers. obs. CAMR), Epilobium (Onagraceae) and Haloragis (Haloragaceae) , in montane grassland, eucalypt forest and riparian margins. Altica corrusca does not feed on emergent species of Onagraceae , such as Ludwigia and is the only species of Altica that occurs far from water. David De Little (pers. com., 2013) reared larvae through to adults on Acaena from material collected at Ringwood, Tasmania. Three larvae collected in Ridgley, Tasmania, on Epilobium , were also reared to adults by De Little (pers. com., 2013).

In the early 20th century, Altica corrusca (as A. pagana ) was a serious strawberry ( Fragaria , Rosaceae ) pest in Victoria, damaging leaves and flower buds ( French 1913; Adam & Pescott 1932). It is still occasionally a pest in Victoria (D. Madge, pers. com. 2014). Label records show that A. corrusca also attacks a range of exotic horticultural plants in Onagraceae , including Oenothera , Fuchsia and Clarkia .

The recorded presence of A. corrusca on Acacia ( Elliott et al. 2002) and label records of singletons on Leptospermum (Myrtaceae) and Senecio (Asteraceae) probably represent accidental associations or adults attracted to non-host flowers. We suspect that the specimen recorded from dog dung is mislabelled.

Altica corrusca has been collected in every month except May. Most collection events are in October to March (80%), especially November (20%) and January (26%). The dip in collections in December (11%) may indicate that there is a short summer generation in some areas.

Taxonomic notes. Altica corrusca has been mispelled ‘corusca’ by most authors since Fogg (1859), with the notable exception of Blackburn (1896). However, Scherer (1982) examined Erichson’s type material, designated a lectotype and corrected the spelling.

Blackburn (1896) described A. pagana from Victoria and Tasmania, separating it from A. corrusca primarily by having the “apical ventral segment of male bituberculate”, despite not having seen Erichson’s type material. We have been unable to find any consistent visible differences in the male last ventrites of the Altica species under review, although they occur in African species ( Döberl 2010b). Comparison of the type material shows that A. corrusca is a senior synonym of A. pagana (syn. nov.). Blackburn (1896) did not indicate how many specimens he examined but the species was based on material from two type localities. We have seen four syntypes in the Blackburn collections (in NHML & SAM) and hereby designate a male lectotype to fix the identity of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Habitus Altica species: 1, A. aenea (Olivier) (Australia); 2. A. aenea (Sumatra); 3. A. birmanensis (Jacoby); 4, A. caerulea (Olivier); 5, A. corrusca (Erichson); 6, A. cyanea Weber; 7, A. gravida (Blackburn).

FIGURES 8 – 14. Head Altica species: 8, A. aenea (Olivier) (Australia); 9. A. aenea (Sumatra); 10. A. birmanensis (Jacoby); 11, A. caerulea (Olivier); 12, A. corrusca (Erichson); 13, A. cyanea Weber; 14, A. gravida (Blackburn).

FIGURES 19 – 22. Altica species: 19, A. gravida (Blackburn), prothoracic venter; 20, A. corrusca (Erichson), thoracic venter; 21, A. gravida, pterothoracic venter; 22, A. gravida, male abdominal venter.

FIGURES 27 – 29. Altica species, male genitalia (penis in ventral, dorsal and lateral view): 27, A. corrusca (Erichson); 28, A. cyanea Weber; 29, A. gravida (Blackburn).

FIGURES 30 – 31. Altica species, female genitalia (vaginal palpi, spermatheca and sternite VIII): 30, A. corrusca (Erichson); 31, A. gravida (Blackburn).

FIGURES 62 – 76. Altica species, spermathecae: 62, A. aenea (Olivier) (Northern Territory, Australia); 63, A. aenea (New South Wales, Australia); 64, A. aenea (north Queensland, Australia); 65, A. birmanensis (Jacoby) (West Java); 66, A. birmanensis (Sulawesi); 67, A. caerulea (Olivier) (Northern Territory); 68, A. caerulea (Torres Straits); 69, A. corrusca (Erichson) (New South Wales); 70, A. corrusca (Tasmania); 71, A. cyanea Weber (lectotype, Sumatra); 72, A. cyanea (West Java); 73, A. gravida (Blackburn) (Victoria, Australia); 74, A. gravida (eastern New South Wales); 75, A. gravida (eastern New South Wales); 76, A. gravida (western New South Wales). Drawn to scale.