Serraphula oberprieleri, Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010

Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle genus Serraphula Jacoby and description of Bechynella, a new genus from Western and Central Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), Zootaxa 2444, pp. 1-44 : 22-23

Serraphula oberprieleri sp. n. ( Figs 14 , 21 , 39 , 49 , 65 )

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype 3, ZIMBABWE, Vumba Mts, Bunga Forest, 19°07’S 32°46’E, 1800 m, 18.i.1992, R. Oberprieler leg. ( SANC). Paratypes: same locality, date and collector of the holotype, 1 3 and 1 Ƥ ( BAQ; SANC).

DIAGNOSIS. Considering the peculiar morphology of its spermatheca, S. oberprieleri occupies a clearly isolated taxonomical position within the genus. It is also easily distinguishable from other Serraphula species for the association of the following morphological characters: large body size; greenish dorsal integuments, with evident metallic reflection; very densely and strongly impressed pronotal punctuation; characteristic shape of the median lobe of aedeagus.

DESCRIPTION. Holotype 3. Dorsal integument greenish, with evident metallic reflection. Body shape elliptical-elongate (LB = 2.18 mm), moderately convex. Maximum pronotal width at apical third (WP = 0.70 mm); maximum elytral width at middle (WE = 0.95 mm).

Frons and vertex with shagreened surface; a large setigerous pore with some small setigerous punctures gathered near each upper ocular margin; frontal dimples moderately impressed; frontal grooves distally finely impressed around upper ocular margin; frontal tubercles dorsally not delimited; frontal carina scarcely raised; labrum sub-trapezoidal, brownish; palpi brown; eyes sub-elliptical, normally sized; antennae slightly shorter than body length (LAN = 2.09 mm; LAN/LB = 0.96), with segments 1–6 yellowish, segments 7–11 gradually darkened; length of each antennomere proportional to numerical sequence 22:14:14:18:21:19:20:19:19:19:26 (right antenna).

Pronotum sub-trapezoidal, weakly transverse (LP = 0.58 mm; WP/LP = 1.22), laterally scarcely rounded; basal and lateral margin finely bordered; punctation densely and uniformly distributed, with rather large clearly impressed punctures on shagreened surface. Scutellum sub-triangular, apically sub-rounded, with microreticulate surface.

Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 1.48 mm; LE/LP = 2.57), covering almost entirely pygidium; laterally clearly rounded, apically obtuse; punctation arranged in 9 (+ 1 little visible scutellar) regular rows, with large and strongly impressed punctures; elytral interstriae clearly keeled, with strongly punctulate and finely wrinkled surface; humeral calli absent; sub-apterous metathoracic wings.

Legs yellowish but with partially darkened hind femora; hind tibiae straight. Apical spur of hind tibiae slightly shorter than hind tibial length (LHT/LHTS = 1.08), straight; dorsal furrow very narrow in proximal third, then gradually but strongly enlarged; denture regularly and densely formed by clearly distinct teeth. First anterior and middle tarsomeres moderately dilated, with adhesive structures on ventral side (cf. Figs 77,79, 81–82 ).

Ventral integument dark-brown; apical margin of last abdominal sternite medially hollow.

Median lobe of aedeagus (LAED = 1.01 mm; LE/LAED = 1.46) in ventral view laterally sub-parallel, apically rounded, with a little median small tooth; ventral sulcus visible in apical half; in lateral view, median lobe regularly and slightly curved; dorsal sulcus visible in apical 2/3s; dorsal ligula apically rounded.

VARIATION. 3 (n = 2; mean and standard deviation): LE = 1.60 ± 0.18 mm; WE = 1.01 ± 0.08 mm; LP = 0.63 ± 0.07 mm; WP = 0.75 ± 0.07 mm; LAN = 2.14 ± 0.07 mm; LAED = 1.07 ± 0.08 mm; LB = 2.24 ± 0.09 mm; LE/LP = 2.56 ± 0.01; WE/WP = 1.34 ± 0.02; WP/LP = 1.20 ± 0.02; LE/LAED = 1.50 ± 0.05; LAN/ (LE+LP) = 0.96 ± 0.08; LHT/LHTS = 1.08 ± 0.01. Ƥ (n = 1): LE = 1.89 mm; WE = 1.28 mm; LP = 0.75 mm; WP = 0.85 mm; LAN = 2.29 mm; LSP = 0.18 mm; LB = 2.50 mm; LE/LP = 2.52; WE/WP = 1.50; WP/LP = 1.13; LE/LSP = 10.79; LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.87; LHT/LHTS = 1.08.

