Apophylia snizeki, Bezděk, 2005

Bezděk, Jan, 2005, Revisional study on African Apophylia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae). Part 4., Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 45, pp. 165-182 : 79-81

Apophylia snizeki sp. nov.

( Figs. 25-28 )

Type locality. Kenya, Lamu province, east of Garsen.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ KENYA S. E. / Lamu prov., 11.IV. / E of Garsen 2004 / M. Snížek lgt. [w, p]’ ( NMPC) . PARATYPES: 4 JJ, same label data as holotype ( JBCB, 1 paratype in NMPC) ; 1 J, ‘ Kenya SE / Voi / 10.12. 1999 / Lgt. M. Snizek [w, p]’ ( JBCB) ; 2 JJ, ‘ KENYA – S. / Voi / 13-17 xii 1997 / M. Snizek leg. [w, p]’ ( RBCN) ; 2 ♀♀, ‘ KENYA – S. / Voi / 13-17 xii 1997 / M. Snizek leg. [w, p] // auf Insektenbörse Prag / erhalten 3.X.1998 / coll. U. Arnold [w, p]’ ( RBCN) ; 1 J, ‘ KENYA –S / Voi 23 xi 1997 / M. Snizek leg. [w, p] // auf Insektenbörse Prag / erhalten 3.X.1998 / coll. U. Arnold [w, p]’ ( RBCN) ; 1 J, ‘EMALI RANGE / Sultan Hamud / 4900-5900ft. 3-40 [w, p] // Imp. Inst. Ent. / Coll. No. 10606 [w, p] // Kenya Natl. / Mus. exchange [w, p]’ ( USNM) ; 1 J 1 ♀, ‘ KENYA ; Rift Valley Matthews / Range, ca 35 km N / Wamba, 1300-1400 m [w, p] // 1°10´707´´ N, 37°18´962´´ E / 07.- 12.XII.2002, leg.: C. / Häuser, D. Bartsch & A. Zahm [w, p]’ ( SMNS). The specimens are provided with additional, printed red labels : ‘ HOLOTYPUS [or PARATYPUS], / Apophylia / snizeki sp. nov., / det. J. Bezděk 2005’.

Description. Body length: males 5.50-6.45 mm (holotype 6.25 mm); females 6.45-6.60 mm.

Male: Body flattened, parallel, densely pubescent, dull. Head yellow, vertex with large black spot sometimes touching inner margin of eyes, postgenae black posteriorly, mandibles dark brown with black apices. Frontal tubercles usually yellow, in some specimens dark brown to black. Antennae yellow, apices of last five segments darkened. Pronotum yellow with three black spots (one median and two lateral). Scutellum black, elytra metallic green. Prosternum darkened, mesosternum yellow with large black median spot, mesoepisterna black, mesoepimera yellow. Metasternum black with paler posterior edge, metaepisterna yellow. Abdomen dark brown to black, last ventrite in some specimens yellow or with yellow posterior margin. Legs yellow, last two tarsomeres of all tarsi infuscate.

Labrum transverse, laterally covered with several pale setae, anterior margin shallowly but distinctly sinuate. Anterior part of head semiopaque, sparsely covered with long pale setae. Frontal tubercles small, subtriangular, covered with microsculpture, semiopaque. Vertex dull, with large feeble groove behind frontal tubercles, coarsely and densely punctate and covered with short pale hairs. Antennae filiform, 0.75-0.85 times as long as body, length ratio of antennomeres 1 to 11 equal to 18-8-16-22-20-19-19-18-17-15-19.

Pronotum tranverse, 1.95-2.00 times as broad as long, widest at anterior third, narrowed posteriad, semiopaque, densely covered with coarse punctures and pale hairs. Surface with two large lateral depressions. Anterior margin widely and shallowly concave, posterior margin nearly straight, lateral margins slightly rounded. Anterior and posterior margins thinly bordered, lateral margins indistinctly so. Anterior angles widely rounded, posterior angles obtusely angulate and only indicated, all angles with distinct small tooth bearing one long pale seta.

Scutellum subtriangular with rounded apex, densely covered with small punctures and short pale hairs, semiopaque. Elytra parallel and dull. Humeral calli well developed. Elytral surface covered with small and very dense, confluent punctures and short pale hairs. Epipleura distinct but narrow, disappearing before apex. Macropterous. Metasternum bifurcate posteriorly ( Fig. 27 ).

Ventral surface lustrous, finely punctate and covered with pale hairs. Last visible ventrite with deep subtrapezoidal incision.

Hind tarsomere 1 1.15 times longer than following two tarsomeres combined. Tarsomeres 1 of middle and hind tarsi robust ( Fig. 28 ). Claws bifid.

Shape of aedeagus as in Fig. 25 .

Female: Abdomen yellow. Metasternum without large teeth. Last ventrite entire ( Fig. 26 ). Tarsomeres 1 of middle and hind tarsi slender. Claws appendiculate.

Differential diagnosis. Owing to the bifurcate male metasternum ( Fig. 27 ), A. snizeki sp. nov. is similar to A. nobilitata . Males of both species differ in the structure of the aedeagus ( Figs. 1 , 25 ). Females of A. snizeki sp. nov. have the last ventrite entire ( Fig. 26 ), while it is incised in females of A. nobilitata ( Fig. 26 ).

Etymology. Dedicated to the collector of a part of the type series, Miroslav Snížek (České Budějovice, Czech Republic).

Bionomy. Unknown.

Distribution. Kenya.

Figures

Figs. 25-28. Apophylia snizeki sp. nov. 25 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view); 26 – last ventrite of female; 27 – male metasternum; 28 – male metatarsus. Scale: 1 mm (Figs. 25-26, 28); 2 mm (Fig. 27).

Figs 1-5. Apophylia nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871. 1 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view); 2 – last ventrite of female; 3 – last ventrite and pygidium of female, lateral view; 4 – male metasternum; 5 – male metatarsus. Scale: 1 mm (Figs 1-3 and 5); 2 mm (Fig. 4).