Benedictus, SCHERER, 1969

Damaška, Albert František, Konstantinov, Alexander & Fikáček, Martin, 2022, Multiple origins of moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): molecular phylogeny, overview of genera and a new genus from Africa, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 196, pp. 647-676 : 656

BENEDICTUS SCHERER, 1969

( FIG. 4 )

Type species: Benedictus elisabethae Scherer, 1969 .

Synonymy: Himalalta Medvedev, 1990 (synonymized by Sprecher-Uebersax et al., 2009).

Phylogenetic position: The genus belongs to the Manobia generic group, together with the winged and leaf-surface-living genera Aphthonoides Jacoby, 1885 , Manobia Jacoby, 1885 and Phyllotreta Chevrolat, 1836 . The sister-group of Benedictus is the morphologically similar new African moss-inhabiting genus Benedictoides .

Diversity and distribution: Twenty-eight species of Benedictus are described. The genus is mainly distributed in the Oriental region, where it clearly shows a ‘Himalayan’ pattern of distribution, with the centre of diversity in the Himalayas and adjacent lower mountain ranges in Thailand and China. It also reaches the Philippines (Luzon). Species of Benedictus are not yet known from any high mountain areas of Sundaland (like Mt. Kinabalu on Borneo or the mountain ranges of Sumatra), but a single species is known from southern India and one from New Guinea. However, the Papuan species ( B. andersoni Sprecher-Uebersax et al., 2009 ) is highly divergent from other Benedictus species in its morphology and its generic status shall be, therefore, considered carefully.

Revisions: The genus was revised by SprecherUebersax et al. (2009).

Morphological characteristics: The beetles are generally tiny (1–3 mm) with relatively distinct morphological diagnosis ( Sprecher-Uebersax et al., 2009). Body elongate to oval, colour usually brown, in some species light brown with dark colour pattern on elytra. Head with distinct supracallinal sulci and frontal calli, antennae usually long, reaching almost the midlength of elytra. Pronotum massive, convex, in some species longer than broad or subquadrate, with distinct anterior pronotal edges. Pronotal disc bearing, usually, an antebasal transverse impression with a stripe of distinct punctures, sometimes, impression shallow or even absent. Some species have short, basal, longitudinal, pronotal impressions. Procoxal cavities open posteriorly. Elytra usually convex and (in most species) strongly punctate; punctures usually forming 11 longitudinal striae. Wings absent. Humeral calli usually absent or feeble, sometimes surrounded with a row of punctures anteriorly. Metatibiae straight, bearing an apical spur. Abdomen forming a flat process reaching metacoxae. Aedeagus usually long and slender, spermatheca in most species with a long and strongly curved duct, sometimes with many coils. Vaginal palpi parallel, with apices close together.

Ecology: Many species of Benedictus were found by sifting moss or leaf litter at high altitudes, sometimes even around 4000 m a.s.l. Thus, members of the genus are believed to be moss-inhabiting ( Sprecher-Uebersax et al., 2009). Interestingly, one species was recently also found in mid-elevation mountain habitats of Hong Kong, where it was collected using pitfall traps ( DamaŠka & Aston, 2019).

Remarks: The genus resembles the Himalayan and Chinese genera Loeblaltica Scherer, 1989 and Microcrepis Chen, 1933 , which are flightless and leaflitter-inhabiting. The genus Microcrepis differs from Benedictus especially in having closed procoxal cavities, compared to the open ones in Benedictus . Loeblaltica can be distinguished from Benedictus by having round metatibia in cross-section, not having a channel dorsally and by having triangular frons (SprecherUebersax et al., 2009). Benedictus can be separated from the similar African genus Benedictoides , based on the diagnosis provided below.

Figures

Figure 4. Moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera distributed in Asia. A A, Paraminotella nigrita; B, Benedictus shivalayanicus; C, Paraminota lauribina; D, Ivalia korakundah; E, Cangshanaltica nigra; F, Baoshanaltica minuta; G, Phaelota viridipennis; H, Clavicornaltica dali.