Mimastra malvi Chen, 1942

Bezděk, Jan, 2009, Revisional study on the genus Mimastra (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae): Species with unmodified protarsomeres in male. Part 1., Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 49 (2), pp. 819-840 : 825

Mimastra malvi Chen, 1942

( Figs. 4 , 24 )

Mimastra malvi Chen, 1942: 30 (original description).

Mimastra malvi: GRESSITT & KIMOTO (1963) : 536 (key); WILCOX (1973): 483 (catalogue); YANG (1992a): 570; YANG (1992b): 339;

Mimastra grahami Gressitt & Kimoto, 1963: 536 (key), 537 (original description), syn. nov.

Mimastra grahami: WILCOX (1973) : 483 (catalogue); YANG (1992a): 570; YANG (1992b): 339.

Type localities. Mimastra malvi : ‘Szechwan: Pehpei’ [= Beibei, 29°49′N 106°26′E Sichuan, China]. Mimastra grahami : ‘S. Shensi’ [= South Shaanxi, China].

Type material examined. Mimastra malvi : not examined.

Mimastra grahami : PARATYPES: ♀, ‘Chunking / 2000ft / V.6-27.30 [w, p] // Szechuen / CHINA / DCGraham [w, p] // US [w, p] // PARATYPE [p] / ♀ / Mimastra / grahami [p] / Gressitt & Kimoto [yellow label, p] // Mimastra / grahami [h] / Gressitt & Kimoto det. 19 [p] 59 [w, h]’ ( BPBM); ♀, ‘Szechuen / CHINA / DCGraham [w, p] // Suifu / ft / May ‘24 [w, p] // US [w, p] // PARATYPE [p] / Mimastra ♀ / grahami [p] / Gressitt & Kimoto [yellow label, p] // Mimastra / grahami [h] / Gressitt & Kimoto det. 19 [p] 59 [w, h]’ ( USNM).

Additional material examined. CHINA: SICHUAN: 1 J 1 ♀, Wenquan, 2.iv.1940, ( IZCAS).

Differential diagnosis. Externally, M. malvi is very similar to M. maai but differs in having a more transverse pronotum (see under M. maai ) and the structure of the aedeagus ( Figs. 3–4 ).

Distribution. China: Shaanxi ( GRESSITT & KIMOTO 1963), Sichuan ( CHEN 1942, GRESSITT & KIMOTO 1963), Hunan ( YANG 1992a,b).

Comments. Mimastra malvi was described from five specimens from Sichuan: Pehpei. Unfortunately, the type series could not be located at IZCAS (ZHANG, pers. comm. 2007). On the other hand, two specimens collected in Wenquan (close to Pehpei) were available to study. They perfectly fit the description of M. malvi and are conspecific with the paratype of M. grahami . Undoubtedly, M. grahami is a new synonym of M. malvi .

Figures

Figs. 1–4. Aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view; c – ventral view). 1 – Mimastra badia Kimoto, 1989; 2 – M. fortipunctata Maulik, 1936; 3 – M. maai Gressitt & Kimoto, 1963; 4 – M. malvi Chen, 1942. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figs. 22–25. Habitus. 22 – Mimastra badia Kimoto, 1989 (paratype, male, 5.90 mm); 23 – M. fortipunctata Maulik, 1936 (female, 3.85 mm); 24 – M. malvi Chen, 1942 (paratype of M. grahami, female, 7.80 mm); 25 – M. maai Gressitt & Kimoto, 1963 (male, 6.80 mm).