Zeaphilon mirandum, Leschen & Reid & Nadein, 2020

Leschen, Richard A. B., Reid, Chris A. M. & Nadein, Konstantin S., 2020, Generic Review of New Zealand Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Zootaxa 4740 (1), pp. 1-66 : 57

Zeaphilon mirandum , sp. nov.

( Figs 11 D–E, 12M,N, 13G; map Fig. 21 )

Diagnosis. Body spherical with abdomen apically rounded. Pronotal margins curved, straight at extreme base. Elytron without midbasal stria. Lateral margin of metaventrite with poorly-developed bead, if present, indicated in anterior half.

Description. Length 2.9–3.8 mm (greatest depth 1.50–1.90 mm). Body broadly oval and unicoloured darkbrown to black, some specimens with a slight metallic sheen; antennae, mouthparts and legs dark brown to black. Microsculpture absent dorsally, present ventrally; abdominal ventrites with scattered punctures that may be weakly indicated. Clypeus moderately to finely punctate, anterior margin straight; frontoclypeal suture present with medial and lateral postclypeal lines present; vertex moderately to finely punctate. Ratio of antennomere lengths: 1.1/0.7/0.9 /0.8/0.9/0.8/1.0/1.1/1.1/1.2/1.5. Pronotum transverse (2.20–2.50 x wider than long), lateral margins curved, straight at extreme base and strongly convex in outline; punctures coarse at base and progressively diffuse anteriorly, those at base stronger than elsewhere on the body, deeper than those on abdominal ventrites, if these are present. Prosternal lines or carinae in front of procoxae anteriorly convergent with the anterior width about 0.3x narrower than procoxal width; intercarinal space not convex. Elytra widest at middle, strongly convex outline with apex rounded (1.03–1.24x the greatest elytral width), 3.20x longer than pronotal length; punctation very weak striate, not impressed and faint striae present in some specimens; midbasal stria absent; epipleuron about 3x wider than metanepisternum. Lateral margin of metaventrite with poorly-developed bead, if present, indicated in anterior half. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view narrow and flattened, somewhat broad with an acute apex; in dorsal view weakly notched anteriorly, more or less parallel-sided, and not gradually widened towards the rounded apex.

Comments. Zeaphilon mirandum can be distinguished from R. marskeae by its shape and the absence of a distinct midbasal stria.

Distribution. North Island: ND, AK.

Etymology. Derived from the Latin word mirandus meaning “wonderful”.

Types examined. Holotype ( AMNZ): sex not determined, “ NEW ZEALAND, ND North Cape area , NW of Mt Te Paki, 267m, 8.iii.1967, K.A.J. Wise // Tairaire, kohekohe ect leaf litter in forest remnant. P/S 262 L9300” . Paratypes (12). ND: 2, same as holotype [34.503192S, 172.825599E] ( AMNZ) ; Whakaangi SR, 222m, 34.948469S, 173.546768E, sifting TB408, 18.01.2008, T. R. Buckley, D. Seldon , R. Hoare (1, LUNZ; 4, NZAC) ; North Cape, Ko- huronaki , 34.488684S, 172.833634E, bush litter, 28.04.2000, S.E. Thorpe (1, AMNZ) . AK: Warkworth , Dome Forest , 260m, 36.360838S, 174.613151E, 08.05.1999, S.E. Thorpe (1, AMNZ) ; Warkworth, Pohuehue SR, 36.461391S, 174.646255E, stream bed under stones, 05.01.2003 S.E. Thorpe (1, AMNZ) ; Atuanui, Mt Auckland, 36.446639S, 174.460284E, pitfall F15, 01.01.2002, A. Warren (1, AMNZ) .

Figures

FIGURES 11A–G. Habitus of Zeaphilon spp.; A, Zeaphilon marskeae, dorsal; B, Zeaphilon marskeae, lateral; C, Zeaphilon marskeae, oblique lateral; D, Zeaphilon mirandum, dorsal; E, Zeaphilon mirandum, ventral; F, Zeaphilon mirandum, lateral; F, Zeaphilon mirandum, oblique lateral.

FIGURE 21. North Island.