Aulacophora cf. foveicollis (Lucas, 1847)

Bezděk, Jan, 2012, Galerucinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Socotra Island, with a review of taxa recorded from Yemen, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52, pp. 403-428 : 423

Aulacophora cf. foveicollis (Lucas, 1847)

( Figs. 39–41 )

Material examined (3 spec.). YEMEN: Sana’a gov., Beni Mansour vill. env. (stream valley), 15°06.1–4′N 43°52.8–53.2′E, 1520–1550 m, 5.xi.2010, 1 ♂, J. Bezděk leg.( JBCB) ; Sana’a gov., Wadi Moor (waterfall), 15°08.0′N 43°36.4′E, 744 m, 5.xi.2010, 1 ♂, L. Purchart leg. ( JBCB) ; Al Mahrah gov., Jabal al Fatk, Hawf NE of Al Ghaydah, 16°40′N 53°05′E, 729 m, 12.–13.x.2005, 1 ♂, P. Kabátek leg. ( JBCB) .

Distribution. Aulacophora foveicollis is widely distributed in southern Palearctic, African and Oriental Regions. It was reported from Yemen by BRYANT (1957). However, re-examination of those specimens is necessary to decide if his specimens belong to the true A. foveicollis , A. calva or unclear species of Aulacophora (see below).

Comments. All three recently collected specimens have yellow underside, only abdomen has black lateral margins. The median lobe of the male last visible ventrite is shallowly impressed but its apex has a deep transverse oval cavity ( Fig. 40 ). The body lenght of three available males: 7.0– 7.2 mm. The same colouration of underside was reported by MEDVEDEV (1996) for specimens of A. foveicollis from Saudi Arabia. Although the aedeagus of the Yemeni specimens is very similar to that of A. foveicollis as published by BERTI (1990) (see Figs. 41, 42 ), I have some doubts that my and Medvedev′ s specimens belong to A. foveicollis because this species has abdomen black with orange median lobe of the last male ventrite only. In my opinion specimens from the Arabian Peninsula may represent an undescribed species but I am unable to make a comprehensive revision of Aulacophora foveicollis material necessary for such decision at the moment. Moreover, I have not seen any female from the Arabian population whose structure of abdomen and pygidium can also help to unravel this problem.

Figures

Figs. 39–42. 32–34. Aulacophora cf. foveicollis (Lucas, 1847). 39 – habitus of male (7.1 mm); 40 – male abdomen; 41 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view, b – lateral view). 42 – aedeagus of Aulacophora foveicollis sensu BERTI (1990) (a – dorsal view, b – lateral view). Scale bar 1 mm for Fig. 41.