Longitarsus bethae, Savini, Vilma & Escalona, Hermes E., 2005

Savini, Vilma & Escalona, Hermes E., 2005, (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Alticinae, Longitarsini), Zootaxa 956, pp. 1-7 : 2-6

Longitarsus bethae sp. n.

( Figs. 1–18 )

Description. Color light brown ( Fig. 1 ), head and pronotum darker, antennomeres IX–XI slightly darker. Wings present.

Male: Length: 1.55–1.7 mm. Wide: 0.78–0.8 mm. Head ( Figs. 2–4 ) vertex smooth, shining, convex. Frons at antennal insertions 2.5 wider than transverse diameter of one eye; supraantennal callus (AC) small, slightly convex, subrectangular, surface shiny, without sculpture, dorsal border delimited by a fine slightly arcuate transversal sulcus (TS) and joined at center to mid frontal sulcus (MFS), MFS short ( Fig. 2 ) or inconspicuous ( Fig. 3 ). Ocular sulcus (OS) evident, deep, joinning to orbital sulcus (ORS). ORS, supraorbital (SOS) and supraantennal sulcus (SPS) deep. Supra frontal vertical sulci (SFVS) well developed, slightly convergent in the vertex, forming an angle of almost 90° with ORS. Supraorbital puncture (SP) well developed. Frontoclypeal longitudinal ridge (FCLR) high, apical half more prominent in lateral view ( Fig. 4 ), in frontal view thin ( Fig. 2–3 ), convex, dorsal end surpassing dorsal border of antennal cavity, scarcely introducing between supra antennal calli, anterior end does not reach apical half of frontoclypeal area, anterior frontoclypeal area triangularly flat. Genae shining. Labrum ( Fig. 6 ) broadly rounded, transversal, bordered with small teeth ventrally, with eight setiferous pores at middle; tormae longer than labrum. Mandibles, rounded externally, with five small teeth in, two dorsal, two ventral and one apical, basal dorsal blunt and poorly developed, apical tooth more developed and prominent than the rest, basal ventral tooth not very developed, scarcely visible, mola present ( Fig. 5 ). Labium ( Fig. 7 ); palpi robust; palpomere 3 apically acute. Maxillae ( Fig. 8 ); galea elongate, longer and thinner than lacinia, apex with fine and thorny setae; lancinia globose and bordered with dense fine and thorny setae; palpomere IV conical, acute at apex, with sensilla patch longer than width. Antennae ( Fig. 9) almost reaching elytral apex, length 1.8 mm; antenomere II robust, subequal in length to III; IV 1.4 times longer than III; IV, V, VI subequal; VII slightly longer than VI; VIII–XI gradually shorter and robust; XI diagonally truncate in apical half. Pronotum width/length ratio 1.3, maximum width in the middle, anterior border slightly rounded, anterior angles not projecting, continuous with lateral borders; lateral callosities well developed; lateral margins explanate, wider anteriorly; posterior border widely rounded; surface shining, punctures isolated on disc, more dense and deep toward posterior half, intervals wrinkled. Prosternum wrinkled, glossy; prosternal process narrow between coxae, widened at apex. Scutellum triangular. Elytron ( Fig. 11 ) oval, convex; humeral callus prominent; maximum width at middle; apex rounded; sutural angle acute; punctures stronger and deeper than those of pronotum, irregularly distributed, interspaces shagreened; posterior border wide; epipleura visible in lateral view, narrowing to apex. Mesosternal process ( Fig. 10 ) rectangular, slightly convex. Metasternum ( Fig. 10 ) shining with micro­rugosities; posterior border bilobed at middle. Fore and middle legs thin; tarsi thin. Metatibia slightly curved in dorsal view, with a longitudinal series of 7–8 denticles, median ridge almost on apical third; metatarsomere I subcylindrical, 1.3 times longer than tarsomeres II–V and 2.1X longer than II. Claws simple. Metatibial spur almost as long as metatarsomere III. Abdomen with ventrite I subequal in length to I–III together; ventrite V projecting medially, projection weakly convex at apex, its base bordered by a thin carina ( Fig. 12). Aedeagus slightly robust; apex acute; lateral view with longitudinal canal from near apex to near basal opening ( Figs. 13–16 ).

2 3 4

6 7 8 10 11 13 14 15 16 Female: Length: 1.7–1.9 mm. Wide: 0.8–0.9 mm. Metatibial apex less robust. Abdomen, ventrite V not projected at apex. Apical third of tergites V–VI sparsely covered with microtrichia, denser at sides. Vaginal palpus ( Fig. 17 ) darker in apical third, apex diagonally truncates. Spermatheca with receptacle longer than pump. Internal side more convex than external. Pump forming an almost acute angle with receptacle internal side; apex acute; base, near the receptacle, with little hump. Duct shorter than receptacle, without coil and making short loop away from receptacle ( Fig. 18 ).

