Rhynchortalia purpurea, Poorani & Ślipiński, 2010

Poorani, J. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2010, A review of Rhynchortalia Crotch (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Ortaliinae), Zootaxa 2423 (1), pp. 25-43 : 36-37

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2423.1.2
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5316500
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D487A3-FFB1-3761-7DB3-4EE0418BFCFC
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Rhynchortalia purpurea
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

6. Rhynchortalia purpurea sp. n.

( Figs. 7 View FIGURES 1–12 , 25 View FIGURES 18–29 , 53–56 View FIGURES 30–56 )

Diagnosis: This species can be distinguished from other Rhynchortalia species by the less distinctly rostrate head with widely separated, comparatively smaller eyes; broader clypeus; elytra lacking coarse punctures laterally; and the male genitalia ( Figs. 53-56 View FIGURES 30–56 ). This species resembles some of the iridescent Cryptolaemus species from the region, but can be distinguished by the generic characters.

Description: Length: 5.0 mm; width: 3.0 mm. Male: Body ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 1–12 ) elongate oval, elytra distinctly narrowed towards apices. Head and pronotum yellow to orange, elytra iridescent violet or green with yellowish apices. Abdominal ventrites yellow except ventrite 1 which is slightly infuscate medially, postcoxal lines brownish. Prothoracic legs yellow, mesothoracic legs with femoral apices and tibiae infuscate, metathoracic legs dark brown except tibiae and tarsi lighter. Head finely punctate, mainly around eye margins, frons with obsolete punctation. Pronotum finely punctate on disc, anterolateral corners with denser, slightly larger punctures, interspaces with weak to strongly reticulate microsculpture. Elytra with dual punctures, small punctures separated by 2–4 diameters, larger punctures ca. 2x as large, widely separated on disc, coarser, more deeply impressed and denser on lateral sides, interspaces shiny. Pronotal hypomeral shelf anteriorly projecting beyond anterolateral margin of pronotum. Abdominal postcoxal lines shallow but distinct; ventrite 5 shallowly emarginate apically ( Fig. 25 View FIGURES 18–29 ), ventrite 6 sinuate medially, posterolateral corners of ventrites 5 and 6 densely setose. Male genitalia ( Figs. 53–56 View FIGURES 30–56 ) with parameres apically angulate in lateral view, penis guide slightly shorter than parameres in ventral view ( Fig. 53 View FIGURES 30–56 ), penis ( Fig. 55, 56 View FIGURES 30–56 ) as illustrated.

Female: Similar to male except meso- and metathoracic legs darker. Ventrite 5 narrowed medially and arcuately produced, ventrite 6 arcuate.

Specimens examined: Holotype, male: New Guinea: NE, Chimbu Valley / J. Sedlacek ( BPBM).

Paratypes: one male with same data as holotype ( BMNH); Wisselmeren, Itouda , Kamo V., 1500–1700m, 18.VIII.1962 / J. Sedlacek , 1 female ( BPBM); Irian Jaya, Jayawijaya, Wamena , Jiwika , 29.9.1992, 1900– 2300m, leg. A. Riedel , 1 male ( SMNS); Chimbu Valley , 1800m, 16.V.1963 / J. Sedlacek , 1 female ( BPBM); Papua New Guinea, Sandaun Pr., Telefomin, trail to Eliptamin , 1700–1900m, 16–17.V.1998, leg. A. Riedel , 1 female ( SMNS) .

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the purple hue of the elytra.

Distribution: Papua New Guinea.

Notes: In some specimens, the pronotum is distinctly longer and narrowly rounded anteriorly with distinctly reticulate microsculpture laterally. A single male specimen examined from Irian Jaya has a slightly more elongate body outline and the last abdominal ventrite is distinctly and more deeply emarginate apically compared to other specimens from New Guinea.