Pseudotheopea similis (Kimoto, 1989) Lee & Bezděk, 2020

Lee, Chi-Feng & Bezdek, Jan, 2020, Revision of the Theopea genus group (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae), part III: Descriptions of two new genera and nine new species, ZooKeys 912, pp. 65-124 : 65

Pseudotheopea similis (Kimoto, 1989) comb. nov. Figs 12D-F ; 25

Theopea similis Kimoto, 1989: 201.

Theopea sauteri : Kimoto, 1989: 200 (part, misidentification).

Theopea subviridis Medvedev, 2012: 67. syn. nov.

Types.

Theopea similis . Holotype ♀ (BPBM): "LAOS. Vientiane / 31.V-3.VI.1960 [p, w] // S. Quate and / L. Quate / Collectors [p, w] // Theopea / similis / n. sp. [h, w] // HOLOTYPE [p, r]".

Theopea subviridis . Holotype ♂ (LMCM, based on photographs): "S Vietnam, N. Dongnai Pr. / Nam Cat Tien Nat. Park / Exped. Russ.-Vietnamese / Tropical Centre / at light HLQ450 / leg. D. Fedorenko.X.2004 [p, w] // HOLOTYPUS / Theopea / subvidiridis / L. Medvedev [p, r]".

Other specimens examined.

LAOS. 1♂ (BPBM), Umgeb. Vanky, 1963, identified as Theopea sauteri by Kimoto (1989).

Redescription.

Length 5.0-6.4 mm, width 1.8-2.3 mm. Body color (Fig. 12D-F ) metallic blue or purple, but antennae, legs, and mouth parts dark brown. Antennae filiform in females (Fig. 25A , lost in males), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.3: 0.7: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 0.8: 1.0, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 3.3: 1.6: 2.9: 4.0: 4.1: 3.9: 4.0: 4.6: 4.8: 4.4: 5.0. Elytra elongate, parallel-sided, 1.9-2.0 × longer than wide; disc with dense, coarse punctures, arranged into longitudinal rows, with one indistinct longitudinal ridge between two longitudinal rows of punctures, with dense, short setae along ridges. Tarsomeres I of front legs slightly swollen in males; subparallel in females. Aedeagus (Fig. 25B-D ) slender, 9.0 × longer than wide; apex with shallow incision; tectum long, from apical 1/7 to basal 2/5; almost straight in lateral view, strongly curved at base; triangular sclerites small; internal sac with elongate, endophallic sclerite complex, 0.5 × as long as aedeagus, composed of three sclerites, basal piece longest, 0.5 × long as entire sclerite, apical piece a little shorter than basal piece, 0.4 × long as entire sclerite, median piece shortest, 0.1 × long as entire sclerite; with one pair of dorsal sclerites elongate, 0.5 × as long as apical piece. Gonocoxae (Fig. 25F ) elongate, both gonocoxae fused from basal 1/3 to apical 1/3; apices convergent and narrowly rounded, each gonocoxa with eight setae along lateral margin from apex to apical 1/6; with one pair of short lateral processes at basal 2/5. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 25E ) elongate and well sclerotized; disc with several long setae at sides and near apical margin, and with dense, short setae along apical margin; spiculum extremely slender. Receptacle of spermatheca (Fig. 25G ) strongly swollen; pump slender and strongly curved; proximal spermathecal duct deeply inserted into receptacle, narrow and short.

Variation. Reticulate microsculpture on pronotum is more or less reduced on specimens from Vietnam. A specimen from South Vietnam is metallic green in colour.

Diagnosis.

Pseudotheopea similis (Kimoto) is similar to P. irregularis (Takizawa) based on the indistinct ridges on the elytra and metallic blue body. This species is characterized by the presence of dense, short erect setae on the elytra. Males of P. similis are similar to those of P. collaris in the presence of paired dorsal aedeagal sclerites, but differ in the bifurcate and symmetrical apices (Fig. 25B-D ) (apices obliquely truncate apex in those of P. collaris ).

Remarks.

Pseudotheopea similis is easily recognized by the presence of dense erect setae on the elytra, which is also found on the holotype of Theopea subviridis . Such a characteristic feature supports their synonymy.

Distribution.

Laos, Vietnam.

Figures

Figure 12. Habitus of Pseudotheopea gressitti sp. nov. and P. similis. A P. gressitti sp. nov., male, dorsal view B Same, ventral view C P. gressitti sp. nov., female, dorsal view D P. similis, male, dorsal view E P. similis, female, dorsal view F Same, ventral view.

Figure 25. Diagnostic characters of Pseudotheopea similis. A Antenna, female B Aedeagus, dorsal view C Aedeagus, lateral view D Aedeagus, ventral view E Abdominal ventrite VIII F Gonocoxae G Spermatheca.