Taumaceroides Lopatin

Lopatin, I. K. & Konstantinov, A. S., 2009, New genera and species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from China and South Korea, Zootaxa 2083 (1), pp. 1-18 : 6-7

Taumaceroides Lopatin , new genus

( Figs 17–20 )

Body length 4.5 –5.3 mm, width at humeral calli 1.7–1.9 mm, width at posterior third of elytra 2.0– 2.1 mm. Body elongate, smooth dorsally, without hairs, hind wings well developed. Head with antennal calli nearly quadrate. Supracallinal sulci poorly developed. Midfrontal sulcus shallow but acute. Antennal sockets situated very close to each other. Frontal ridge narrow and relatively short. Anterofrontal ridge thin, well separated from frontal ridge. Gena short. Antennomeres five and six of male strongly modified ( Fig. 17 ).

Pronotum nearly flat in lateral view and almost as wide as long, with lateral and basal margins bordered. Sides gradually widening towards middle and narrowing anteriorly. Disc with wide transverse impression anterior of middle. Procoxal cavities open.

Elytra without callosity posterior of humeral calli. Epipleura strongly constricted at metasternum, narrowing strongly towards apex. Elytral surface uneven, covered with shallow small punctures.

Metatibia thin, cylindrical, without spur. Claw with denticle.

Type species: Taumaceroides sinicus Lopatin new species.

Comments: Taumaceroides is similar to Taumacera in the shape of the pronotum and luck of metatibial spurs. Taumaceroides can be differentiated from Taumacera by the shape of the facial part of the head. In Taumaceroides the frontal and anterofrontal ridges are thin and well differentiated from each other. In Taumacera both ridges are thick and together form a relatively long and wide callosity. Taumaceroides is significantly smaller than Taumacera , which also has mostly yellow or brown elytra with various patterns. The dorsum of Taumaceroides is entirely metallic blue. Also, the front legs in males of Taumacera are not modified as they are in Taumaceroides .

Etymology: The generic name refers to the similarity of this genus to Taumacera Thunberg.

Figures

FIGURES 17–20. Taumaceroides sinicus. 17, antenna; 18, profemora and protibia; 19, aedeagus, ventral view; 20, aedeagus, lateral view.