Yaminia gmelini Prathapan and Konstantinov, 2007

López-Guerrero, Irma, 2007, Figs. 30 – 33. Attavicinus monstrosus. 30 in Comparison of Mouthpart Morphology of Three Species of Mexican Oniticellini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Relation to Their Trophic Habits, The Coleopterists Bulletin 24 (4), pp. 574-580 : 579-580

Yaminia gmelini Prathapan and Konstantinov , new species

( Figs. 1–11 )

Description. Head, prothorax reddish brown; elytra black; mesosternum, all coxae brown; antenna, metathoracic and abdominal sternites, legs piceous to dark brown. Pronotum with punctures slightly smaller than those on elytron, lateral margin anteriorly wider than posteriorly. Prosternum rugose, profusely setose. Elytron with weak postbasal transverse impression. Distance between elytral punctures vary greatly, from being less than radius of a puncture to more than width of a puncture. Aedeagus in ventral view with sides nearly parallel, narrowing to apex, apex slightly asymmetrical; moderately curved in lateral view.

Etymology. This species is named after the well-known botanist and entomologist J. F. Gmelin, after whom the host plants are named.

Host plants. Gmelina arborea Roxb. and G. asiatica Linn. (Verbenaceae) . Adults defoliate by feeding near the margins of the leaves. G. arborea is a fast growing tree used in reforestation programs. It’s wood is used for making handicrafts. The plant also is valued as an ingredient in medicines in Ayurveda, the traditional health care system of India.

Type material. Holotype male. Labels: 1) INDIA Karnataka Bangalore 916 m 25.xii.1997 Prathapan coll. 2) ex. Gmelina asiatica 3) Yaminia gmelini sp. nov. des. D. Prathapan & A. Konstantinov ( USNM).

Paratypes (33 specimens). 2 males, 8 females. The same labels as holotype; 4 males, 1 female; same labels as holotype except the date 23.xii.1997; 1 female same labels as holotype except the date 1.vi.1998; 5 males, 4 females (one specimen macerated and dissected) without the label ex Gmelina asiatica , date 19.vi.1998; 2 males without ex Gmelina asiatica , date 26.xi.1999; 3 males, 1 female without ex Gmelina asiatica , date 9.vi.2000 (6 USNM, 2 UASB, 2 NPC, 2 BMNH, 21 PKDC).

Discussion. Although Verbenaceae is among the preferred families of host plants of flea beetles (Jolivet and Hawkeswood 1995), only cassidines are so far known to feed on Gmelina . This is the first host record of a flea beetle on this genus of trees and shrubs.

Figures

Fig. 1. Dorsal habitus of Yaminia gmelini new species.

Figs. 2–5. Yaminia gmelini. 2) pronotum and head dorsally; 3) head, pronotum and bases of elytra in lateral view; 4) head, frontal view; 5) median lobe of aedeagus (ventral and lateral views).

Figs. 6–11. Yaminia gmelini. 6) female apical abdominal sternites; 7) female apical abdominal tergites; 8) vagina; 9) female tergite VIII; 10) spermatheca; 11) vaginal palpi and tignum.