Beltia Jacoby, 1881

Flowers, R. Wills, 2018, A review of the genus Beltia Jacoby (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Eumolpini), with descriptions of fourteen new species from Costa Rica, Panama, and northwestern South America, Insecta Mundi 672, pp. 1-43 : 5-6

Key to the Known Species of Beltia Jacoby

1. Profemur armed ( Fig. 9, 10 )..................................................... 2 — Profemur unarmed............................................................ 4

2(1). Profemur with a large quadrate tooth ( Fig. 9 )................ B. nicaraguensis Jacoby — Profemur with a small acute tooth ( Fig. 10 )........................................ 3

3(2). Known from Costa Rica and Panama............. B. tisingalita Flowers , new species — Known from South America................................ B. weyrauchi (Bechynĕ)

4(1). Median lobe of aedeagus with strong lateral flanges, giving the en-face view an “arrowhead” shape ( Fig. 13 )............................................................. 5

— Median lobe of aedeagus with shape different from above............................ 9

5(4). Pronotum of male strongly transverse ( Fig. 11 ), that of female trapezoidal; entire dorsum deep metallic purple................................ B. angustomarginata (Bechynĕ)

— Pronotum of both sexes trapezoidal ( Fig. 12 ); purple color, if present, confined to elytra.... 6

6(5). Head, body, femora, and tibiae with various combinations of metallic colors; tarsi reddish brown; antennae tan, with only segments 10 and 11 darkened...... B. chiriquensis (Jacoby)

— Antennae with at least apical three segments darkened, or entire antenna yellow; if tarsi tan or brown, then at least apex of tibiae of similar color.............................. 7

7(6). Known from Peru east of the Andes; apical segment of female abdomen with a pair of small tubercles ( Fig. 14 )..................................... B. placidula (Bechynĕ)

— Known from west of the Pacific coastal areas of Colombia and Lower Central America; female abdomen lacking tubercles................................................... 8

8(7). Upper surface highly polished and shining, legs dark metallic blue or purple; known from western Colombia............................. B. gorgona Flowers , new species

— Upper surface blue or olive green, not highly polished; pronotum densely punctate, with conspicuous punctulae between main punctures (as in Fig. 31 ); legs dark reddish brown; known from southeastern Costa Rica and western Panama B. osa Flowers , new species

9(4). Intercoxal process of prosternum distinctly emarginate, with lateral angles prominent ( Fig. 15 )...................................................................... 10

— Intercoxal process of prosternum truncate or at most shallowly emarginate............ 14

10(9). Endophallus of aedeagus with a large twisted subapical sclerotized bar and apical fields of spicules ( Fig. 48b ); known from Ecuador west of the Andes.. B. ledesmae Flowers , new species

— Endophallus lacking above combination of characters.............................. 11

11(10). Smaller (<6 mm)............................................................ 12 — Larger (≥ 6 mm)............................................................. 13

12(11). Antenna entirely testaceous. Aedeagus with basal hood and median lobe subequal in length; apex of median lobe tapering to a point ( Fig. 45a ); known from Amazonian Peru......................................... B. confusa Flowers , new species

— Antenna testaceous, with the two apical segments black. Aedeagus with basal hood almost twice the length of median lobe; apex of median lobe sinuate, with a central projection ( Fig. 55a ); known from Amazonian Ecuador............. B. talaga Flowers , new species

13(11). Anterior angles of pronotum directed forward, visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 16 ); known from the Amazon Basin of Ecuador and northeastern Peru.. B. napoensis Flowers , new species

— Anterior angles of pronotum not directed forward nor visible when viewed from directly above the head; large body size (≥ 9 mm); size of punctures on pronotum subequal to those of elytra; known from the western slope of the Ecuadorian Andes... B. tsachila Flowers , new species

14(9). Elytra strongly and rugosely punctate ( Fig. 33 )......... B. rugosa Flowers , new species — Elytra smooth, or moderately or finely punctate................................... 15

15(14). Meso- and metathorax entirely yellowish brown beneath; dorsal color metallic green................................................... B. tilarana Flowers , new species

— Thorax beneath dark metallic, at least in part; dorsal color various................... 16

16(15). Head, body, legs, and apical half of antennae shining dark blue.................................................................... B. vacilona Flowers , new species

— Other colors present; if largely dark blue, at least tarsi and/or the majority of antennomeres brown or tan.............................................................. 17

17(16). Legs entirely reddish brown; male with transverse patch of dense short setae on abdominal sterna IV and V ( Fig. 17 )........................ B. herreri Flowers , new species

— Legs dark metallic, at least on femora; males with setae similar on abdominal sterna III–VI......................................................................... 18

18(17). Endophallus of aedeagus with a twisted subapical sclerotized bar and apical fields of spicules ( Fig. 43b ); sides of pronotum shallowly curved ( Fig. 19 ); known from western Ecuador..................................... B. awapita Flowers , new species

— Endophallus lacking subapical structures; sides of pronotum strongly curved ( Fig. 34 ); known from Costa Rica............................ B. sanchezae Flowers , new species

Figures

Figures 9–17. Structures of Beltia. 9) Profemur, B. nicaraguensis. 10) Profemur, B. tisingalita. 11) Pronotum, B. angustomarginata. 12) Pronotum, B. ledesmae. 13) En-face view of median lobe, B. angustomarginata. 14) Apex of abdomen, B. placidula. 15) Concave prosternum (arrow), B. ledesmae. 16) Head and pronotum, B. napoensis. 17) Male abdomen with seta patches (arrow), B. herreri.

Figures 27–35. Beltia, dorsal habitus. 27) Beltia napoensis, male. 28) Beltia napoensis, female. 29) Same female as (28) photographed with diffuser. 30) Beltia nicaraguensis, female. 31) Beltia osa, male. 32) Beltia placidula, female. 33) Beltia rugosa, male. 34) Beltia sanchezae, female. 35) Beltia talaga, male.

Figures 42–49. Beltia, male genitalia: a) lateral view of median lobe; b) endophallic apical sclerites; c) en-face view of median lobe. 42) Beltia angustomarginata. 43) Beltia awapita. 44) Beltia chiriquensis. 45) Beltia confusa. 46) Beltia gorgona. 47) Beltia herreri. 48) Beltia ledesmae. 49) Beltia nicaraguensis.

Figures 50–56. Beltia, male genitalia: a) lateral view of median lobe; b) endophallic apical sclerites; c) en-face view of median lobe; d) en-face view of endophallic lateral digits. 50) Beltia napoensis, with endophallus partly everted: c) specimen from Peru; e) specimen from Ecuador. 51) Beltia osa. 52) Beltia placidula. 53) Beltia rugosa. 54) Beltia sanchezae. 55) Beltia talaga. 56) Beltia tilarana, with endophallus partly everted.

Figures 18–26. Beltia, dorsal habitus. 18) Beltia angustomarginata, male. 19) Beltia awapita, male. 20) Beltia chiriquensis, female. 21) Beltia confusa, male. 22) Beltia gorgona, female. 23) Beltia herreri, male. 24–26) Beltia ledesmae, females. 24) Monochrome specimen. 25) Bicolored specimen. 26) Same female as (25) photographed with diffuser.