Charidotis rochai Simões & Sekerka, 2024

Simões, Marianna V. P., Sekerka, Lukáš, Mota, Adriana Andrade, Nearns, Eugenio H., Monné, Miguel A. & Monné, Marcela L., 2024, New records of Cassidinae and Cerambycidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) from Baturité Massif, Brazil, with the description of a new species of Charidotis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 5477 (5), pp. 587-599 : 588-591

Charidotis rochai Simões & Sekerka , new species

( Fig. 1–8 )

Type locality. Brazil: Ceará: Serra do Baturité, Guaramiranga , RPPN Sítio Lagoa .

Type material ( Figs. 1–8 ). Holotype: ♂, point-mounted: ‘ Brasil, Ceará, Serra do | Baturité, Guaramiranga , | RPPN Sitio Lagoa 30.XI- | 07.XII. 21 M. L. Monné [w, p, cb] || [ QR CODE] | MNRJ-ENT7-45725 [grey, p, cb]’ ( MNRJ) . Paratypes: 8 ♀, point-mounted, same data as holotype but with numbers 45724, 45727, 45729, 45736 ( MNRJ), 45728, 45735 ( MHNC), 45734 ( LSC), and 45743 ( SMF). All specimens provided with an additional label : ‘ HOLOTYPE [or PARATYPE respectively] || Charidotis rochai sp. nov. | M. Simões & L. Sekerka des. 2024 [r, p,cb]’.

Diagnosis. The new species belong to the Charidotis species group characterized by frontoclypeal plate not shortened, broader than long, smooth and yellow; disc of elytra regularly convex and regularly and coarsely punctate, intervals narrow and not carinate; explanate margins of elytra and pronotum uniformly yellow; disc of elytra, scutellum and basal half of pronotal disc uniformly dark coloured; antennomere VI not longer than IV or V. According to Spaeth’s (1936) key, Charidotis rochai sp. nov. runs to the couplet 228 next to C. turbida Spaeth, 1936 , which differs in dorsum with a thin black ring, with a central red spot (vs. uniformly black with a blue tint), finer punctation of elytra with broader intervals. The most similar species is, however, C. circumtexta Boheman, 1862 , which was misplaced in the key by Spaeth. The new species was compared with a series of topotypic specimens perfectly matching the type of C. circumtexta . Charidotis circumtexta is similar in size, body shape, and coloration, but differs as follows: dark coloration of elytra black centrally exceeding marginal row of punctures (vs. with conspicuous bluish metallic tint in C. circumtexta ); elytra more sculptured with distinct postscutellar and principal impressions and low but distinct postscutellar elevation (vs. nearly regularly convex without postscutellar impressions and with barely visible principal impressions); rows of punctures impressed and intervals elevated forming low ribs (vs. rows less impressed and intervals not forming ribs); antennomeres VIII–X approximately as long as wide, X and XI black (vs. antennomere X distinctly longer than wide, only tip of XI black). It is also externally similar to the sympatric species C. furunculus (Boheman, 1855) , which differs in having a shortened frontoclypeal plate, less convex elytra, and very dark pitch-brown coloration of the disc with a weak metallic tint, which is never blue.

Description. Measurements (n= 1 ♂, 8 ♀). Length of body: 4.5–4.7 mm, width of body: 4.1–4.3 mm, length of pronotum: 1.2–1.3 mm, width of pronotum: 2.8–2.9 mm. Body broadly subcircular ( Figs. 1, 6 ).

Body yellow with large discal black spot with conspicuous bluish tint covering basal half of pronotum, scutellum, and disc of elytra; latter only narrowly yellow below humeral calli and on apical slope. The ventral side uniformly yellow, only the tips of the antennae black ( Figs. 2, 6 ).

Pronotum broadly oval, transverse, 2.2–2.3 × as wide as long, widest around mid-length. Anterior margin regularly convex, lateral sides broadly rounded, basal margin smooth. Whole surface of pronotum shagreened more conspicuously on dark part of disc, smooth and strongly shiny. Disc moderately convex, gradually rising and not sharply delimited from explanate margin; on dark part very finely and very sparsely punctate; punctation barely visible on yellow parts; oblique and shallow impression on each side, of lateral basal area. Explanate margin translucent with distinct honeycomb structure, smooth and shiny, without perceptible punctures. Extreme anterior outer margin slightly bent upwards.

Scutellum subpentagonal, strongly shagreened, semiopaque, impunctate, centrally impressed and with three transverse carinae.

Base of elytra moderately wider than pronotum, basal margin regularly inflexed and smooth. Humeral angles subobtuse, moderately protruding anteriad. Disc of elytra regularly convex, without postscutellar impressions, principal impressions very shallow, thus without postscutellar elevation. Humeral calli normally convex but not delimited from disc by impressions or carinae. Whole surface of disc conspicuously shagreened, somewhat semiopaque, without any wrinkles. Punctures large, deeply impressed and foveolate, arranged in ten regular rows plus short scutellar row of 4–7 punctures. Rows slightly impressed, punctures within rows arranged more-or-less regularly and densely, separated by distance usually smaller than puncture diameter or equal to it. Marginal row distinct whole length, its punctures as coarse as those in central parts of disc, deeply impressed and somewhat less regularly spaced than other rows thus interspaces appear partly convex. Intervals narrow, ca. 1–1.5 × as wide as puncture diameter, slightly convex, particularly on apical slope of disc; their surface of intervals with several random and fine punctures here and there. Explanate margin broad, moderately declivous, in widest part about 1/2 as wide as disc, its surface shagreened, shiny and smooth. Extreme outer margin somewhat incrassate extended and bent upwards. Apex of elytral epipleuron sparsely pubescent in both sexes.

Antennae with six slimmer, shiny and sparsely pubescent basal antennomeres and five thicker, opaque, and densely pubescent distal ones. Length ratio of antennomeres: 63:49:31:44:58:50:53:46:45:49:100. Antennomere III 1.3 × as long as II and only slightly shorter than IV, antennomeres IX–X subequal in length. Eyes large, oval, occupying about 3/4 of lateral length of head, gena short, but visible and smooth. Clypeal plate trapezoidal, ca. 1.3 × as wide as long, delimited by fine row of setose punctures, its surface smooth, shagreened, shiny and impunctate, centrally with more or less visible triangular impression. Labrum transverse, smooth, without emargination.

Prosternal collar slightly projecting only in front of mouthparts. Prosternal process very broad between coxae with moderately expanded rhomboidal- apex; area between coxae slightly wrinkled, not impressed, apex with fine setose punctures, each bearing long erect seta.

Legs unmodified, tarsal claws simple and all micro-pectinate ventrally.

Sexual dimorphism weakly manifested, males ( Figs. 1–2 ) more circular with slightly broader explanate margin than in females ( Figs. 5–6 ). Genitalia uniform, typical for the genus and not diagnostic.

Distribution. Brazil: Ceará, known from Serra do Baturité.

Etymology. This species is named after Professor Francisco Dias da Rocha, a Brazilian naturalist who gathered an extensive collection representing animals, plants, and minerals from the Ceará state, which now composes the newly founded Prof. Dias da Rocha Natural History Museum.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Charidotis rochai new species Simões & Sekerka: 1–4, holotype, male: 1, dorsal view, 2, ventral view, 3, lateral view, 4, label; 5–8, paratype, female: 5, dorsal view, 6, ventral view, 7, lateral view, 8, label.