Paraneolepta limbella ( Baly, 1886 ) Hazmi & Wagner, 2013

Hazmi, Izfa Riza & Wagner, Thomas, 2013, Revision Of Neolepta Jacoby, 1884 And Related Galerucines From The Oriental Region, Including Descriptions Of Two New Genera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 61 (1), pp. 73-95 : 85-86

Paraneolepta limbella ( Baly, 1886) , new combination

( Figs. 25–30 )

Luperodes limbella Baly, 1886: 30

Type material. — Holotype, “ Luperodes limbella / Singa. / Type / Luperodes limbella Baly type / Baly coll.“ ( BMNH; Fig. 30 ). Type locality: Singapore, 2°38'N / 103°39'E. Baly gave no number on the specimens he studied, but there are three specimens available, and only one of them carries a label with “type”, which can be treated as holotype by indication.

Further material examined. — Brunei. 5 ex., Temburong District, Ridge NE of Kuala Belalong, 4°37’N / 115°8’E, 300 m, Oct.1992, 125 W MV Light Trap, J. H. Martin ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., Labi, Bukit Teraja 60 m, Mxt. Dipt. Forest , 4°25'N / 114°27'E, B.M.1983–39, Light trap 3, 25 m above ground, 23 Aug.1979, S. L. Suttor ( BMNH) . – Malaysia. 6 ex., Sarawak, Kapit dist., Sebong, Baleh riv., 1°54'N / 113°38'E, 9–21 Mar.1994, J. Horak leg. ( CJB) ; 3 ex., Sarawak, Mt. Matang , 1.55°N / 110.35°E, 13 Dec. – 14 Jan.1914, G. E. Bryant coll. 1919-147 ( BMNH) ; 7 ex., Quop , W. Sarawak, 1°33'N / 101°24'E, G. E. Bryant, Mar.–Apr.1914 ( BMNH) ; 8 ex., N. Borneo, Samawang, Nr. Sandakan , jungle, 5°55'N / 117°46'E, 13 Jul.1927, C. B. K & H. M. P., F. M. S. Museum ( BMNH) ; 2 ex., N. Borneo, Bettotan, Nr. Sandakan , 5°47'N / 117°52'E, 2 Aug.1927, C. B. K. & H. M. P., F. M. S. Museum ( BMNH) ; 6 ex., W. Sarawak, Lundu , 1°40'N / 109°48'E, Jan.1914, G. E. Bryant ( BMNH) ; 2 ex., Sarawak, 2°30'N / 113°15'E, 1907–1909, C. J. Brooks, B.M.1936-681, Wallace, Baly coll., ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., Sarawak, Bau , 1°25'N / 110°9'E, 18 Jul. – 1 Aug.1909, C. J. Brooks, B.M.1936-681 ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., Fed. Malay State , 1909, C. J. Brooks, B. M.1931-570 ( BMNH) ; 5 ex., Sabah, Lembah Danum , 5°08'N / 117°24'E, 3–5 Dec.1916, 8 Nov.1994, 27–31 Aug.1991, Salleh, Zaidi, Mail, Lan ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., N. Sembilan, Gemencheh , 2°35'N / 102°24'E, 4–6 Aug.1990, Zabidi ( UKM) ; 4 ex., Sabah, Danum Valley , 5°08'N / 117°24'E, 6–15 May 2007, B. H. Izfa leg. ( UKM) ; 1 ex., Sarawak, Lanjak Entimau , 1°11'N / 111°51'E, 28–29 Feb.1992, Zaidi ( UKM) ; 1 ex., Sandakan, Borneo , 5°50'N / 118°3'E, Baker ( NHRS) .

Total length. — 6.00– 7.50 mm (mean: 6.81 mm; n = 10)

Head. — Pale yellow to brown, impunctate. Antennae entirely black and only the first basal antennomeres usually contrasting pale yellow to brown ( Fig. 25 ). Ratio length of second to third antennomere 0.75–0.83 (mean: 0.79); ratio length of third to fourth antennomere 0.40–0.50 (mean: 0.44; Fig. 26 ).

Thorax. — Pronotum pale yellow to brown. Pronotal width 1.65–2.35 mm (mean: 1.99 mm), ratio length to width 0.60–0.63 (mean: 0.62). Scutellum usually black, but at least in 30% of the specimens examined, scutellum are yellowish and in that case, the elytra are entirely yellow to brown without further narrowly black sutural as in the other specimens, with sutural and lateral margin narrowly black. Elytral length 4.60–5.90 mm (mean: 5.25 mm), maximal width of both elytra together 3.20–4.30 mm (mean: 3.79 mm), ratio of maximal width of both elytra together to length of elytra 0.70–0.74 (mean: 0.72). Legs brownish, tibiae and tarsi blackish.

Abdomen. — Yellow to brown.

Male genitalia. — Median lobe symmetrical, parallel sided, insignificantly narrow towards apex, not incised apically. Tectum short, broad at base, and became lanceolate at apex ( Fig. 27a ). Endophallus consist of a bundle of laterally arranged long, slender and straight median spiculae. At the bottom of median spiculae, several basal endophallus structure. Sacculus clearly visible ( Fig. 27 ).

Female genitalia. — Spermatheca like description of the genus ( Fig. 28 ), one pair of bursa sclerites like Fig. 29 .

Distribution. — Recorded from Borneo, Brunei, Peninsular Malaysia ( Fig. 22 ).

Diagnosis. — Paraneolepta limbella is the most similar in body outline and general colouration to P. imitans . The differences on both species can be obtained by genital structures. The median lobe of P. limbella is much narrowed towards the apex ( Fig. 27 ), while for P. imitans , the median lobe is much broader at the apex ( Fig. 33 ). The spermatheca of both species are similar, but only one pair of bursa sclerites in P. limbella ( Fig. 29 ), while two pairs in P. imitans ( Fig. 35 ).

Figures

Figs. 25–29. Paraneolepta limbella (Baly, 1886). 25, dorsal colour pattern. 26, antennae: a, male; b, female. 27, median lobe: a, dorsal; b, lateral; c, ventral. 28, three different spermathecae. 29, one pair of bursa sclerites.

Fig. 30. Photographs of the holotype of Luperodes limbella Baly, 1886: a, with labels; b, detail.

Fig. 22. Distribution of P. marginata (Jacoby, 1884), P. limbella (Baly, 1886), and P. imitans (Jacoby, 1894).

Figs. 31–35. Paraneolepta imitans (Jacoby, 1894). 31, dorsal colour pattern. 32, antennae: a, female; b, male. 33, median lobe: a, dorsal; b, lateral; c, ventral. 34, three different spermathecae. 35, two pairs of bursa sclerites.