Tegyrius anupama, Prathapan & Viraktamath, 2009

Prathapan, K. D. & Viraktamath, C. A., 2009, Revision of Tegyrius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), with descriptions of eight new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 157 (2), pp. 326-358 : 332-335

TEGYRIUS ANUPAMA SP. NOV.

( FIGS 15–24 )

Distribution: Sri Lanka .

Host plant: Piper nigrum L.

Description: General colour shiny black. Head piceous, with brownish tinge. Pronotum and elytra shiny black. Sternites dark brown to black. Antennae and legs yellowish brown, except pro- and mesofemora, which are dark brown in the proximal two-thirds, and metafemora, which are dark brown with a lighter apex.

Supraorbital sulcus weak, but distinct. Third antennomere slightly shorter than fourth; fifth slightly longer than fourth; sixth shorter than fifth; seventh longer than sixth; eighth to tenth each slightly shorter than preceding one; last subequal to or slightly shorter than first. Distal five antennomeres slightly thickened. Antennae reach half of the elytra over the pronotum.

Antebasal transverse impression absent. Apex of prosternal intercoxal process convex, preapical depressions indistinct. Prosternal intercoxal process 4.3 times wider than distance between anterior margin of prosternum to coxal cavity; distance from anterior margin of prosternum to end of intercoxal prosternal process 2.0 times the minimum width of the prosternal intercoxal process.

Mesoscutellum broader than long, with broadly rounded apex. Mesosternal intercoxal process depressed on top, posterior margin concave. Elytra with maximum width at anterior two-thirds. Elytral apex convex, and moderately broad. Elytral punctures minute, tend to form rows, with the distance between adjacent punctures 1.5–3.5 times the diameter of a puncture in the anterior half of the elytron. First metatarsomere distinctly longer than half of metatibia.

Subparalllel ridges along first abdominal ventrite well developed, extending beyond two-thirds of ventrite, nearly parallel with converging ends ( Fig. 15 ). Last visible tergite of females with a short groove. Last visible ventrite in males with a group of microsetae on each side laterally, lobe in middle of last male ventrite with a convex apical margin ( Fig. 16 ).

Aedeagus laterally compressed, moderately curved in lateral view, with a transverse depression preapically ( Fig. 19 ). In ventral view, apex without angulate extremities, with a narrow transparent window along the middle, sharply raised along the middle, and forming an acute preapical ridge ( Fig. 18 ). Distal opening partially covered with lamina ( Fig. 20 ). Arm of tegmen much shorter than stem ( Fig. 21 ).

Spermatheca with horizontal part of pump shorter than vertical part, receptacle nearly three times longer than wide, outer and inner sides slighty convex in middle, and narrowed towards duct; duct folded three or four times ( Fig. 22 ). Proximal sclerotization of vaginal palpus subequal to distal sclerotization, with each sclerotization being shorter than the unsclerotized lateral area ( Fig. 23 ). Tignum curved with broad distal sclerotization ( Fig. 24 ).

Sexual dimorphism: First pro- and mesotarsomeres slightly enlarged in males. First metatarsomere of males modified as in T. antennatus comb. nov., but to a lesser extent. Posterior margin of last visible ventrite in females deeply incised, the incision with an acute process in the middle ( Fig. 17 ).

Measurements (n = 4): Length, 2.00–2.21 (2.10); width, 1.10–1.30 (1.24); length of pronotum, 0.49–0.62 (0.57); width of pronotum, 0.74–0.82 (0.79); width of head across eyes, 0.55–0.60 (0.57); transverse diameter of one eye, 0.21–0.24 (0.22); distance between eyes, 0.21–0.26 (0.23); distance between eye and antennal socket, 0.02–0.03 (0.03); distance between antennal sockets, 0.07–0.08 (0.07); diameter of one antennal socket, 0.06–0.07 (0.07); length of aedeagus, 0.90; length of receptacle, 0.25; length of vaginal palpus, 0.39.

Types: Holotype ♂. Labels: (1) Sri Lanka , Knuckles Range, Atanwala, 7–8 March 2006, coll. K. D. Prathapan; (2) Tegyrius anupama sp. nov. Prathapan & Viraktamath, 2007; (3) holotype (BMNH).

Paratypes (17 specimens): 6♂ and 9♀, with the same data as for the holotype, except the locality was Kandy and the date was 6 March 2006 from Piper nigrum ; 1♂ and 1♀, with the same data as for the holotype, except the locality was Siripagama and the date was 17 March 2006 (3 BMNH, 2 EUJ, 2 KUJ, 1 LMC, 2 NHMB, 3 NPC, 1 PKDC, 1 UASB, and 2 USNM) .

Etymology: Anupama literally means ‘unique’ in Sanskrit, and refers to the unique features of the species. The name is a noun in apposition.

Remarks: Tegyrius anupama sp. nov. is unique among the species of the genus in having the last female ventrite with a deep incision bearing an acute process in the middle. Among the Oriental flea beetles, Trachyaphthona bidentata Chen & Wang (1980) from China exhibits a similar sexual dimorphism. A laterally compressed aedeagus, with a transverse preapical depression in lateral view, is another unique feature of this species. Tegyrius anupama sp. nov. is a common pest of black pepper, P. nigrum , in Sri Lanka , feeding on the underside of mature leaves as T. keralaensis comb. nov. does in southern India.

Figures

Figures 15–21. Tegyrius anupama sp. nov.: 15, intercoxal ridges on the first abdominal ventrite; 16, male last abdominal ventrite; 17, female last abdominal ventrite; 18, aedeagus, ventral view; 19, aedeagus, lateral view; 20, distal opening; 21, tegmen.

Figures 22–24. Tegyrius anupama sp. nov.: 22, spermatheca; 23, vaginal palpi; 24, tignum.