Pyrrhalta meihuai, Lee & Bezděk, 2021

Lee, Chi-Feng & Bezdek, Jan, 2021, Revision of the genera Xanthogaleruca Laboissiere, 1932 and Pyrrhalta Joannis, 1865 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae) of Taiwan, with type designation of Galerucella lineatipes Takei, ZooKeys 1039, pp. 1-108 : 1

Pyrrhalta meihuai sp. nov. Figs 17E, F , 18D-F , 22

Types.

Holotype ♂ (TARI), Taiwan. Ilan: Mingchi (明池), 2.V.2009, leg. M.-H. Tsou. Paratypes. 3♂, 3♀ (TARI), same data as holotype; 1♂, 3♀ (TARI), same but with “1.V.2009”; Pingtung: 1♂ (TARI), Tahanshan (大漢山), 18.VI.2012, leg. Y.-T. Chung; 1♂ (TARI), same but with “11.VII.2012”; 2♂, 1♀ (TARI), same but with “24.IV.2013”; 3♂, 5♀ (TARI), same but with “15.V.2013”; 2♂ (TARI), same but with “25.V.2013”; 2♀ (TARI), same but with “30.V.2013”; 3♀ (TARI), same but with “17.VI.2013”; 3♂ (TARI), same but with “2.VII.2013”; 1♂ (TARI), same but with “10.VII.2013”; 1♀ (TARI), same but with “30.VII.2013”; 1♀ (TARI), same but with “12.VI.2014”; 1♀ (TARI), same but with “4.VI.2020”; 1♀ (TARI), same locality, 19.VII.2012, leg. C.-F. Lee; 1♂ (TARI), Tahantrail (大漢林道), 20.VIII.2012, leg. J.-C. Chen; 1♀ (TARI), same but with “27.V.2013”; Taipei: 1♀ (TARI), Hsiungkungshan (熊空山), 15.VI.2014, leg. Y.-L. Lin; Taitung: 1♀ (TARI), Lichia (利嘉), 15.VII.2014, leg. Y.-T. Chung; 1♂ (TARI), same but with “16.VII.2014”; Taoyuan: 1♂ (TARI), Hsiaowulai (小烏來), 29.IX.2009, leg. M-H. Tsou; 1♀ (TARI), same locality, 1.VI.2010, leg. S.-F. Yu; 1♀ (TARI), Lalashan (拉拉山), 4.V.2009, leg. H.-J. Chen; 1♂ (TARI), Tungyanshan (東眼山), 12.VII.2015, leg. H. Lee.

Diagnosis.

Medium-sized species, 7.3-8.7mm. Body brown. Elytra with fine dense punctures. Discs of pronotum and elytra smooth, lacking reticulate microsculpture.

Redescription.

Length 7.3-8.6 mm, width 3.4-4.0 mm. Head and prothorax reddish brown (Fig. 18D-F ), but antennae black; scutellum and elytra yellowish brown; meso- and metathoracic ventrites, and legs black. Eyes small, interocular space 2.24-2.76 × diameter of eye. Antennae filiform in males (Fig. 22A ), gradually broadened from antennomere V to X, length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.6: 0.7: 0.7: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.7: 0.9, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 2.8: 2.1: 2.2: 2.2: 2.6: 2.2: 2.4: 2.3: 2.0: 1.9: 2.7; similar in females (Fig. 22B ), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.6: 0.8: 0.6: 0.7: 0.7: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8: 0.7: 0.9, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 2.7: 2.2: 2.2: 2.0: 2.1: 2.2: 2.1: 1.9: 2.2: 2.0: 2.8. Pronotum and elytra convex. Pronotum 2.2-2.3 × wider than long, disc smooth; with extremely dense, coarse punctures, and long pubescence, with median longitudinal and lateral depressions; lateral margins slightly rounded, widest at middle, apical margin slightly concave, basal margin straight; anterior and posterior setiferous punctures not erect. Elytra broad, parallel-sided, 1.6 × longer than wide; disc smooth, with dense, coarse punctures, and short pubescence. Apical spur of tibia of middle leg absent and tarsomere I not modified in males. Aedeagus (Fig. 22C, D ) broad in dorsal view, 5.4 × as long as aedeagus, with several teeth along lateral margin near apex, secondary sclerite small and wide, 0.2 × as long as primary sclerite. Only apices of gonocoxae (Fig. 22F ) sclerotized, longitudinal, with dense, long setae along lateral and apical margins. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 22E ) well sclerotized, sides strongly curved, with dense, long setae laterally, apical area, and along apical margin, spiculum extremely long. Receptacle of spermatheca (Fig. 22G ) very swollen; pump long and strongly curved; sclerotized proximal spermathecal duct wide and short. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V broadly rounded with deep depression at middle in males (Fig. 22I ); while lacking depression in females (Fig. 22H ).

Remarks.

Adults of P. meihuai sp. nov. are similar to those of P. igai Kimoto in body sizes and color patterns (Fig. 17D, F ), but differ by the shining, smooth pronotum and elytra (rough pronotum and elytra covered by reticulate microsculpture in P. igai ). In males of P. meihuai sp. nov., the lanceolate aedeagus (Fig. 22C ) is similar to that of P. alishanensis sp. nov. (Fig. 16C ) and P. meifena (Fig. 20C ) but differs in possessing one secondary endophallic sclerite in addition to the primary endophallic sclerite (no secondary sclerite in P. meifena ; two secondary sclerites in P. alishanensis sp. nov.).

Host plant.

Larvae and adults feed on leaves of Acer serrulatum Hayata ( Sapindaceae ).

Biology.

Mr Mei-Hua Tsou collected mature larvae (Fig. 14E ) April 5, 2009 in Mingchi, Northeast Taiwan. They began burrowing into soil at the same day, and built underground chambers for pupation. Duration of the pupal stage was 24-27 days. adults (Fig. 17F ) appeared from spring to summer.

Distribution.

The species is widespread at mid-altitudes (1,500-2,500 m) in Taiwan.

Etymology.

Dedicated to Mr. Mei-Hua Tsou. He, the first author, and Mr. Hou-Jay Chen were the first to collect larvae of this new species and rear them successfully to adults.

Figures

Figure 14. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta viridipennis Kimoto A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, from Alishan (阿里山), dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E apex of aedeagus, from Shihfen (十分), dorsal view F ditto, lateral view G apex of aedeagus, from Hsiangyang, dorsal view H ditto, lateral view I abdominal ventrite VIII J gonocoxae K abdominal ventrite V, female L abdominal ventrite V, male M apex of tibia of middle leg N spermatheca.

Figure 16. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta alishanensis sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G abdominal ventrite V, female H abdominal ventrite V, male I gonocoxae.

Figure 17. Field photographs of Pyrrhalta alishanensis sp. nov., P. igai Kimoto, and P. meihuai sp. nov. on host plant A mature larva of P. alishanensis sp. nov. B adult of P. alishanensis sp. nov. C mature larva of P. igai D adult of P. igai E mature larva of P. meihuai sp. nov. F adult of P. meihuai sp. nov.

Figure 18. Habitus of Pyrrhalta igai Kimoto and P. meihuai sp. nov. A P. igai, female, dorsal view B ditto, ventral view C ditto, lateral view D P. meihuai sp. nov., female, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view.

Figure 20. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta meifena Kimoto A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G abdominal ventrite V, female H abdominal ventrite V, male I gonocoxae.

Figure 22. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta meihuai sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F gonocoxae G spermatheca H abdominal ventrite V, female I abdominal ventrite V, male.