Paropsisterna Motschulsky, 1860

Reid, Chris A. M., 2024, The chrysomeline leaf beetles of Timor, Wallacea (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae), Zootaxa 5523 (5), pp. 501-518 : 502-503

Paropsisterna Motschulsky, 1860

Type species. Notoclea sexpustulata Marsham, 1808 , by original designation.

Diagnostic description. Length: 3–17mm; body semicircular to elongate-ovate, (length to width ratio 1.2–1.6) and moderately to strongly convex (length to height ratio 2–3.5). Head: not contracted behind eyes; eyes not laterally prominent; frons without vertical groove beside inner margin of eye; frontoclypeal suture rounded or V-shaped, without lateral ridges; gena without straight ridge and groove to accommodate antenna; antennomeres 8–10 not laterally expanded; first maxillary palpomere ventrally convex, without sharp leading edge; apical maxillary palpomere strongly expanded from base to truncate apex; anterior margin of mentum truncate or shallowly concave. Thorax: pronotum broadest at base; anterior and posterior trichobothria absent; pronotal disc apparently impunctate, or punctate, sides more strongly so, with or without punctate depressions on each side; base of pronotum not marginate; hypomeral groove absent; anterior of prosternum without lateral ridges; prosternal process quadrate to elongate, with angled lobes absent; procoxal cavity open, gap at least half width of procoxa; elytra without tubercules; elytral 5th stria not relatively deep at base; elytra extended vertically, epipleura concealed from lateral view; epipleura narrow to broad, but not more than 0.3x width of elytron, gradually attenuate to apex; anterior face of mesoventrite process straight to slightly concave, posterior margin straight to strongly concave; metepisternum deeply grooved or excavate in outer half; metaventrite femoral plates absent; metaventrite process not raised anteriorly; apices of mid and hind tibiae without row of short spines on distal surface; mid and hind tibiae with at least one sharp external longitudinal keel; apex of third tarsomere not or feebly bilobed; claws acutely toothed or rarely simple. Abdomen: pygidial groove absent; abdominal ventrites free; apex of last ventrite rounded in both sexes, or truncate in male.

Notes. Paropsisterna was synonymised with four other generic names in the most recent revision of Australian Chrysomelinae ( Reid 2006) , although it was noted that the redefined genus was based on plesiomophic attributes. These acts of synonymy are not entirely supported by some unpublished molecular studies that I am aware of, but until such studies are published it remains convenient to treat all as one genus under the morphological definition given above.

In my revision of the Australian Chrysomelinae , Paropsisterna was described as “native to Australia and New Guinea, introduced elsewhere” ( Reid 2006, page 83). Mohamedsaid (2009) noted the first record of Paropsisterna from Timor, listing the Australian species P. captiosa , discussed further below. The two species described below are the first described as new from Timor.