Calomicrus jungchangi Lee and Beenen

Lee, Chi-Feng & Beenen, Ron, 2012, Calomicrus jungchangiLee and Beenen (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), a New Species from Taiwan, with Redescription of a Similar Species, Monolepta rufofulvaChûjô, 1938, The Coleopterists Bulletin 66 (2), pp. 123-130 : 123-126

Calomicrus jungchangi Lee and Beenen , new species

Diagnosis. Calomicrus jungchangi is an entirely yellowish brown species. Other entirely yellow or yellowish brown species from Asia are Calomicrus fulvus Kimoto, 1977 from Bhutan, Calomicrus persimilis Kimoto, 1989 from Laos and Vietnam, and Calomicrus kimotoi Warchałowski, 1991 from Myanmar. Only C. fulvus is approximately of the same length as C. jungchangi . The other species are 5–7 mm in length. Calomicrus fulvus differs in the relative length of the antennal segments: the third segment is slightly longer than the second, the fourth one and half times the third. In C. jungchangi , the third segment is equal to the second, and the fourth is twice as long as the third segment. Calomicrus ochraceus from China (Sichuan) is also a yellow species, but differs by its length (5.5–6.0 mm) and black head. Furthermore, the median lobe of the aedaeagus in C. ochraceus is wide and abruptly curved at its apex. Calomicrus jungchangi may be confused with Monolepta when the size of the basi-metatarsus is disregarded. It is most similar to M. rufofulva with respect to the yellowish brown or reddish brown color and the evenly convex pronotum. Monolepta rufofulva differs by its broadly oval body, the sexually dimorphic antenna, and the reddish brown color.

Description. Elongate oval. Total length 3.8– 4.1 mm. Greatest width across both elytra 2.0– 2.4 mm. Macropterous. General color ( Figs. 1–2 ) yellowish brown, antenna black or blackish brown except basal 2–3 antennomeres, labrum dark brown. Head: Maximum width of head across eyes 0.9 mm. Vertex impunctate, shiny with microscopic reticulation. Frontal tubercles transverse, shiny. Antennal formula 10-4-6-10-10-10-9-9-9-9-9; Length ratio of antennomeres II to III 0.96–1.00 ( Fig. 12 ); antennomeres III to IVabout 0.48–0.53; antennomeres IV-VII about 2.9 times longer than broad at apex; VIII-X relatively slender ( Fig. 7 ). Labrum square, with straight apical margin. Pronotum: Pronotal length to width ratio 0.63–0.66. Greatest width just before middle. Sides rounded. Front corners with calli, hind corners obtuse. Anterior border immarginate; lateral borders and posterior border with fine margin. Upper surface with fine reticulation and punctures, shiny. Scutellum: Triangular, impunctate, shiny. Elytra: Base broader than pronotum; ovate with greatest width just behind middle; maximum width of elytra to length of elytra 0.63–0.65. Humerus prominent; surface with shallow punctures on a reticulate surface; shiny with velvet sheen. Short erect hairs sparsely distributed on apical fifth of elytral surface. Elytral epipleuron even, wider from base to anterior margin of metasternum, then abruptly narrowing towards posterior margin of metasternum, then gradually narrowing towards apex. Legs: Slender. Hind tibia with large apical spine. Length ratio of basi-metatarsus to metatibia 0.33–0.34. Basi-metatarsus small, shorter than other tarsomeres combined. Tarsal claws appendiculate. Ventral surface: Procoxal cavities open posteriorly. Sexual dimorphism: Last abdominal sternite of male trilobed with central lobe almost square with straight margin; first segment of protarsus in male wider than in female. Male genitalia: Median lobe ( Fig. 8 ) slender, subparallel; apex rounded; ventral surface well-sclerotized; weakly curved in lateral view ( Fig. 9 ). Tectum apically acute and short, about 0.2X as long as median lobe. Endophallus in dorsal view ( Fig. 10 ) with 1 pair of small spiculae near apex, 4–5 hornlike spiculae at middle, basal spicula with 1 pair of slender sclerites curved towards apex; in ventral view ( Fig. 11 ), with 1 pair of flattened, wide, horn-like spiculae near apex, and in the middle part 2 pairs of spiculae: 1 pair of large horn-like spiculae with row of teeth along inner margin and 1 pair of curved spiculae composed of tiny teeth near basal part. Female genitalia: Spermathecal cornu ( Fig. 13 ) slender, apically strongly curved, abruptly widened near nodulus; nodulus spherical, large; spermathecal duct extremely wide at base, short. Dorsal part of bursa-sclerites ( Fig. 14 ) with 1 row of 7 teeth, 3–4 small teeth scattered near teeth; ventral part relatively long ( Fig. 15 ), with 1 row of 7 teeth.

Distribution. Calomicrus jungchangi is found along marine shores in southern Taiwan (Tainan and Pingtung Counties; Fig. 16 ).

Type Series. Holotype ♂: “ Taiwan: Pingtung Manchou , 29.VI.2011, leg. J.-C. Chen ( TARI) . Paratypes: 2♂♂ 5♀♀, same data as holotype (2♀♀ in TARI; 2♂♂ 3♀♀ in RBCN) ; 12♂♂, 13♀♀: “ Taiwan: Tainan Chiku C01131, 20.III.2010, leg. T.- H. Lin ” ( TARI) .

Type Locality. Marine shore near Manchou, Pingtung County ( Fig. 17 ).

Etymology. This new species is named in honor of Mr. Jung-Chang Chen, who discovered this new species and documented its ecology.

Plant Association. Leaves of I. pes-caprae ssp. brasiliensis (Convolvulaceae) .

Notes. Calomicrus jungchangi occurs on marine shorelines ( Fig. 17 ) presumably because of its apparent association with I. pes-caprae ssp. brasiliensis ( Fig. 18 ), a member of the shoreline floral community. In addition, specimens were collected with pitfall traps in Chiku.

Figures

Figs. 1–6. Dorsal and ventral habitus of Calomicrus jungchangi and Monolepta rufofulva. 1) C. jungchangi, female, dorsal view; 2) C. jungchangi, female, ventral view; 3) M. rufofulva, male, dorsal view; 4) M. rufofulva, male, ventral view; 5) M. rufofulva, female, dorsal view; 6) M. rufofulva, male, ventral view. Photos by Ta-Hsiang Lee.

Figs. 7–15. Calomicrus jungchangi. 7) Male antenna; 8) Median lobe, dorsal view; 9) Median lobe, lateral view; 10) Endophallic sclerites, dorsal view; 11) Endophallic sclerites, ventral view; 12) Male antennomeres I-IV; 13) Spermatheca; 14) Dorsal bursa-sclerites; 15) Ventral bursa-sclerites.

Fig. 16. Distribution map for Monolepta rufofulva and Calomicrus jungchangi in Taiwan (outer solid line); inner solid line indicates 1,000 m elevation, broken line indicates 2,000 m elevation. Blue circle: M. rufofulva; red square: C. jungchangi.

Figs. 17–20. Habitats and host plants of Calomicrus jungchangi and Monolepta rufofulva. 17) Seashore near Manchou, Taiwan, where the type specimens of C. jungchangi were collected; photo by Jung-Chang Chen; 18) Ipomoea pes-caprae ssp. brasiliensis, host plant for C. jungchangi; 19) One adult M. rufofulva feeding on leaves of Derris laxiflora; 20) D. laxiflora, host plant for M. rufofulva.