Neobarombiella multistriata ( Bryant, 1958 ) Bolz & Wagner, 2012

Bolz, Helmut & Wagner, Thomas, 2012, 3463, Zootaxa 3463, pp. 1-112 : 75-77

Neobarombiella multistriata ( Bryant, 1958) comb. n.

( Figs 80, 125–127)

Monolepta multistriata Bryant, 1958: 61 .

Total length. 2.20–3.15 mm (mean: 2.71 mm) (n=7).

Head. Frons and vertex black, labrum, labial and maxillary palpi brownish-black. Antenna yellowish-brown to brown at base, becoming darker from fourth antennomere to apex ( Fig. 125); length of second to third antennomere 0.75–0.80 (mean: 0.79), and length of third to fourth antennomere 0.71–0.80 (mean: 0.73) ( Fig. 127). Eyes small and widely separated ( Fig. 125), width of eye to interocular distance 0.41–0.47 (mean: 0.44).

Thorax. Pronotum black with dull greenish metallic sheen, punctuation very fine, not distinctly trapezoidal; pronotal width 0.74–0.90 mm (mean: 0.82 mm), pronotal length 0.38–0.52 mm (mean: 0.46 mm), and pronotal length to width 0.51–0.59 (mean: 0.56). Elytron black with dull greenish or bluey metallic sheen and characteristic striae consisting of deep, coarse punctuations, slender; elytral length 1.50–2.20 mm (mean: 1.89 mm), elytral width 1.10–1.40 mm (mean: 1.21 mm), and maximal width of both elytra to length of elytron 0.58–0.64 (mean: 0.60) ( Fig. 125). Meso- and metathorax brown or brownish-black, legs entirely brown to brownish-black; length of basimetatarsus to metatibia 0.40–0.47 (mean: 0.44).

Abdomen. Entirely brownish.

Male genitalia. Median lobe short, stout and ventrally strongly down-curved apically ( Fig. 126), apical section lacking incision, ridges or additional structures; slightly sclerotized ventral projection in lateral view; endophallic brush fully covered by tectum and median lobe, and lacking distinct sclerites.

Diagnosis. Neobarombiella multistriata is one of the smallest species in this taxon and can be characterised by its linear elytral punctuation. The only other species which has this kind of punctuation and similar colouring is N. sculptipennis . The latter species can be distinguished by its broader pronotum and elytra, pronotal length to width 0.47–0.51 (0.51–0.59 in N. multistriata ); maximal width of both elytra to length of elytron 0.69–0.75 (0.58–0.64 in N. multistriata ) ( Figs 112, 125), and the pronotal punctuation which is much finer than that of the elytra, whilst they are the same size in N. sculptipennis . Neobarombiella nigrocaerulea has dull metallic elytral colouring, but the pronotum is largely yellow, sometimes with a yellow sub-humeral spot, and lacks the striate elytral punctuation ( Fig. 33). Small specimens of N. nigrita and N. punctatolineata also have an entirely dark brown to black dorsum, but lack the dull metallic sheen, which is sometimes also barely recognizable in specimens of N. sculptipennis . Both N. nigrita and N. punctatolineata can be also distinguished by the lack of coarse linear elytral punctuation. However, the latter species often has slight but not continuous, regular and very indistinct striate elytral punctuation ( Fig. 48). Neobarombiella congoensis sp. n. is also similar to N. multistriata in appearance, but lacks deep linear elytral punctuation ( Figs 125, 133) and is entirely black, also lacking dark greenish or bluey metallic colouring.

Distribution. Only recorded from a small area in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and only from the type specimens ( Fig. 80).

Type material examined. Holotype, male: “ Type / Congo belge: P.N.U., Kenia affl. dr. Lusinga, 1.585 m

19– XII –1947 , Mis. G. F. de Witte 1200a / Monolepta , multistriata, Holotype Bry, G. E. Bryant det. 1956 / Coll. Mus. Congo, (ex coll. I.P.N.C.B.) / Holotypus / AfriGa, specimen ID, 1077, specimen data, documented, 6.IV.2006 ” ( MRAC; Fig. 128). Holotype by original designation. Type locality: Democratic Republic of the Congo, near Lusinga, 8°56'S / 27°12'E.— Paratypes: 2 ex., Kakunda, affl. g. Lupiala, 1.300 m , XI.1947, Mis. G. F. de Witte ( BMNH) ; 4 ex., P. N. Upemba, Kenia affl. dr. Lusinga, 8°56'S / 27°12'E, XII .1947 (2 ex. BMNH, 2 ex. MRAC); 3 ex., P. N. Upemba, Lupiala , 8°50'S / 26°44'E , XI.1947 ( MRAC) ; 1 ex., P. N. Upemba, Mabwe, 8°39'S / 26°31'E, I.1949 ( MRAC) .