Monoaster, Viswajyothi & Clark, 2022

Viswajyothi, Keezhpattillam & Clark, Shawn M., 2022, New World genera of Galerucinae Latreille, 1802 (tribes Galerucini Latreille, 1802, Metacyclini Chapuis, 1875, and Luperini Gistel, 1848): an annotated list and identification key (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 842, pp. 1-102 : 31-32

Genus Monoaster gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2597C0FD-8DB4-431B-A90C-4121E00F1ADD

Type species

Pseudoluperus fulgidus Wilcox, 1965 , by present designation.

Diagnosis

This genus is quite distinctive in the form of the supracallinal sulcus, that is, the sulcus delimiting the posterior edge of the antennal calli (= frontal tubercles). This sulcus extends obliquely from the meson to a point over the inner extreme of the antennal fossa. It then bends abruptly downward, at an angle of about 90º. It continues for a short distance and abruptly bends again. Finally, it extends laterally to the orbit. Mexiluperus wickhami ( Horn, 1893) , a species from Arizona, has a similar sulcus but differs in the more coarsely punctate elytra. See the following key for additional characters defining Monoaster gen. nov.

Etymology

The name ‘ Monoaster ’ is Greek for ‘single star’. The two included species are both from Texas, nicknamed The Lone Star State. The name should be treated as a male noun.

Remarks

This genus includes two species, both of which were originally named in the genus Pseudoluperus : M. fulgidus ( Wilcox, 1965) comb. nov,. and M. linus ( Wilcox, 1965) et comb. nov. See Figs 118 and 121 for habitus illustrations. See Wilcox (1965) for a key that includes the two species (as part of Pseudoluperus ). Edward G. Riley (personal communication) has on several occasions collected M. fulgidus from Colubrina texensis (Torr. & A. Gray) A. Gray (Rhamnaceae) , and M. linus by beating Cercocarpus montanus Raf. (Rosaceae) . In the case of C. texensis , the plants were in bloom, but the beetles were not clearly associated with the blossoms, and none of the beetles were found on nearby plant species, including some that were in bloom.

Figures

Figs 118–126. Dorsal views. 118. Monoaster fulgidus (Wilcox, 1965) comb. nov. 119. Mexiluperus sp. 120. Amplioluperus maculicollis (LeConte, 1884) comb. nov. 121. Monoaster linus (Wilcox, 1965) comb. nov. 122. Cornuventer tuberculatus (Blake, 1942) comb. nov. 123. Pseudoluperus longulus (LeConte, 1857). 124. Triarius lividus (LeConte, 1884). 125. Keitheatus blakeae (White, 1944). 126. Metacoryna fulvicollis Jacoby, 1888.