Neodownesia mediovittata ( Gestro, 1920 )

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2015, Wallacea, Pistosia and Neodownesia: three distinct genera and their tribal placement (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (2), pp. 713-743 : 720

Neodownesia mediovittata ( Gestro, 1920) stat. restit. & comb. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Anisoderopsis mediovittata Gestro, 1920: 391 (original description); KIMOTO (1999): 67 (as synonym of W. sita ). Lasiochila mediovittata: UHMANN (1958) : 164 (catalogue).

Type locality. ‘Nam Long (Alto Mekong)’ [= Laos, Luang Namtha Prov., Nam Long River valley].

Type material. Not examined.

Additional material examined. LAOS: HOUAPHAN PROVINCE: Ban Saulei, Phu Phan Mt., 20°15′N, 104°02′E, 1500–2000 m, 26.iv.–11.v.2001, 1 spec., 20°13′N, 103°59′E, 1300–2000 m, 6.–18.iv.2004, 1 spec., J. Bezděk lgt. ( JBCB). LUANG NAMTHA PROVINCE: Louang Namtha env., 800–1200 m, v.1997, 2 JJ 1 ♀ ( LSPC, NMPC). LOUANGPHRABANG PROVINCE: 5 km W of Ban Song Cha, 20°33–34′N, 102°14′E, 1200 m, 24.iv.–16.v.1999, 1 J, C. Holzschuh lgt. ( LSPC). THAILAND: NAN PROVINCE: Doi Phu Kha, 50 km NNE of Nan, 28.vi.–1.vii.1997, 1 ♀, J. Kaláb lgt. ( LSPC).

Differential diagnosis. See Table 1.

Distribution. Laos ( GESTRO 1920) and Thailand (new record).

Remarks. GESTRO (1920) described A. mediovittata based on two specimens from Laos and since then the species was enigmatic. KIMOTO (1999) synonymized A. mediovittata and N. rubra with Wallacea sita without further comments.

I have not had the opportunity to examine types of A. mediovittata but abovementioned specimens from Laos perfectly match the primary description and were collected in the valley of the Long River like the types. GESTRO (1920) mentioned a black dorsal stripe on pronotum and elytra (present only on elytra in the other two species), pronotum being slightly wider at base than anteriorly with basal and three lateral impressions (distinctly wider anteriorly and only with a single lateral impression in the other two species), and elytral intervals II, IV and VI being distinctly elevated (not elevated in W. sita ). The specimen from Thailand differs in slightly less elevated elytral intervals but otherwise it matches specimens from Laos.

Figures

Figs 1–7. 1 – Neodownesia mediovittata (Gestro, 1920) (Laos: Ban Song Cha, J, 8.7 mm); 2 – N. rubra Gressitt, 1953 (holotype, J, 6.5 mm); 3 – N. sita (Maulik, 1919) (Thailand: Soppong, ♀, 9.0 mm); 4 – Wallacea apicalis Gestro, 1896 (Indonesia: Mentawai Is.: Siberut, 5.3 mm); 5 – Pistosia terminalis (Baly, 1869) (holotype, 9.5 mm, © Natural History Museum, London); 6 – P. maculata (syntype, 12.0 mm, © Museum für Tierkunde, Berlin); 7 – P. testacea (Fabricius, 1801) (Indonesia: Sulawesi: Ahua Creek, 11.1 mm).