Phaelota schereri, Prathapan, K. D. & Konstantinov, A. S., 2009

Prathapan, K. D. & Konstantinov, A. S., 2009, Descriptions of eight new species of Phaelota (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with a new generic synonymy and a key to species of Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 1991, pp. 1-27 : 17-19

Phaelota schereri , new species

( Figs 54 – 58)

Distribution. Sri Lanka.

Host plants. Unknown.

Description. Total body length 3.5 mm, width 2.5 mm. Body light brown with elytron much lighter in color ( Fig. 54).

In lateral view, vertex and frons form convex line, their intersection being concave and proximal end of frons higher than vertex. Vertex densely covered with varying in size, but mostly small punctures ( Fig. 56).

Antennal callus slightly raised, oblique, shorter than wide, as low near supracallinal sulcus as near supraantennal sulcus, separated from each other by relatively wide midfrontal depression ( Fig. 56). Suprafrontal sulcus poorly developed medially, absent laterally, midfrontal sulcus absent. Frontal ridge impunctate. Anterofrontal ridge with vertical carina medially. Maxillary palpus with preapical palpomere 0.8 times length of apical palpomere. Third antennomere nearly as long as second. Tenth antennomere 0.7 times as wide as long.

Lateral margin of pronotum slightly convex ( Fig. 55), anterolateral callosity forms acute denticle at pore. Disc shiny, punctation coarse, much stronger than that on vertex and as coarse as that of elytron. Antebasal transverse impression present. Poorly defined longitudinal impression situated along entire length of lateral margin. One more sharp, relatively long impression located at basal part of pronotum. Scutellum shiny, impunctate, triangular, wider than long, apex narrowly rounded. Elytron with well developed humeral callus ( Fig. 54), without depression posteriorly, maximum width at proximal 1/3. Striae not depressed. Interstices flat with punctures much smaller than those of striae. Width of interstices subequal to 4 – 7 times diameter of a puncture. Epipleuron oblique, not reaching apex. Metasternum about two times as long as prosternum. Metafemur with obtuse denticle on posterior edge ( Fig. 58). Metatibia straight in lateral view, curved from dorsal view, proximal 1/3 dorsally convex, rest of surface nearly flat. Claw longer than metatibial spine.

Median lobe of aedeagus strongly curved in lateral view ( Fig. 57), with side slightly constricted before apex in lateral view. Ventral side convex with membranous window in apical half, without pair of longitudinal depressions. Dorsal opening partially covered by lamina sclerotized along middle ( Fig. 57).

Female unknown.

Type material. Holotype ♂. Labels : 1) Ceylon: Kan, Dist., Udawattakelle, 25 – 30 Oct. 1966, J.F.G. Clarke Thelma M. Clarke; 2) Phaelota schereri sp. nov. des. Prathapan and Konstantinov, 2008 ( USNM).

Etymology. This species is named after Gerhard Scherer for his contribution to the study of flea beetles. The name is a noun.

Remarks. In the key, P. schereri is in the same couplet with P. ogloblini from which it can be easily separated by its larger size, the presence of the longitudinal impression along the lateral side of the pronotum (in P. ogloblini pronotum lacks such an impression), the metafemur with an obtuse denticle on its posterior edge (in P. ogloblini the denticle is sharp), and the median lobe of the aedeagus being slightly constricted before the apex in ventral view (in P. ogloblini it is straight).