Paratypes. Paratypes in shape, color and sculpture similar to the holotype but they show more clearly delimited frontal tubercles and reddish legs. Female bigger than male (LB = 2.50 mm).

Spermatheca very large (LSP = 0.18 mm; LE/LSP = 10.79) with reniform basal part; distal part hookshaped; appendix absent; ductus long and clearly curved, apically inserted.

ETYMOLOGY. This new species is named after its collector R. Oberprieler (SANC). DISTRIBUTION. Zimbabwe. Southern-Eastern African chorotype (SEA) (cf. Biondi & D’Alessandro, 2006).

ECOLOGICAL NOTES. No ecological information is available for this species.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Geographical distribution of: Serraphula aenea Jacoby; S. alticola sp. n.; S. debiasei sp. n.; S. drakensbergensis sp. n.; S. duplessisi sp. n.; S. grobbelaariae sp. n.; S. monticola sp. n.; S. oberprieleri sp. n.; S. osellai sp. n.; S. transvaalensis sp. n.; S. uysi sp. n.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Habitus of: S. natalensis sp. n. (13); S. oberprieleri sp. n. (14); S. osellai sp. n. (15); S. puncticollis Bryant (16).

FIGURES 37 – 42. Head and pronotum of Serraphula Jacoby: S. duplessisi sp. n. (37); S. grobbelaariae sp. n. (38); S. oberprieleri sp. n. (39); S. osellai sp. n. (40); S. puncticollis Bryant (41); S. wittmeri sp. n. (42).

FIGURES 43 – 60. Median lobe of aedeagus of Serraphula Jacoby; lateral, ventral and dorsal view: S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, Southwell area (43 a); S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, nr Thornhill (43 b); S. colonnelii, Kwazulu- Natal, Ifafa Mouth (44); S. debiasei, Eastern Cape Province, 4 km S Barkly Pass (45); S. uysi, Transvaal, Palala (46); S. puncticollis, Eastern Cape Province, Port St. John (47); S. natalensis, KwaZulu-Natal, Blesberg (48); S. oberprieleri, Zimbabwe, Bunga Forest (49); S. mpumalangaensis, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (50); S. alticola, Mpumalanga, Mount Sheba area (51); S. audisiana, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (52); S. aenea, Mashonaland (53); S. drakensbergensis, Kwazulu-Natal, Cathedral Peak (54); S. grobbelaariae, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Boskrans Dam (55); S. duplessisi, Limpopo, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Soutpansberg (56); S. bulirschi, Kwazulu-Natal, Ntendeka Wilderness Area, Ngomi Forest (57); S. transvaalensis, Eastern Transvaal, Nelshoogte Pass (58); S. osellai, Kwazulu- Natal, Ngele Forest (59); S. wittmeri, Limpopo, Branddraai (60).

FIGURES 61 – 76. Spermatheca of Serraphula Jacoby: S. natalensis, KwaZulu-Natal, Blesberg (61); S. audisiana, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (62); S. osellai, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (63); S. alticola, Mpumalanga, Mount Sheba area (64); S. oberprieleri, Zimbabwe, Bunga Forest (65); S. grobbelaariae, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (66); S. transvaalensis, Eastern Transvaal, Nelshoogte Pass (67); S. uysi, Transvaal, Palala (68); S. duplessisi, Limpopo, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Soutpansberg (69); S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, nr. Grahamstown (70); S. debiasei, Eastern Cape Province, 4 km S Barkly Pass (71); S. colonnelli, Kwazulu-Natal, Umzinto Vernon Crookes N. R. (72); S. wittmeri, Limpopo, Branddraai (73); S. mpumalangaensis, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (74); S. monticola, Kwazulu-Natal / Free State, Botha’s Pass (75); S. drakensbergensis, Kwazulu-Natal, Monk’s Cowl (76).

FIGURES 77 – 82. Ventral side of first anterior and middle tarsomeres in male and female of Serraphula elongata Jacoby: male with differentiated adhesive structure (77, 79, 81 – 82); female without differentiated adhesive structure (78, 80).