Meishania bhutanensis Konstantinov, Ruan and Prathapan, 2018

Ruan, Yongying, Konstantinov, Alexander S., Prathapan, K. D., Zhang, Mengna, Jiang, Shihong & Yang, Xingke, 2018, New contributions to the knowledge of Chinese flea beetle fauna (III): revision of Meishania Chen & Wang with description of five new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), Zootaxa 4403 (1), pp. 186-200 : 190-192

2. Meishania bhutanensis Konstantinov, Ruan and Prathapan , new species

( Fig. 2 )

Etymology: This new species is named after the type locality.

Distribution: Bhutan.

Description: Body length: 1.85–1.95 mm. Body width: 1.10–1.20 mm. Body length to width ratio: 1.60–1.65. Pronotum width to length ratio: 1.81–1.91. Pronotum width at base to width at apex ratio: 1.15–1.20. Elytron length (measured along suture) to width of both ratio: 1.10–1.15. Length of elytron to length of pronotum ratio: 3.10–3.20. Width of elytra at base (measured across middle of humeral callus) to width of pronotum at base ratio: 1.09–1.19.

Dorsum dark blue, with strong metallic luster. Antenna entirely yellow brown. Legs yellow brown except metafemur darker. Body ovate in dorsal view.

Vertex with a few scattered minute punctures and one large supraorbital pore on each side near eye. Supracallinal, supraantennal, and suprafrontal sulci poorly developed, barely visible. Midfrontal, supraorbital and orbital sulci deep. Frontal ridge much wider dorsally, distinctly narrowed ventrally. Distance between eyes (just above antennal sockets) to transverse diameter of eye in frontal view ratio: 1.10–1.20. Longitudinal diameter of eye to transverse diameter of eye in frontal view ratio: 1.60–1.70. Width of frontal ridge to antennal sockets (excluding surrounding ridges) ratio: 0.75–0.85. Anterior margin of labrum weakly convex.

Proportions of antennomeres as follows: 13:9:8:7:9:10:13:12:12:12:19. Length to width ratio of antennomere 9: 1.77–1.87; antennomere 10: 2.00–2.10; antennomere 11: 2.85–2.95.

Pronotum broad, with lateral margins slightly converging forward. Pronotal surface evenly covered with numerous punctures as large as those on elytra, with diameter 2–3 times smaller than distance between them. Lateral margins of pronotum nearly straight, slightly converging forward. Anterolateral callosity truncate, protruding antero-laterally, posterolateral callosity poorly developed.

Elytra with parallel sides; punctures entirely confused.

Length (not counting trochanter) to maximum width ratio of metafemur: 1.90–1.95. First protarsomere of male, length to width ratio (in dorsal view): 1.25–1.35. First metatarsomere of male, length to width ratio (in dorsal view): 1.40–1.50. Length of first metatarsomere to length of second metatarsomere ratio: 1.75–1.85.

Aedeagus short and robust. In lateral view aedeagus bent ventrally at distal part and almost straight at base, with apex slightly bent dorsally. In ventral view, parallel sided, apex abruptly narrowed.

Diagnosis: Meishania bhutanensis sp. nov. closely resembles M. cangshanensis sp. nov. with the dorsum entirely metallic blue. However, it may be distinguished from the latter by the darker color of antennae and legs: in M. bhutanensis sp. nov., antennomeres 1–3 are deep yellow brown, 4–11 dark brown and the legs are entirely dark brown; while in M. cangshanensis sp. nov., antennae and legs are entirely yellow brown, with metafemora slightly darker.

Types: Holotype: ♀, (currently in USNM, to be deposited at NBCB), labels: 1) Bhutan, 5km E. Nobding mixed for. with Rhododendr., N27°32' 387'' E90°10' 957'', 17.IX.2005, 2863m, Leg. A. Konstantinov & K. D. Prathapan, 2) Holotype, 3) Meishania bhutanensis n. sp. des Konstantinov & Ruan, 2016.

Paratypes: 1♂, 1) Bhutan, Tongsa dist. 10km S Tongsa slope, N27°29' 249'', E90°30' 482'', 12.IX.2005, 2131m, Leg. K. Mahat, P. Loday, A. Konstantinov & K. D. Prathapan, Paratype, Meishania bhutanensis n. sp. des Konstantinov & Ruan, 2016 ( USNM) . 1♀, Bhutan, Bumtang env., 20km E. Tongsa, N27°32' 058'' E90°34' 307'', 5.IX.2005, 3132m, Leg. A. Konstantinov & K. D. Prathapan, Paratype, Meishania bhutanensis n. sp. des Konstantinov & Ruan, 2016 ( USNM) . 1♀, Bhutan, Tongsa dist. 20km W Tongsa, N27° 27' 128'' E90°24' 242'', 11.IX.2005, 2410m, Leg. K. Mahat, P. Loday, A. Konstantinov & K. D. Prathapan, Paratype, Meishania bhutanensis n. sp. des Konstantinov & Ruan, 2016 ( NBCB) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Meishania bhutanensis sp. nov. A: habitus (Holotype, male). B: prothorax, dorsal view (Holotype). C: head, frontal view (Holotype). D: aedeagus, ventral view (Holotype). E: aedeagus, lateral view (Holotype). F: apex of aedeagus, dorsal view (Holotype).