Stenophyma elegans Baly, 1877 :176

Furth, David G. & Zhaurova, Kira M., 2010, Two new flea beetle genera: Alasia alpina gen. et sp. nov. from a Costa Rican cloud forest and Pseudostenophyma gen. nov. from Brazil (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), Zootaxa 2679, pp. 32-50 : 47-49

Stenophyma elegans Baly, 1877:176

Figures: 12a–c

Stenophyma elegans Baly : 176; Heikertinger & Csiki 1940:347 Stenophyma Baly : 176; Seeno & Wilcox 1982: 138

Holotype. Male: Type, H. T. [circular label with red rim, typical NHM type label]; Bresil [hand-written on small rectangular green label]; 327 [printed? on square blue label]; Stenophyma elegans Baly , Brazil [handwritten on large rectangular green label, typical from Baly collection]. Type specimen was not removed from original card, i.e., observations and measurements were made from original position.

Description. Elongate narrow; overall color yellow to light brown; basal ca. 20% of elytra and 75% of lateral margins darker brown. Lb = 3.78mm

Head: Eyes round, bulging, very prominent, eye to eye width distinctly wider than pronotum; IOD = 0.42mm; vertex smooth, impunctate; frons very short, not concave, not angled from vertex in lateral view, i.e., in same plane; antennal calli flat but evident, triangular; longitudinal frontal ridge raised, evident; gena below eye very narrow; maxillary palpomeres not evidently swollen; antennae distinctly longer than body; segments 1–3 yellow, 4–11 dark brown and somewhat thickened; segmental lengths: 30-12-12-60 -58-55-55-55-56-56- 67 [only left antenna complete; right antenna with only segments 1–6].

Pronotum: Rectangular; lateral margins more or less straight/parallel-sided, slightly narrower at base, distinctly narrower than elytral base; pre-basal transverse impression deep, straight, laterally fading into base before postero-lateral angles; antero-lateral callosities only slightly thickened at setal pore, not at all angled; surface smooth, impunctate. WP (middle) = 0.92mm; WP (anterior) = 0.94mm; WP (base) = 0.90; LP = 0.78mm.

Elytra: Parallel-sided; dorsally flattened, elytral bossae (calli) not apparent; distinctly striate throughout with fine, dark punctures, striae ending sub-apically leaving apex smooth; epipleura yellow/light brown, mostly equally wide/parallel-sided until sub-apex, except evidently widened below humerus, with weakly punctured, median, undulating, longitudinal stria. Le = 2.75mm; We = 1.50mm.

Ve n te r: Procoxal cavities closed; apical sternite (male) typically concave with median, longitudinal, thin, dark line; metasternum rather flat, not inflated.

Legs: Metafemur distinctly swollen; all tibiae with evident apical spine; first tarsomere of proleg slightly swollen (no female for comparison); all tibiae with evident apical spines; metatibiae in lateral view with apical 25% expanded, laterally compressed, with row of stout spines on inner and outer margins; metatarsus with first tarsomere very long, distinctly longer than all remaining metatarsomeres combined, pro and meso first tarsomeres distinctly shorter; claws appendiculate.

Host. Unknown.

Genitalia: Not dissected.

Type locality. Brazil.

Distribution. Brazil.

Remarks. Stenophyma elegans is the type species of this now monotypic genus. The type specimen is housed in the Natural History Museum (London). It is distinctly different from Alasia and Pseudostenophyma by lateral view of head (vertex/frons angle); enhanced prominence of eyes; antennal segment proportions; lack of distinct elytral bossae (calli); pronotal surface; pronotal shape; pronotal prebasal transverse impression; metatibial apex shape/spines. Somewhat reminiscent also of Glenidion Clark and Huarinillasa Bechyné