Teratolytta sp. A (possible new species related to Teratolytta carlae Bologna, 2006)

Bologna, Marco A. & Di Giulio, Andrea, 2016, New species of Teratolytta Semenov, 1894 from Turkey and a key to the females (ColeopteraMeloidae), ZooKeys 625, pp. 87-97 : 90-93

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Meloidae

Teratolytta sp. A (possible new species related to Teratolytta carlae Bologna, 2006) Fig. 4a

Material examined.

1 ♀ (M.A. Bologna collection), labelled "Turkey 12. Gümü ṣhane, 14 km N Kelkit, 6 km N Ülüpinar, 40.1533N - 39.2847E, 1850-2150 m, 28.6.2013, M.A. Bologna, P. Rapuzzi & P. Audisio" (by pitfall traps positioned 30 days before).

This locality is placed on the southern slope of the eastern Pontus range, in a submesophilic mountain habitat, characterized by a mosaic of Quercus woodlands and pastures, with Crataegus and other Rosaceae in the ecotonal borders.

Diagnostic characters and comparative analysis.

Middle sized species (Fig. 4a), length 17 mm; body integument metallic green but head, pronotum (except base, which is green), one very wide longitudinal stripe along each elytron, meso- and metathoracic sternites and abdominal sternites metallic cupreous; clypeus, labrum, mandibles and antennae black; maxillary and labial palpomeres respectively light and dark red-orange, last maxillary palpomere black at apex; legs red-orange, but coxae, trochanters, apex of femurs and base of tibiae black.

Head transversely trapezoidal, with dense and deep punctures, slightly depressed in front; black elongate setae on temples. Antennae short (Fig. 4a), extending to or a little beyond the base of pronotum; antennomeres short, particularly V-VII. Pronotum transversely subexagonal (Fig. 4a), maximal width just anterior to the middle, sides subrounded in the basal half; in the middle with a slight mid-longitudinal depression; punctures slightly sparser than on head. Scutellum subrectangular, rounded at apex, with long black setae particularly on sides. Elytra weakly convex only on the basal third, subrugose, with long whitish setae, denser posteriorly and on lateral margins. Ventral side with dense and long whitish setation. Legs not modified; tibiae straight; all legs with two tibial spurs, fore and middle slender, posterior spurs spatuliform, external spur wider; claws distinctly curved.

The single female does not correspond to any described species and possibly represents a new undescribed species. We prefer not to describe it and wait for the discovery of the male.

Six other species in both Section I and II have a cupreous longitudinal stripe on the elytra: (a) Teratolytta carlae Bologna, 2006 (Fig. 4b); Teratolytta kaszabi Kryzhanovskij, 1959 (Fig. 4i); Teratolytta regina Kaszab, 1958; (b) Teratolytta dives ( Brullé, 1832) (Fig. 4c), Teratolytta tricolor (Haag-Rutenberg, 1880), Teratolytta vanensis Kaszab, 1968 (Fig. 4o). Species A differs from the species in Section II because it has a narrower cupreous elytral stripe, metallic green head and pronotum, distinctly longer antennae, extending to the fore third of elytra, more slender and elongate antennomeres V-VII. Moreover in Teratolytta dives and Teratolytta tricolor the pronotum is wider in front, slightly concave, not rounded with whitish setae and head and pronotum punctures are bigger. Due to the more expanded black coloration of knees and black setation on pronotum and head, the probable new species is more similar to Teratolytta vanensis , which differs by its notably smaller size, narrower pronotum and distinctly longer antennae.

Comparing this new Teratolytta species with other striped species of Section I, Teratolytta kaszabi and Teratolytta regina , have slightly longer antennae, similar body size and both are distributed in Central Asia. Moreover, Teratolytta kaszabi has red unicolour knees and more hexagonal and narrower pronotum. The probable new species is similar to Teratolytta carlae in colour of setae on head and pronotum, colour of knees and body and the length of antennae, but differs by smaller size, less slender body, and slightly widened posterior portion of elytra. The striped form in Teratolytta carlae is a variant and other specimens are uniformly blue.