Downesia balyi Gressitt, 1950

Sekerka, Lukáš, Jia, Fenglong, Pang, Hong & Borowiec, Lech, 2016, Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) types deposited at Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Zootaxa 4084 (1), pp. 50-78 : 62-63

Downesia balyi Gressitt, 1950

( Fig. 16 )

Downesia balyi Gressitt, 1950: 83 .

Downesia tarsata sensu Gressitt, 1939a: 166 (misidentification).

Type locality. China, Guangdong prov., Boluo Co., Luofu Shan, approx. 23°18′N, 114°00′E.

Original type series. Holotype ( LMNH) and one paratype ( CAS) from the same locality.

Type material examined. Holotype, glued: ‘Kwangtung, S. China | Loh Fau Shan | Alt. 3800–4000 ft. | August [p] 12 [hw] 1933 | E. R. Tinkham [w, p, cb] || 204 [w, t, cb] || HOLOTYPE | DOWNESIA [hw] | BALYI [hw] | J.L.Gressitt [r, p + hw by Gressitt, cb] || Downesia [hw] | but not tarsata B. [hw] | det.S.Maulik 1939. [w, p, cb] || [vernacular name in Chinese, hw] | Downesia balyi [hw] | Gressitt [hw] | det. Li-Zhong Hua [in Chinese, p] 1987 [hw] [w, p, cb] || En-289763 | [Data Matrix barcode] SYS [w. p, cb]’.

Current status. Valid species.

Remarks. Gressitt (1939a) provisionally identified the two specimens from Luofu Shan as D. tarsata Baly, 1869 based on brown body but noted that the two specimens differ in tarsi not being black. Later on, Gressitt (1950) decided that they are enough distinct and described them a new species D. balyi and compared the species briefly to D. tarsata . However, the holotype is a teneral specimen whose brown colouration is due to a not fully sclerotized body. The natural colouration of the species is probably much darker, most likely very dark brown or nearly black. Downesia tarsata is very different as it has the second sutural row of punctures developed only on apical fourth of the elytra while D. balyi has it distinct from basal fourth.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 19. 12. Wallaceana foveicollis Gressitt, 1939 (holotype, 4.3 mm); 13. Planispa castaneipennis Chûjô, 1937 (syntype, 8.4 mm); 14. Agonita picea Gressitt, 1953 (holotype, 5.4 mm); 15. A. sculpturata Gressitt, 1953 (holotype, 5.0 mm); 16. Downesia balyi Gressitt, 1950 (holotype, 5.7 mm); 17. D. kwangtunga Gressitt, 1950 (holotype, 4.5 mm); 18. Neodownesia rubra Gressitt, 1953 (holotype, 6.5 mm); 19. Chaeridiona cupreoviridis Gressitt, 1950 (holotype, 3.8 mm).