Pyrrhalta alishanensis, Lee & Bezděk, 2021

Lee, Chi-Feng & Bezdek, Jan, 2021, Revision of the genera Xanthogaleruca Laboissiere, 1932 and Pyrrhalta Joannis, 1865 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae) of Taiwan, with type designation of Galerucella lineatipes Takei, ZooKeys 1039, pp. 1-108 : 1

Pyrrhalta alishanensis sp. nov. Figs 15A-C , 16 , 17A, B

Types.

Holotype ♂ (TARI), Taiwan. Chiayi: Alishan (阿里山), 22.IV.2009, leg. M.-H. Tsou. Paratypes. 7♂, 11♀ (TARI), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis.

Medium-sized species, 7.3-8.7 mm. Body black. Elytra with fine dense punctures.

Description.

Length 7.7-8.7 mm, width 3.8-4.6 mm. Body black (Fig. 15A-C ); mouth parts black; abdominal ventrites yellow in males, ventrites II and III darker in females. Eyes small, interocular space 2.12-2.44 × diameter of eye. Antennae filiform in males (Fig. 16A ), antennomeres V-VII broadest, length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.6: 0.6: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.7: 0.7: 0.9, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 2.5: 2.1: 1.9: 2.6: 2.4: 2.3: 2.3: 2.3: 2.5: 2.5: 3.5; similar in females (Fig. 16B ), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.7: 0.6: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8: 0.7: 0.7: 0.7: 0.8, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 2.9: 2.4: 2.0: 2.5: 2.5: 2.1: 2.2: 2.1: 2.3: 2.2: 2.8. Pronotum and elytra convex. Pronotum 2.5-2.7 × wider than long, disc smooth and sparse short pubescence; and with extremely dense, coarse punctures laterally, reduced medially; with median longitudinal and lateral depressions; lateral margins moderately rounded, widest at middle, apical and basal margins slightly concave; anterior and posterior setiferous punctures slightly erect. Elytra broad, parallel-sided, 1.5-1.6 × longer than wide; disc smooth, with dense, coarse punctures, and short pubescence. Apical spur of tibia of middle leg absent and tarsomere I not modified in males. Aedeagus (Fig. 16C, D ) broad in dorsal view, 4.6 × longer than wide, broadest at basal 2/5, slightly asymmetric, apically narrowed, apex acute; ostium obliquely longitudinal, not covered by a membrane; strongly curved near base in lateral view, apex narrowly rounded; primary endophallic sclerites elongate, 0.4 × as long as aedeagus, with several apical teeth, two secondary sclerites small and wide, 0.3 × as long as primary sclerite, with teeth along apical margins. Only apices of gonocoxae (Fig. 16I ) sclerotized, longitudinal, with dense, long setae along lateral and apical margins. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 16E ) well sclerotized, lateral margin slightly curved, with dense, long setae covering apex, spiculum long. Receptacle of spermatheca (Fig. 16F ) slightly swollen; pump extremely long and strongly curved; sclerotized proximal spermathecal duct wide and short. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V with one pair of rounded ridges at middle, slightly concave between ridges in males; truncate in females.

Remarks.

Adults of P. alishanensis sp. nov. are easily separated from other members of the species group by their black bodies (Fig. 15A-C ) (yellow body in P. meifena Kimoto (Fig. 15D-F ), brown body in P. igai Kimoto (Fig. 18 A-C ) and P. meihuai sp. nov. (Fig. 18 D-F )). The lanceolate aedeagus is similar to those of P. meifena and P. meihuai sp. nov., but differs in possessing two secondary endophallic sclerites with toothed apical margins (Fig. 16C, D ) (no secondary endophallic sclerites in P. meifena (Fig. 20C, D ), one secondary endophallis sclerite with smooth apical margin in P. meihuai sp. nov. (Fig. 22C, D )). The elongate pump of the spermatheca is also diagnostic.

Host plant.

Larvae and adults feed on leaves of Acer rubescens Hayata ( Sapindaceae ) (Fig. 17A, B ).

Biology.

The first author and Mr Mei-Hua Tsou found more than 20 mature larvae (Fig. 17A ) on leaves of Acer rubescens Hayata in May 10, 2011, and reared them in the laboratory. Five pupae and one newly eclosed adult were observed June 25 (Fig. 17B ).

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality.

Etymology.

Dedicated to the type locality, Alishan.

Figures

Figure 15. Habitus of Pyrrhalta alishanensis sp. nov. and P. meifena Kimoto A P. alishanensis sp. nov., male, dorsal view B ditto, ventral view C ditto, lateral view D P. meifena, male, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view.

Figure 16. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta alishanensis sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G abdominal ventrite V, female H abdominal ventrite V, male I gonocoxae.

Figure 17. Field photographs of Pyrrhalta alishanensis sp. nov., P. igai Kimoto, and P. meihuai sp. nov. on host plant A mature larva of P. alishanensis sp. nov. B adult of P. alishanensis sp. nov. C mature larva of P. igai D adult of P. igai E mature larva of P. meihuai sp. nov. F adult of P. meihuai sp. nov.

Figure 18. Habitus of Pyrrhalta igai Kimoto and P. meihuai sp. nov. A P. igai, female, dorsal view B ditto, ventral view C ditto, lateral view D P. meihuai sp. nov., female, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view.

Figure 20. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta meifena Kimoto A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G abdominal ventrite V, female H abdominal ventrite V, male I gonocoxae.

Figure 22. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta meihuai sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F gonocoxae G spermatheca H abdominal ventrite V, female I abdominal ventrite V, male.