Australotymnes jipijapa Flowers

Flowers, Wills, 2009, A new genus and species of Eumolpinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from the western dry forest of Ecuador, Zootaxa 2132, pp. 65-68 : 67-68

Australotymnes jipijapa Flowers , new species

Holotype male. Length 5.8 mm. Head, pronotum and elytra shining dark green; antennae with segments 1–5 reddish brown, 6–11 piceous. Underside dark blue-green, tip of abdomen brown; legs reddish brown ( Figs. 1–2 ). Head and clypeus rugosely punctate, punctures separated by distance less than the diameter of puncture, surface between punctures alutaceous; apex of clypeus emarginate with long white setae laterally. Frons coarsely punctate, punctures separated by distance less than the diameter of a puncture; surface between punctures alutaceous; antennal calli alutaceous and slightly swollen with several large punctures. Mouthparts dark reddish brown with apex of labrum emarginate, with 4 dorsal setae and short fow of lateral setae along outer margin. Prothorax wider than long, L/W = 0.67; pronotal disc strongly punctate, with punctures widely spaced on dorsal midline, becoming denser laterally and forming pair of rugose oval areas near posterior angles, surface between punctures smooth, shining with small punctulae. Under surface of thorax smooth. Prosternum with long setae, coarsely punctate, width of intercoxal process 0.6 x diameter of procoxa. Mesosternum flat between coxae, densely punctate with dense white setae; metasternum punctate with dense short white setae; metepisternum with surface wrinkled. Elytra evenly punctate, width across humeri 1.28 x width across pronotum with punctures forming two striae along suture in apical third; interval VIII swollen in apical fourth and above apical declivity; surface between punctures smooth with scattered small punctulae; apices with concave emargination with a small tooth laterally on each side ( Fig. 3 ). Abdomen with dense prostrate setae, surface of segments alutaceous, male sternum VII with lateral margins smooth and a weak median depression. Median lobe elongate, tubular, with apex lanceolate ( Fig. 6 ); basal hood relatively short relative to median lobe, subbasal fenestra obsolete, basal spurs obtuse, scarcely produced. Endophallus not extruded but membraneous with only a small pair of needle-like sclerotized structures near the base. Apical sclerite robust, not twisted ( Fig. 5 ).

Allotype Female. Body elongate oval; length 6.9 mm; head, pronotum, elytra, and underside piceous with metallic green reflex; antennae reddish brown; legs piceous with bluish reflex. Prothorax distinctly wider than long, L/W = 0.52, pronotum as in male but with disc more evenly punctate, lacking rugose area near posterior angles; prosternum with width of intercoxal process 0.6 x diameter of procoxa. Legs similar in form to male but basal tarsomere of fore- and middle legs not expanded. Elytral punctation and apical emargination as in male. Abdomen with surface of segments alutaceous and strongly punctate, covered with yellowish-white setae, stenum VII with apical margin weakly emarginate, and with numerous long lateral and apical setae. Abdominal segments VIII–XI forming moderately elongate ovipositor ( Fig. 7 ) Sternum VII with long setae along apical margin laterally; baculum weakly sclerotized, subequal to gonocoxae; gonocoxae slender, with long setae in apical half, coxostyli small with long apical setae. Spermatheca as in Fig. 8 .

Etymology. This species is named for the town of Jipijapa (pronounced HEE-PEE-HA-PA) in Manabí Province, Ecuador, the nearest town to where the holotype of this species was found. The name is a noun in apposition.

Specimens examined

(4 3, 10 ƤƤ) Male HOLOTYPE labeled ECUADOR, Manabí, Sancan–Membrillal rd. 14 km NW Jipijapa , 4–feb–2008, R.W. Flowers, N. Mero. (MECN). Female ALLOTYPE labelled ECUADOR, Manabí, La Pila, roadside vegetation, 4–II–2008, R.W. Flowers, N. Mero. PARATYPES: 3 3, 8 ƤƤ (1 3, 2 ƤƤ MECN, remainder FSCA), same data as Allotype.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Australotymnes jipijapa 1, dorsal view; 2. lateral view; 3, view of apices of elytra.

FIGURES 4 – 8. Australotymnes jipijapa 4, median lobe; 5, apical sclerite; 6, apex of median lobe; 7, ovipositor; 8, spermatheca.