Andersonoplatus merida, Linzmeier, Adelita M. & Konstantinov, Alexander S., 2018

Linzmeier, Adelita M. & Konstantinov, Alexander S., 2018, Andersonoplatus, a new, remarkable leaf litter inhabiting genus of Monoplatina (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini), ZooKeys 744, pp. 79-138 : 96-98

Andersonoplatus merida sp. n. Figs 21, 22

Description.

Body length 3.18-3.56 mm, width 1.56-1.89 mm, shiny, pilose, nearly flat in lateral view. Color castaneous.

Head (Fig. 21D): slightly convex in lateral view, shiny, evenly reticulated, generally sparsely punctuated. Frons and vertex forming nearly a 135° angle in lateral view. Antennal callus delimited from vertex by poorly formed, inclined supracallinal sulcus. Antennal callus slightly raised, surface uneven, with more than two punctures, some of them bearing setae. Orbital and supraorbital sulcus absent. Suprafrontal shallow. Frontolateral sulcus absent. Frontogenal suture well developed. Orbit slightly wider than transverse diameter of antennal socket. Interantennal space narrower than transverse diameter of eye and slightly wider than transverse diameter of antennal socket. Antennal socket rounded. Frontal ridge short, V-shaped. Antennae filiform; second antennomere shorter.

Thorax: pronotum (Figs 21A, B) narrower than elytra. Anterior margin wider than posterior, posterior margin nearly straight, lateral margin sinuated. Anterior angles pointed outwards. Surface reticulated, punctuate, pilose. Pronotal disc not raised. Scutellum triangular, reticulated, wider than long. Prosternal surface reticulated. Prosternal intercoxal process thin. Posterior end twice as wide as middle. Procoxae very close to each other. Elytra fused. Elytral surface shiny, pilose, punctate (Fig. 21A). Punctures forming nine striae. Interspaces flat. Second and third striae reaching elytral base. Epipleura nearly horizontal. Metafemur 1.37 times longer than metatibia. Metatibia almost straight in lateral and dorsal views. Metatarsomeres one and two of similar size, twice as long as third. Claws appendiculate and long.

Male genitalia (Fig. 22F): ventral side evenly convex without grooves and ridges, flattened apically.

Female genitalia (Fig. 22 A–E): tignum long, narrow, slightly bent, with central canal; anterior sclerotization relatively wide, posterior sclerotization well delineated, narrower than anterior (Fig. 22A). Vaginal palpi elongate, basally strongly sclerotized, each with eight setae at apex. Palpi narrowly rounded at apex, posterior sclerotization slightly curved on side (Fig. 22B), separated on more than one third of their length (Fig. 22B). Spermatheca curved, with receptacle and pump not differentiated from each other, receptacle longer than pump. Apex of pump with relatively thick spoon-like projection. Spermathecal duct short, widest at base, without coils, making narrow loop (Fig. 22C).

Type material.

Holotype, ♂. (1) VENEZUELA: Merida/ Alto de Timotes, Paramo/ de Mucuchies, 4000m/ 08°51'30"N, 70°49'29"W / 26.V.1998-043, R.Anderson. (2) dead leaves under / Espeletia sp (MIZA). Paratypes (2♀ USNM). (1♀ USNM) VENEZUELA: Merida/ P.N.Sierra Nevada/ Laguna Negra, 3300m/ 08°47'14"N, 70°48'31"W / 23.V.1998-028B, R.Anderson/ elfin forest litter. (1♀ CMNC) VENEZUELA: Merida/ Merida, Telef./ Loma Redonda, 4100m/ 22-29.VI.1989, S.&J. Peck/ paramo, Polylepsis grove/ ex: carrion trap.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition based on the type locality.

Differential diagnosis.

Andersonoplatus merida is similar to A. macubaji and can be differentiated from it based on the following characters: vaginal palpi separated on more than one third of their length (Fig. 22B); posterior sclerotization of vaginal palpi slightly curved on side (Fig. 22B); anterior end of tignum relatively wide (Fig. 22A).