Blepharidina kasigauensis, Iannella & Biondi, 2019

Iannella, Paola D’Alessandro Mattia & Biondi, Maurizio, 2019, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle subgenus Blepharidina s. str. Bechyné (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Zootaxa 4545 (1) : -

Blepharidina kasigauensis sp. nov.

( Figs 9 , 28 , 45 , 69 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:515CD1AE-9BF6-451F-801D-3E28F478B0CD

Blepharidina (Blepharidina) burtli (Bryant) : Biondi et al. 2017: 129 (pars)

Type material. Holotype ♂: “ Kenya, Kasigau Mountains environment, Rukanga (3°48′28.80''S, 38°39′36''E), 25.xi.1997, M. Snizěk leg.” ( BAQ).

Diagnosis. Based on the similar shape of the aedeagus ( Figs 38 , 45 , 54 ), Blepharidina kasigauensis sp. nov. seems to be closely related to B. aliquantula sp. nov. and B. regalini sp. nov. However, the new species is mainly distinguishable by the following characters: aedeagus straighter and less sinuate dorsally in lateral view ( Fig. 45 ); antero-lateral part of pronotum more ventrally oriented, with anterior angles not visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 28 ) (visible in both B. aliquantula sp. nov. and B. regalini sp. nov. ( Figs 26, 33 ); elytral interstriae slightly carinate (mostly flat in both B. aliquantula sp. nov. and B. regalini sp. nov.). In addition, the pronotal punctuation of B. kasigauensis is more similar to B. aliquantula sp. nov. than B. regalini sp. nov. ( Figs 26, 28, 33 ).

Description of the holotype (♂). Body elliptical-elongate, rather convex ( Fig. 9 ); LB = 6.00 mm; maximum pronotal width (WP = 2.56 mm) in basal third; maximum elytral width (WE = 3.19 mm) in middle. Head brown with paler clypeus and labrum; antennae yellowish; pronotum with yellow and brown patches; elytra yellow with brown striae of punctures and some large and irregular brown patches; legs brown, with slightly paler tarsi. Head distinctly pubescent, roughly punctate; frontal grooves short, weakly impressed; frontal tubercles not definite; interantennal space little wider than length of first antennomere; interocular space wider than transverse ocular width; LA: 100:40:73:73:80:73:73:73:67:67:und. (last antennomere missing in both antennae). Pronotum subrectangular, distinctly transverse (LP = 1.44 mm; WP/LP = 1.78), with clearly sinuate lateral margin; anterior margin slightly thicker than basal margin, and distinctly sinuate laterally; anterior angles moderately prominent laterally; pronotal surface with lines and groups of differently sized punctures; pronotal base with two lateral, distinctly impressed, longitudinal striae. Scutellum brown, subrounded, moderately elongate. Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 4.31 mm; WE/LE = 0.74; LE/LP = 3.00), subparallel laterally, jointly rounded and entirely covering pygidium posteriorly; punctation distinctly impressed, arranged in 9 (+ 1 scutellar) regular rows; interstriae slightly carinate, especially laterally and posteriorly. First pro- and mesotarsomeres clearly dilated; tarsal claws bifid. Ventral parts brown; last abdominal ventrite without distinctive preapical impressions.

Aedeagus (LAED = 2.38 mm; LE/LAED = 1.82) ( Fig. 45 ) rather thickset in ventral view, slightly sinuate laterally, with subrounded, slightly acute apical part, and a small median tooth; ventral sulcus wide, open towards basal part; in lateral view, median lobe slightly narrowed subapically, with apical third slightly bent dorsally; dorsal ligula short, connected to approximately apical third.

Etymology. The female specific epithet refers to the locality, Kasigau, where the species was collected.

Distribution. Kenya ( Fig. 69 ). Possibly Northern-Eastern Afrotropical (NEA) chorotype.

Ecological notes. Not available. The collection site falls within the area of Eastern & Southern African Dry Savanna & Woodland vegetation (belonging to the Tropical Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland formation).

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Blepharidina s. str. species habitus: 1, B. aliquantula sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 2, B. bimbiensis (Bechyné), ♂ lectotype; 3, B. burtli (Bryant), ♂ from Manjoni, Tanzania; 4, B. carinata (Bryant), ♂ lectotype; 5, B. delineata (Bryant), ♀ lectotype; 6, B. guttulata (Baly), ♂ from Zamibuo, Angola; 7, B. himba sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 8, B. intermedia (Jacoby), ♂ from Kindwitvi, Tanzania; 9, B. kasigauensis sp. nov., ♂ holotype; 10, B. kenyana sp. nov., ♂ holotype.

FIGURES 26–33. Blepharidina s. str. species pronotum and basal part of elytra, in lateral view: 26, B. aliquantula sp. nov.; 27, B. burtli (Bryant); 28, B. kasigauensis sp. nov.; 29, B. kenyana sp. nov.; 30, B. knighti (Bryant); 31, B. ornaticollis (Jacoby); 32, B. picta (Kolbe); 33, B. regalini sp. nov.

FIGURES 44–49. Blepharidina s. str. species aedeagus, from left to right in ventral, dorsal, and lateral view: 44, B. intermedia (Jacoby), from Kindwitvi, Tanzania; 45, B. kasigauensis sp. nov., holotype; 46, B. kenyana sp. nov., holotype; 47, B. knighti (Bryant), lectotype; 48, B. laesa (Kolbe), lectotype; 49, B. macarthuri (Bryant), lectotype.

FIGURES 68–69. Blepharidina s. str. species distribution. Vegetation types are from Sayre et al. (2013).

FIGURES 38–43. Blepharidina s. str. species aedeagus, from left to right in ventral, dorsal, and lateral view: 38, B. aliquantula sp. nov., holotype; 39, B. bimbiensis (Bechyné), lectotype; 40, B. burtli (Bryant), from Manjoni, Tanzania; 41, B. carinata (Bryant), lectotype; 42, B. guttulata (Baly), from Masséssé, Republic of Congo; 43, B. himba sp. nov., holotype.

FIGURES 50–54. Blepharidina s. str. species aedeagus, from left to right in ventral, dorsal, and lateral view: 50, B. matabelelandensis sp. nov., holotype; 51, B. ornaticollis (Jacoby), from Ramisi River, Kenya; 52, B. partita (Jacoby), from Solwezi, Zambia; 53, B. picta (Kolbe), from Mikindani, Tanzania; 54, B. regalini sp. nov., holotype.