Amphimela raydahensis, El Torkey, Ashraf M. & Al Dhafer, Hathal M., 2015

El Torkey, Ashraf M. & Al Dhafer, Hathal M., 2015, Amphimela raydahensis sp. nov. from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), Zootaxa 4028 (3), pp. 430-440 : 435-438

Amphimela raydahensis sp. nov.

Type specimens: HOLOTYPE ♂: “ Saudi Arabia, Asir Province, Abha, Garf Raydah, 18°11.749’N 42°23.345’E, Alt. 1614 m, 21.II.2014, LT, leg. Al Dhafer H., Fadl H., Abdel-Dayem M., El Gharbawy A., El Torkey A.” ( KSMA).

PARATYPES: Saudi Arabia, Asir, Abha, Garf Raydah, 18°11.884’N 42°24.435’E, 2387 m, 27.IV.2014, LT, leg. Al Dhafer H., Fadl H., Abdel-Dayem, M., El Gharbawy A., El Torkey A. (♂, KSMA); Saudi Arabia, Asir, Abha, Garf Raydah, 18°13.347’N 42°24.133’E, 2717 m, 27.IV.2014, LT, leg. Al Dhafer H., Fadl H., Abdel-Dayem M., El Gharbawy A., El Torkey A. (♂, KSMA); Saudi Arabia, Asir, Abha, Garf Raydah, 18°11.766’N 42°24.315’E, 2285 m, 27.IV.2014, LT, leg. Al Dhafer H., Fadl H., Abdel-Dayem M., El Gharbawy A., El Torkey A. (♀, KSMA).

Description. Body shape sub-elliptical elongate (LB = 7.5 mm); reddish-brown with almost apical half of elytra, and humeral callus black ( Fig. 3 ), clearly convex; maximum pronotal width at base (WP = 2.5 mm); maximum elytral width at basal half (WE = 3.3 mm).

Head with frons and vertex very densely punctate ( Fig. 9 ); orbital line obvious; interantennal space wider than length of first antennomere; eyes large, sub-elliptical; clypeus short, sub-rectangular; labrum sub-rectangular, with apical margin rounded; mandibles reddish-brown with apical points black; antennae filiform, reddish-brown, clearly shorter than body length (LAN = 2.97 mm; LAN/LB = 0.396 mm; LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.26 mm); length of antennomeres 0.38, 0.15, 0.2, 0.23, 0.28, 0.28, 0.28, 0.28, 0.28, 0.28, and 0.33 mm, respectively (right antenna).

Pronotum slightly transverse (LP = 1.5 mm; WP/LP = 1.67 mm), clearly convex, basally slightly wider, with maximum width at base (WP = 2.5 mm); lateral margin bordered; anterior and posterior margins very finely bordered; anterior angles protruding; posterior angles slightly pointed ( Fig. 14 ); densely punctate, with slightly larger and deeper punctures laterally than on disc. Scutellum triangular, with fine border, with fine punctures.

Elytra reddish-brown, with apical half black (sometimes black band extended forward laterally near basal margin of elytra); slightly elongate (LE = 10 mm; LE/LP = 6.67 mm), slightly narrower from middle to apex, laterally moderately parallel, apically rounded, covering pygidium; elytral punctures striate, sparse and fine; intervals wide, with fine small micropunctures; humeral callus protruding.

Legs reddish-brown, with dark reddish-brown claws; covered apically and basally by pubescence; tibiae, especially hind tibiae, dorsally moderately but not deeply channeled ( Fig. 15 ); All tarsi with a pad of fine setae ventrally. Ventral surface reddish-brown; abdomen slightly convex, sparsely punctate and pubescent (LV 2.5 mm), last abdominal sternite bisinuate and truncate medially ( Fig. 12 ). Median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view subparallel, with a slightly oval groove underside (LA 2.05 mm) and apically with acute rounded tip; in lateral view, median lobe slightly curved, ( Figs. 16, 17 and 18 ).

Variability. Paratypes similar in habitus and markings to the holotype. Measurements of two males ( Fig. 5 ): LB = 6.45 & 6.85 mm; LP = 1.15 & 1.4 mm; WP = 2.45 & 2.5 mm; LE = 4.4 & 4.75 mm; WE = 3 & 3.3 mm; LV = 2.4 & 2.5 mm; LA = 1.8 & 2 mm). Some specimens slightly darker in colour (reddish brown). Females generally slightly smaller than males (measurements of female ( Fig. 4 ): LB = 6.4 mm; LP = 1.3 mm; WP = 2.4 mm; LE = 4.6 mm; WE = 3.0 mm; LV = 2.5 mm ( Fig. 13 ); LS = 0.74 mm). Spermatheca hook-shaped with well sclerotized duct ( Fig. 19 ).

Distribution. Southwestern Saudi Arabia (Garf Raydah Nature Reserve).

Habitat. This species was collected by black light traps at different elevations (1,614-2,717 m a.s.l.). This area was dominated by Juniperus procera Hochst ex. Endl., Olea europaea africana (Burm.f.) Green, and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller ( Figs. 2 a, b and c).

Etymology. The species is named after the geographical location of the types.

Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to two Afrotropical species, A. citri known from Ghana and A. quadrinotata described from Uganda, but can easily be distinguished by the following key.

1 Elytra reddish-brown, apical half black ( Figs. 3, 4 )......................................... Amphimela raydahensis

- Elytra with two or four reddish-brown spots................................................................2

2 Elytra bluish-black, with two large reddish-brown spots sub-basally behind humeral callus ( Fig. 8 ). Body of moderate size, LB = 5.4 mm ................................................................................ Amphimela citri

- Elytra bluish-green with four large reddish-brown spots ( Fig. 7 ). Body small, LB = 3.3 mm ........ Amphimela quadrinotata

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 6. 3. Holotype male, Amphimela raydahensis sp. nov. 4 Paratype female. 5. Paratype male. 6. Amphimela mouhoti Chapuis (after K. S. Nadein).

FIGURES 7 – 13. 7. Amphimela quadrinotata (Bryant, 1936). 8. Amphimela citri (Bryant, 1922). 9. A. raydahensis sp. nov. frontal head. 10. Amphimela citri (Bryant, 1922), frontal head. 11. A. quadrinotata (Bryant, 1936), frontal head. 12. A. raydahensis sp. nov, male, abdominal sternites. 13. A. raydahensis sp. nov. Female abdominal sternites.

FIGURES 14 – 19. A. raydahensis sp. nov. 14. Pronotum, 15. Right hind leg. 16. Aedeagus, dorsal view. 17. Aedeagus, lateral view. 18. Aedeagus, ventral view. 19. Spermatheca.

FIGURE 2 b. Olea europaea africana (Burm. f.) Green. FIGURE 2 c. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller.