Beltia angustomarginata (Bechynĕ) Flowers, 2018

Flowers, R. Wills, 2018, A review of the genus Beltia Jacoby (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Eumolpini), with descriptions of fourteen new species from Costa Rica, Panama, and northwestern South America, Insecta Mundi 672, pp. 1-43 : 6-7

Beltia angustomarginata (Bechynĕ) , new combination

Figures 11, 13 , 18 , 42 , 60 , 80

Colaspoides placidula angustomarginata Bechynĕ 1953: 123 (original description); Bechynĕ 1953: 279; Flowers 1996: 31. Holotype deposited in NHMUK, photos of holotype seen. Type locality: Panamá: Gatun, 1–3.II.1925.

Redescription. Male ( Fig. 18 ). Body ovate, dorsally convex; length 6.1 mm. Head, pronotum, elytra, and underside metallic dark blue with strong purple reflexion; antennae testaceous with apical four antennomeres darker, legs dark reddish brown, central parts of femora shining greenish blue.

Head. Clypeus densely punctate, punctures separated by distance subequal to their diameters. Frontoclypeal suture distinct. Frons strongly punctate, surface between punctures smooth, punctures separated by distance greater than their diameters; vertex with a distinct median impressed line; antennal calli weakly differentiated.

Thorax. Prothorax distinctly wider than long, L/W = 0.5 ( Fig. 11 , 18 ); disc regularly, finely punctate, punctures separated by distance greater than their diameters; surface between punctures glossy, with numerous punctulae. Prosternum smooth, sparsely punctate, glabrous; posterior margin of intercoxal process slightly concave, width of intercoxal process 1.1× diameter of procoxa. Metasternum smooth in center, finely wrinkled laterally; metepisternum finely alutaceous.

Elytra. Evenly punctate, punctures separated by distance greater than their diameters, surface between punctures with small punctulae; width across humeri 1.1× width across pronotum. Basal calli weakly developed, postbasal depression shallow.

Abdomen. Sterna with numerous short setae, and long setae across middle third at rear margin of segments III–VI, surface of segments alutaceous. Terga with a row of distinct spicules along base of segments II and III and laterally on IV; surface of V and VI shagreened.

Genitalia. Median lobe in lateral view strongly curved, with lateral flanges ( Fig. 42a ); in en-face view “arrowhead”-shaped ( Fig. 42c ), lateral flanges strongly sclerotized, apicolateral margins convergent to a small median triangular projection; apex of endophallus with a patch of strong spicules and a small curved apical sclerite ( Fig. 42b ).

Female. Length 6.1–7.6 mm; color similar to male but purple reflex stronger; antennae testaceous, with apical three antennomeres piceous; color of legs as in male.

Head. Punctation as in male.

Thorax. Pronotum with proportions slightly less transverse than male, punctation as in male. Surface of prosternum with short whitish setae, posterior margin less concave. Metasternum and elytra as in male.

Abdomen. Sterna with scattered whitish setae, apex of sternum VII weakly crenulate, with apical, shallow, V-shaped emargination and a short, subapical transverse costa. Terga heavily sclerotized, surface alutaceous; a row of spicules along base of tergum II, a short basal row on either side of midline on terga III and IV; surface of V and VI shagreened.

Genitalia. Segments VIII–XI forming an elongate (L/W = 5.0) ovipositor ( Fig. 60a ). Sternum VIII with a long, wire-like basal apodeme, slightly widened at apex; segment IX covered with minute spicules; hemisternites with elongate basal rods; baculum distinct, elongate; gonocoxae distinctly longer than wide. Spermatheca ( Fig. 60b ) with bulb-like receptacle, distinctly constricted at union with pump.

Specimens examined. (1♂, 4♀) PANAMA: Colón Prov. (1♂) Colón, Sierra Llorona Lodge , 17–21- II- 2012, Col.: J.B. Heppner ( FSCA) ; Panamá Prov. (1♀) Barro Colorado Island 5–9.I.1987 Windopans, forest H. Wolda, Gpo. 4B ( USNM); (2♀) El Llano, Carti rd. km 8–11, 24 May–3 Jun 1992, 1100′ J.E. Wappes ( USNM); (1♀) 2700′, Cerro Campana , May 13, 1978 CW& LB O’Brien & Marshall ( FSCA) .

Diagnosis. Males of Beltia angustomarginata can be recognized by the wide pronotum and “arrowhead”- shaped apex of the median lobe. Females have a less obviously transverse pronotum, but share with the male a strong purple reflex on the upper body.

Remarks. Bechynĕ (1953) described B. angustomarginata as a subspecies of Colaspoides (now Beltia ) placidula , which is so far known only from a small area of Peru, based on a narrower pronotal margin and deeper postbasal depression. The structure and punctation of the pronotum in these two forms are different; additionally, in all specimens of B. placidula the legs are entirely dark fulvous to brown, whereas all known specimens of B. angustomarginata have metallic legs. This, along with the fact that both forms seem to have limited and disjunct distributions, appears to me to justify considering them distinct species. So far, this species (including the type) has been collected only in central Panama ( Fig. 80 ).

Figures

Figures 9–17. Structures of Beltia. 9) Profemur, B. nicaraguensis. 10) Profemur, B. tisingalita. 11) Pronotum, B. angustomarginata. 12) Pronotum, B. ledesmae. 13) En-face view of median lobe, B. angustomarginata. 14) Apex of abdomen, B. placidula. 15) Concave prosternum (arrow), B. ledesmae. 16) Head and pronotum, B. napoensis. 17) Male abdomen with seta patches (arrow), B. herreri.

Figures 18–26. Beltia, dorsal habitus. 18) Beltia angustomarginata, male. 19) Beltia awapita, male. 20) Beltia chiriquensis, female. 21) Beltia confusa, male. 22) Beltia gorgona, female. 23) Beltia herreri, male. 24–26) Beltia ledesmae, females. 24) Monochrome specimen. 25) Bicolored specimen. 26) Same female as (25) photographed with diffuser.

Figures 42–49. Beltia, male genitalia: a) lateral view of median lobe; b) endophallic apical sclerites; c) en-face view of median lobe. 42) Beltia angustomarginata. 43) Beltia awapita. 44) Beltia chiriquensis. 45) Beltia confusa. 46) Beltia gorgona. 47) Beltia herreri. 48) Beltia ledesmae. 49) Beltia nicaraguensis.

Figures 60–66. Beltia, female genitalia: a) ovipositor, ventral view; b) spermatheca. 60) Beltia angustomarginata. 61) Beltia chiriquensis. 62) Beltia gorgona. 63) Beltia herreri. 64) Beltia ledesmae. 65) Beltia napoensis. 66) Beltia nicaraguensis.

Figures 80–82. Distribution maps for Beltia spp.: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. 80) Beltia angustomarginata (squares), B. osa (triangles), B. vacilona (circles). 81) Beltia chiriquensis (circles), B. herreri (stars), B. nicaraguensis (hexagons). 82) Beltia sanchezae (square), B. tilarana (inverted triangles), B. tisingalita (stars).