Serratispa quadricostata Staines, 2002

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2017, Taxonomic changes within Imatidiini and Hybosispini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57 (2), pp. 351-380 : 364-367

Serratispa quadricostata Staines, 2002 assign. nov.

( Fig. 12 )

Serratispa quadricostata Staines, 2002: 749 (original description).

Type locality. Brazil, Amazonas, São Paulo de Olivença.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: glued, ‘S. to Paulo dʼOlivença | M. de Mathan | Juin. Juillet 1883. [w, p, cb, bf] || F. Monros | Collection | 1959 [w, p, cb] || HOLOTYPE | Serratispa [hw] | quadricostata [hw] | des. C. L. Staines 2001 [hw] [r, p, cb, bf] || BLNO | 002699 [blue, p, cb, bf] || USNM ENT | [data matrix code] | 00871554 [w, p, cb]’ ( USNM).

Remarks. Serratispa quadricostata is the only species of this genus and both taxa were described by STAINES (2002) based on a single specimen from the Upper Amazon Basin. Staines placed the genus to the tribe Sceloenoplini without any justification. He stated only that ‘ Serratispa differs from all other hispine genera by the following combination of characters: Antenna 11-segmented, filiform; head with vertex depressed, coarsely punctate; pronotum with a pair of setae on anterior margin behind head, lateral margins serrate; elytra costate with lateral plicae, with 11 rows of punctures at base.’ These characters unfortunately are not informative for tribal placement of Serratispa .

I have examined the holotype and in my opinion it does not belong to Sceloenoplini . The latter tribe is superficially similar to Chalepini in elytra with costae as remaining Neotropical tribes do not have primarily costate elytra. The costate elytra were probably one of the reasons why Serratispa was placed in Sceloenoplini , the other might have been presence of filiform antennae, however, Sceloenoplini have completely different formation of antennae. They always have terminal four antennomeres (VIII–XI) differently shaped or structured from the remaining antennomeres. Serratispa has the antennomeres VIII–XI similar to the four previous ones. Four other Neotropical tribes have pronotum with a seta present only near or at anterior corners: Arescini, Chalepini, Hispoleptini, and Imatidiini . Arescrini clearly differs in transverse interantennal projection, large size, and enlarged middle coxae. Chalepini as well as Sceloenoplini differ in antennal insertions widely separated from mouthparts by a large clypeus. Hispoleptini have linear clypeus like Serratispa but differs in antennae inserted close to the vertex thus their base and entire antennomeres I are visible from above. In my opinion Serratispa belongs to Imatidiini as it has typical structure of the head for this tribe: vertex with longitudinal interantennal carina; antennae inserted close to the oral cavity thus their insertions and basal part of antennomere I are not visible from above, filiform, 11-segmented with only two basal sparsely pubescent antennomeres, remaining densely pubescent. Therefore I hereby transfer Serratispa to Imatidiini .

Serratispa runs to the couplet 9 in my key to genera of Imatidiini ( SEKERKA 2014: 264) , which includes Pseudimatidium and curious stout species currently classified in Cephaloleia . These clearly differ in smooth and convex vertex without carina and finely punctate elytra with entire margins while Serratispa has vertex deeply impressed on each side and divided by mid smooth carina and elytra very coarsely punctate with serrate margins.

Distribution. Brazil: Amazonas ( STAINES 2002).

Figures

Figs 9–14. 9 – Cephaloleia fouquei sp. nov. (holotype, 7.1 mm); 10 – Cephaloleia renei sp. nov. (holotype, 8.1 mm); 11 – Cephaloleia kolbei Weise, 1910 (Colombia: Río Dagua, LSPC, 9.5 mm); 12 – Serratispa quadricostata Staines, 2002 (holotype, 4.2 mm); 13 – Xanthispa miniacea (Blanchard, 1843) (Boivia: Potrerillo del Guenda, LSPC, 6.4 mm); 14 – Xanthispa cimicoides (Guérin-Méneville, 1844) (French Guyana: Le Larivot, LSPC, 6.5 mm).