Ootheca julianae, Kortenhaus, Sabine & Wagner, Thomas, 2010

Kortenhaus, Sabine & Wagner, Thomas, 2010, Revision of Ootheca Chevrolat, 1837 from tropical Africa — redescriptions, descriptions of new species and identification key (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae), Zootaxa 2659, pp. 1-52 : 43-45

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.276235
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6209569
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EA500A-FFAE-C97E-84F1-FC65FEE3DB9A
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Ootheca julianae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ootheca julianae sp. n.

( Figs 61–66 View FIGURE 61 View FIGURES 62 – 65 View FIGURE 66 )

Total length. 3.72–4.96 mm (mean: 4.30 mm, n = 20; Fig. 62 View FIGURES 62 – 65 ).

Head. Dark brown to black, labrum somewhat paler. Basal five to six antennomeres contrasting yellow to yellowish-brown, other antennomeres brownish to dark brown; length ratios: second to third antennomere 0.75–1.00 (mean: 0.88); third to fourth antennomere 0.73–0.90 (mean: 0.76; Fig. 63 View FIGURES 62 – 65 ). Eyes large, maximal width of eye to minimal distance between eyes ratio 0.59–0.69 (mean: 0.64).

Thorax. Prothorax yellowish- to reddish-brown. Pronotum: delicately punctuated, latero-basal impression indistinct to absent; width 1.48–1.92 mm (mean: 1.70 mm); length 0.88–1.20 mm (mean: 1.00 mm); width to length ratio 1.56–1.71 (mean: 1.62). Elytra yellowish- to light brown elytra as finely punctuated as pronotum, with more or less brown to black sutural and outer elytral margins including the humerus, dark outer elytral margins usually widening in the middle ( Fig. 64 View FIGURES 62 – 65 ); length 3.00–4.00 mm (mean: 3.40 mm); maximal width of elytra together 2.32–2.96 mm (mean: 2.87 mm); maximal width of elytra together to length of elytron 0.71– 0.82 (mean: 0.75); slender. Scutellum, meso- and metathorax dark brown to black. Legs: entirely yellowishbrown or distal two thirds of the tibiae and basal tarsomeres darker brown; length ratio of basi-metatarsus to metatibia 0.19–0.30 (mean: 0.24).

Abdomen. Yellowish- to light brown, paler than metasternum.

Male genitalia. The median lobe slightly constricted in the middle and strongly conical apically, with elongate, pointed tip. Tectum consists of two tectorial spurs, each with very broad base and upwardly curved apically. The sclerotised part of ductus ejaculatorius (basal part of the endophallus) very broad, apex of endophallus with two strong, ventrally curved, apically hooked spines that are covered by the tectum ( Fig. 65 View FIGURES 62 – 65 ).

Diagnosis. This species can be identified comparatively easily by colouration and its small size. It is most similar to O. variabilis that has also a completely dark brown to black head, but a dark brown to black underside and legs, while O. julianae sp. n. has predominantly yellowish legs. In questionable cases dissection is necessary. In colouration is also similar to O. ugandae sp. n., but O. julianae sp. n. is much smaller (3.72–4.96 mm; O. ugandae sp. n. 5.75–5.95 mm), and O. ugandae sp. n. has much more coarsely punctuated elytra, yellow outer elytral margins with a black sublateral stripe, and smaller eyes (maximal width of eye to minimal distance between eyes 0.53–0.60; O. julianae sp. n. 0.59–0.69). Furthermore, both species are allopatrically distributed.

Distribution. Occurs in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and northern Tanzania towards Mocambique and Zimbabwe ( Fig. 61 View FIGURE 61 ).

Etymology. Named after Sabine Kortenhaus’ daughter Juliane.

Type material. Holotype: male, “Coll. Mus. Congo, Mitwaba (Manono), X.1947, H. Tazieff, col P. Basilewsky” / Holotypus Ootheca julianae Kortenhaus & Wagner, 2010 / AfriGa specimen ID: 1867 specimen data documented 18.I.2010 ( MRAC; Fig. 66 View FIGURE 66 ). Type locality: Democratic Republic of the Congo (= Congo ( Zaire)), 8°38’S / 27°20’E.

Paratypes: Congo (Democratic Republic): 7 ex., same data as holotype ( MRAC); 1 ex., Elisabethville, 11°40’S / 27°28’E, X.1925, Ch. Seydel ( MRAC); 2 ex. Katanga, Kasinga, 6°20’S / 26°59’E, X.1925, Ch. Seydel ( MRAC). Mocambique: 1 ex., Chibababa, Lower Buzi R., XII.1906, C. F. M. Swynnerton ( BMNH). Rwanda: 1 ex., Kibungu, 2°10’S / 30°32’E, X.1937, R. Verhulst ( MRAC); 6 ex., Gabiro / terr. Biumba, 1300 m, 1°32’S / 30°24’E, XI.1953, P. Basilewsky ( MRAC). Tanzania: 1 ex., Mwamgongo, 4°40’S / 29°35’E, XI.1943, Meneghetti ( NMK). Zimbabwe: 1 ex., Salisbury, Mashonaland, 17°50’S / 31°03’E, XII.1899, G. A. K. Marshall ( BMNH); 1 ex., Chirinda Forest, Mashonaland, 19°14’S / 32°14’E, V.1905, G. A. K. Marshall ( BMNH).