17 18 Etymology: Dedicated to Elizabeth (Beth) Grobbelaar, SANC.

Comments: L. bethae can be confused with several other Longitarsus species of similar aspect, but until a complete revision of the American species can be completed, the diagnostic features of L. bethae are the aedeagus and spermathecal shape, antennomeres X–XI slightly darker, MFS short or inconspicuous, frontoclypeal longitudinal ridge slightly blunt in frontal view and prominent apically in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ), presence of wings and humeral calli, and the light brown coloration ( Fig. 1 ). From the literature (Jacoby 1891, 1892) it can be inferred that the following Mexican Longitarsus species have some distinctive features from L. bethae , such as: L. teapensis Jacoby, 1891 is black; L. ovipennis Jacoby, 1891 is apterous; the elytral sutures in L. mexicanus Csiki, 1939 are dark; L. haroldi Jacoby, 1891 has the antennal segments I and VI–IX black and is apparently apterous; L. varicornis Suffrían, 1868 has the antennal segments V–VIII dark or black; L. concinnus Baly, 1877 has the antennal segments VI–IX black and probably is not from Mexico; L. antennatus Jacoby, 1891 lacks dark antennal segments and L. amulensis Jacoby, 1891 has castaneous coloration.

Type material. Holotype (♂): Original Stock: MEXICO: Morelos State, Cuernavaca, 18º 7’ N 99º 15’ W, S. Neser, AcSN2440 Adults collected off leaves of Lantana camara ( VERBENACEAE ). Orange biotype, Larvae feed on roots. Lab. culture progeny. GAU: Pretoria, Rietondale Experimental Farm. 25.43º S 28.14º E, 20 March 2003, D. Simelane ( MIZA). Allotype (Ψ): Original Stock: MEXICO: Morelos State, Cuernavaca, 18º 7’ N 99º 15’ W, 18 October 2000, S. Neser, AcSN2440 Adults collected off leaves of Lantana camara ( VERBENACEAE ). Orange biotype, Larvae feed on roots. Lab. culture progeny. GAU: Pretoria, Rietondale Experimental Farm. 25.43º S 28.14º E, 20 March 2003, D. Simelane ( MIZA). Paratypes (59 ♂♂, 73 Ψ Ψ): Original Stock: MEXICO: Morelos State, Cuernavaca, 18º 7’ N 99º 15’ W, 18 October 2000, S. Neser, AcSN2440 Adults collected off leaves of Lantana camara ( VERBENACEAE ). Orange biotype, Larvae feed on roots. Lab. culture progeny. GAU: Pretoria, Rietondale Experimental Farm. 25.43º S 28.14º E, 20 March 2003, D. Simelane, (7 ♂♂, 18 ΨΨ, MIZA, UNAM, USNM). Original Stock: MEXICO: Morelos State, Cuernavaca, 18º 7’ N 99º 15’ W, 18 October 2000, S. Neser, AcSN2440 Adults collected off leaves of Lantana camara ( VERBENACEAE ). Orange biotype, Larvae feed on roots. Lab. culture progeny. GAU: Pretoria, Rietondale Experimental Farm. 25.43° S 28.14° E, 1 March 2001, F. Heystek, (3 ♂♂, 8 Ψ Ψ, MIZA). Original Stock: MEXICO: Cuernavaca, Morelos State, 15.X.2000, S. Neser & A. J. Urban. On Lantana camara in Jardin Botanica, Adults> 30. AcSn2440 [Used to start lab. Culture in Pretoria, South Africa], (49 ♂♂, 47 ΨΨ MIZA, SANC, UNAM, USNM).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Longitarsus bethae sp. n. habitus.

FIGURES 2 – 4. Longitarsus bethae sp. n. 2, 3) Head in frontal view. Supraanntennal callus, AC. Transversal sulcus, TS. Mid frontal sulcus, MFS. Ocular sulcus, OS. Orbital sulcus, ORS. Supraorbital sulcus, SOS. Supra frontal vertical sulcus, SFVS. Supraorbital puncture, SP. Frontoclypeal longitudinal ridge, FCLR. 4). Head in lateral view.

FIGURE 5 – 8. Longitarsus bethae sp. n. Mouthparts: 5) Mandibular mola. 6) Labrum 7) Labium. 8) Maxilla.

FIGURES 10 – 11. Longitarsus bethae sp. n 10) Meso and metasternun. 11) Longitarsus bethae sp. n. Elytron.

FIGURE 13 – 16. Aedeagus: 13 – 14) Ventral views. 15) Lateral view. 16) Dorsal view.

FIGURES 17 – 18. 17) Vaginal palpi. Figure 18) Spermatheca.