Taophila nigrans Jolivet, Verma

Samuelson, Allan, 2010, Review of Taophila, a genus endemic to New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae), Zootaxa 2621, pp. 45-62 : 48-49

Taophila nigrans Jolivet, Verma , and Mille

Fig. 1c, 1d, 3c, 4g

Taophila nigrans Jolivet et al. (2007) Revue française d’Entomologie (N.S.), 29(1):43–44, fig. 25 (spermatheca).

A small to moderate-sized, dark orangish to reddish-castaneous species; described from female. Female: dorsal surfaces dull granulate with pronotal punctures very close and deep; elytron duller on inner disc with moderately deep punctures, discal side and apex with interspaces somewhat smoother; elytron additionally with prominent costae along side and preapex, the side sinuately narrowed to costate apex (in dorsal view). Dorsal vestiture setose and erect. Abdominal ventrite 1 (in oblique ventral view) convexly inclined to metasternum on basal ¾ and rather sharply bent to plane of remaining ventrites on apical ¼.

Male (nov.). Unlike female in lacking elytral costae and having a smoother, shinier and more uniform punctate surface; elytral side rather evenly narrowed to rounded preapex. Dorsal coloration orange-fulvous but marked with dark fuscous on inner basal quadrant of elytral disc, this mark appearing as a long triangle over both elytra. Dorsal surfaces lustrous and rather closely and deeply punctate. Abdominal ventrite 1 with surface uniformly and gradually inclined to metasternum. Genitalia: aedeagus extremely long and slender before briefly expanded apex; apex as in Fig. 3c. Measurements: Body length 2.9 mm; body breadth 1.25 mm; head breadth 86 cmm; interantennal space 28 cmm; interocular space 50 cmm; eye 26 cmm; gena 14 cmm; pronotal length 92 cmm; pronotal breadth 100 cmm; elytral length 2.2 mm.

Variation. Males: about 60% have the dorsum rather evenly orange-fulvous without strong fuscescent markings on the inner basal part of elytral disc.

Material examined. NEW CALEDONIA. Females: Col des Roussettes, 600 m, 24.xi.2002, beating Cyathea, A. Mantilleri & E.-A. Leguin (1 paratype, JOLIVET); W of Ponerihouen, 550 m, 29–30.vii.1971, ferns, J.L. Gressitt (1 BPBM); IAC: Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707, 945 m, beating, 11/10/06, C. Mille (9) [incl. 2 with Jolivet det. 2006]; same data but S. Cazeres (16, some with Jolivet det. label); same loc., S 21˚10.944’ E165˚17.355’, 855 m, 12/10/06, Cazeres (1); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, 2–25/11/05. Cazeres, Mille, Kataoui (1); same loc., 489 m, S21˚ 34.694’ E165˚46.278’, 10/10/06 Kataoui (1).

Males: Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707, 945 m, beating, 11/10/06, Cazeres (ɗ nov. MNHN); W of Ponerihouen, 550 m, 29–30.vii.1971, ferns, J.L. Gressitt (1 BPBM); IAC: Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707, 945 m, beating, 11/10/06, Cazeres (26 IAC); same data but Mille (19); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, beating, 2–25/11/05, Cazeres, Mille, Kataoui (1); same loc., 489 m, S21˚34.694’ E165˚46.278’, beating, 04/10/06, Cazeres (1); same loc., 489 m, S21˚34.694’ E165˚46.278’, beating, 10/10/06, Kataoui (1); same loc., 609 m, S21˚34.914’ E165˚48.376’, beating, 04/10/06, Kataoui (1); Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707, 945 m, beating, 11/10/06, Cazeres (1 Jolivet); same data but Mille (1); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, 2–25/11/05, Cazeres, Mille, Kataoui (1); same data, except 2–23/12/05 (1); same loc., 489 m, S21˚ 34.694’ E165˚46.278’, beating, 10/10/06, Kataoui (1). Parts of longer IAC series for deposit in BPBM, ISNB, JOLIVET, MNHN, NMNH, ONNC, and SMTD.

Remarks. This species differs from congeners by having the metafemur sub-clavate to clavate with metatibia correspondingly sinuate. The female is distinctive with the arrangement of elytral costae; the male has a shape resembling T. sagittarii , n. sp. but differs in having heavier, deeper punctures dorsally.