Paraplotes

Lee, Chi-Feng, 2015, The genus Paraplotes Laboissière, 1933 in Taiwan, a speciose group with brachelytrous females (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), Zootaxa 3904 (2), pp. 223-248 : 242-244

Key to the species of Paraplotes in Taiwan

Color patterns and sizes of elytra separate the species of Paraplotes in Taiwan into two groups: one has wider elytra and yellowish brown coloration (including P. j e ng i, P. taiwana , and P. yaoi ), the other has slender elytra and dark or blackish brown coloration (including P. cheni , P. meihuai , P. tahsiangi , P. tatakaensis , P. tsuenensis , and P. yuae ). However, these characters are variable in most species. Thus, this key is solely based on the aedeagus, which possess more reliable diagnostic characters.

1. Aedeagus twisted...................................................................................... 2

- Aedeagus normal...................................................................................... 4

2. Apical margin of aedeagus smooth and subtruncate, apex subequal to base in length ( Figs 61–63 )..... P. tsuenensis sp. nov.

- Apical margin of aedeagus irregular and tapering anterior, apex wider than base................................... 3

3. Aedeagus wider (3.1X longer than wide), with apex concave, slightly curved in lateral view, abruptly narrowed near apex ( Figs 55–57 ).................................................................................. P. tsoui sp. nov.

- Aedeagus narrower (3.9X longer then wide, with apex pointed, strongly curved in lateral view, gradually and apically nar- rowed ( Figs 73–75 )....................................................................... P. yuae sp. nov.

4. Apex of aedeagus asymmetric ( Figs 27–29 ).................................................. P. meihuai sp. nov.

- Apex of aedeagus symmetric............................................................................ 5

5. Apex of aedeagus truncate, or slightly concave, and slightly convex near middle.................................. 6

- Apex of aedeagus rounded or pointed..................................................................... 8

6. Aedeagus wide (<4.0X longer than wide), lateral spiculae two paired ( Figs 67–69 )..................... P. y a o i sp. nov.

- Aedeagus slender (>4.0X longer then wide, lateral spiculae one paire........................................... 7

7. Apex of aedeagus truncate, without projection at middle of apical margin; apico-lateral sclerites much larger and elongate ( Figs 9–11 )............................................................................. P. cheni sp. nov.

- Apex of aedeagus truncate or slightly concave, and convex at middle of apical margin; dorsal-lateral sclerites smaller ( Figs 15–17 ).................................................................................. P. jengi sp. nov.

8. Aedeagus wide (<4.0X longer than wide), apex pointed ( Figs 33–35 )............................. P. tahsiangi , sp. nov.

- Aedeagus slender (>5.0X longer then wide), apex rounded................................................... 9

9. Apico-lateral sclerites large, lateral spiculae two paired ( Figs 45–47 )................................ P. taiwana Chûjô

- Apico-lateral sclerites small, lateral spiculae one paired ( Figs 51–53 )............................ P. tatakaensis sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 61 – 66. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes tsuenensis Lee, sp. nov. 61. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 62. Aedeagus, lateral view; 63. Aedeagus, ventral view; 64. Gonocoxae; 65. Ventrite VIII; 66. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 55 – 60. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes tsoui Lee, sp. nov. 55. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 56. Aedeagus, lateral view; 57. Aedeagus, ventral view; 58. Gonocoxae; 59. Ventrite VIII; 60. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 73 – 78. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes yuae Lee, sp. nov. 73. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 74. Aedeagus, lateral view; 75. Aedeagus, ventral view; 76. Gonocoxae; 77. Ventrite VIII; 78. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 27 – 32. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes meihuai Lee, sp. nov. 27. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 28. Aedeagus, lateral view; 29. Aedeagus, ventral view; 30. Gonocoxae; 31. Ventrite VIII; 32. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 67 – 72. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes yaoi Lee, sp. nov. 67. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 68. Aedeagus, lateral view; 69. Aedeagus, ventral view; 70. Gonocoxae; 71. Ventrite VIII; 72. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 9 – 14. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes cheni Lee, sp. nov. 9. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 10. Aedeagus, lateral view; 11. Aedeagus, ventral view; 12. Gonocoxae; 13. Ventrite VIII; 14. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 15 – 20. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes jengi Lee, sp. nov. 15. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 16. Aedeagus, lateral view; 17. Aedeagus, ventral view; 18. Gonocoxae; 19. Ventrite VIII; 20. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 33 – 38. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes tahsiangi Lee, sp. nov. 33. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 34. Aedeagus, lateral view; 35. Aedeagus, ventral view; 36. Gonocoxae; 37. Ventrite VIII; 38. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 45 – 50. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes taiwana Chûjô. 45. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 46. Aedeagus, lateral view; 47. Aedeagus, ventral view; 48. Gonocoxae; 49. Ventrite VIII; 50. Spermatheca.

FIGURES 51 – 54. Diagnostic characters of Paraplotes tatakaensis Lee, sp. nov. 51. Aedeagus, dorsal view; 52. Aedeagus, lateral view; 53. Aedeagus, ventral view; 54. Gonocoxae.