Metrogaleruca obscura ( Degeer, 1775 )

Moura, Luciano De A., 2016, New species, new combinations and synonymies of Neotropical Galerucini (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae), Zootaxa 4066 (1), pp. 63-70 : 67

Metrogaleruca obscura ( Degeer, 1775)

( Fig. 8 )

Chrysomela obscura Degeer, 1775:354 , fig. 15.

Chrysomela fuliginosa Gmelin, 1790:1688 .

Galerucella obscura: Weise, 1924:59 (cat.); Bechyné, 1956a:352; 1956b:967; 1958:543. Schematiza cordiae Barber, 1947:243 .

Caraguata longula Bechyné, 1954:125 , Syn. nov.

Caraguata paraensis Bechyné & Bechyné, 1961:19 , Syn. nov.

Caraguata longula diminuta Bechyné, 1963:236 , Syn. nov.

Metrogaleruca obscura obscura: Bechyné & Bechyné, 1969:24 ; Bechyné, 1997:294. Metrogaleruca obscura paraensis: Bechyné & Bechyné, 1969:25 ; Wilcox, 1971:108 (cat.), Syn. nov. Metrogaleruca longula longula Bechyné & Bechyné, 1969:25 .

Metrogaleruca longula diminuta: Bechyné & Bechyné, 1969:26 , Syn. nov. Metrogaleruca obscura Moura & Grazia, 2011:619 (biol. control)

I examined the type-material and other specimens identified by Bechyné as Caraguata paraensis Bechyné & Bechyné, 1961 (subsequently transferred to Metrogaleruca as a subspecies of M. obscura ) and I verified that they bear the same characteristics as Metrogaleruca obscura obscura . Because I have a large series of specimens of Metrogaleruca obscura ( Fig. 8 ), it is possible to report variability in the size of the color pattern, even in specimens from the same locality. Therefore, the division of Metrogaleruca obscura into two subspecies is not justified.

As for Metrogaleruca longula (originally described by Bechyné in Caraguata and here synonymized with M. obscura ), Bechyné (1963) distinguished Caraguata longula diminuta only because of its smaller size and the presence of a darker area at each side of the thoracic disc; these characteristics are also observed in the examined specimens of M. obscura and constitute merely intraspecific variation within populations.

Examined material. VENEZUELA, Falcon: Chichiriviche, 2♀, 29.II.1964, J. & B. Bechyné col. ( MIZA). SURINAME, Paramaribo: Paramaribo (l’Hermitage)(at light), ♂, 1–14.XII.1969, N. Nieser col. ( IRCW); Brownsburg (= Brownsberg), ♂, 19.VII.1975, D. Engleman col. ( TAMU); ♀, 20.VII.1975, D. Engleman col. ( TAMU). BRAZIL, Amapá: (Fazendinha), ♀, 03.I.1980, E. L. Oliveira col. ( MPEG); Macapá (Museu C. Lima), ♀, 15.I.1980, E. L. Oliveira col. ( MPEG); Pará: Belém, ♂, 29.XII.1960, Flávio col. ( MPEG); ♂, 02.VI.1961, J. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); (Granja St. Hort. E. F. Bragança), ♂, ♀, II.1957, Dirings col. ( MZSP); (Parque Ambiental), 2♂, 20.IV.2004, A. L. Nunes e equipe col. (sweeping) ( MPEG); ♀, 13.X.2004, A. L. Nunes e equipe col. ( MPEG); (IAN), ♀, 26.V.1961, J. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); (Utinga), Metrogaleruca obscura paraensis , holotype ♂, 03.XII.1960, Bechyné col. ( MPEG); ♀, 24.IV.1961, J. & B. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); ♀, 25.IV.1961, J. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); (Marituba), ♀, 01.VI.1961, J. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); ♀, VIII.1964, E. Dente col. ( MCNZ); Benfica, ♂, 15.XII.1960, J. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); Benevides, ♂, 30.XII.1960, J. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); ♂, 15.VI.1961, J. & B. Bechyné col. ( MPEG); 2♂, 15.VI.1961, J. & B. Bechyné col. ( MZSP); Maranhão: Igarapé Gurupi-Una (Aldeia Araçu, 50 km E de Canindé), ♂, ♀, II.1966, Malkin col. ( MZSP); Tocantins: Campinas, 2♀, XII.1935, Borgmeier & Lopes col. ( MNRJ); Bahia: 3♂, 7♀, G. Bondar col. ( MNRJ); 3♂, G. Bondar col. ( FMNH); Espírito Santo: Guarapari, ♂, XI.1961, M. Alvarenga col. ( DZUP 059271); Rio de Janeiro: Campos dos Goytacazes, ♀, 14.IV.1999, D. J. Cavan col. ( MCNZ); (Pesagro), ♂, ♀, 29.XI.1996, M. Hoffmann col. ( UENF); Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte, ♀, X.1940 ( MPEG); Serra do Caraça (Engenho)(800 m), 2♂, XI.1961, Kloss, Lenko, Martins & Silva col. ( MZSP); São Paulo: Jaú, ♂ ( MCNZ); Santa Catarina: Laguna, ♀, I.1964, A. Souto col. ( MCNZ); Rio Grande do Sul: Torres (Colônia São Pedro), actually Dom Pedro de Alcântara, 2♂, 30.IV.1993, L. Moura col. ( MCNZ); Arroio Teixeira, ♀, 28.II.1989, M. Hoffmann col. ( MCNZ). BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz: 9mi. N. Sta. Cruz, ♂, ♀, 28.III.1978, O’Brien & Marshall col. ( TAMU); ♂, ♀, night GB, 28.III.1978, Marshall col. ( TAMU). PARAGUAY, without data, ♂, ♀ (115.17.2) ( MLPA); San Pedro: Carumbé, ♂, 28.I–10.III.1965, R. Golbach col. ( IMLA); ♀, 01.II.–08.III.1966, R. Golbach col. ( IMLA). ARGENTINA, Salta: Cerro San Bernardo, 4♂, 20.I.1948, Willink & Monrós col. ( IMLA); ♂, Cerro 20 de Febrero, 20.I.1950, Willink & Monrós col. ( IMLA).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Metrogaleruca obscura (Degeer, 1775), habitus. Length 6.2 mm.