Phrynocepha marciae Gilbert, 2011

Gilbert, Arthur J., 2011, A review and clarification of the alticine genera Hemiphrynus Horn 1889 and Phrynocepha Baly 1861 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), Insecta Mundi 2011 (200), pp. 1-57 : 46-47

Phrynocepha marciae Gilbert sp. nov.

( Fig. 44 , 51 , 59 , 67 , 77 , 79 )

Type Specimens. Holotype (male) and allotype (female): MEXICO. MORELOS: 10 mi. e. Cuernavaca , 8 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, Schaffner . Holotype and allotype deposited in the collection of Texas A&M University.

Paratypes (2 males and 7 females) – same data as holotype (2) [ AJGC], (6) [ TAMU] ; # 2, 3 mi. W Yautepec, 14/ 15 June 1966, (J. B. Karren), at blacklight (1) [ BYUC] .

Description. Male (holotype). Body length 5.76 mm; width at elytral humeri 2.35 mm; form elongate. Elytra greenish-black; head, pronotum, legs yellow-orange. Head elongate, indistinctly “jowl-like,” with non-carinate curvature ventrally extending from eye to front edge of postclypeus; genal length 1.56x longer than maximum length of eye; vertex appearing depressed behind frontal tubercles, shining with coarse, coalescing punctures; postclypeus with prefrontal ridge shallowly emarginate; an acute frontal carina extends between antennal fossae, curving upward between antennal fossae before descending to front edge of postclypeus; anteclypeus entire; labrum quadrate with six long, evenly spaced setae; antennal fossae separated by distance slightly narrower than antennal fossa (fossal width measured from inside edges); frontal tubercles elevated, distinct, separated by coronal suture; area in front of antennal fossa with sunken appearance, bordered by an indistinct lateral carina between eye and postclypeus; without frontogenal suture; interocular distance 1.86x wider than width of both eyes combined; eyes nearly round, very small relative to head; antennae stout, 0.85x length of body; antennomeres 1-2 orange; 3 bicolored, orange to brown; 4-7 black, 8-11 dark brown; antennomeres 1 and 3 longest, approximately equal; antennomere 2 shortest; antennomere 4 slightly longer than 5-11; antennomeres 5-11 subequal in length. Pronotum with dorsal surface uneven, reticulate with scattered coarse punctures; lateral margins widest behind middle, tapering to apex, narrowest at anterior margin, maximum length at midline; basolateral projections distinct, obtuse; anterolateral projections rectangular, strongly projected; basal depression faint, poorly delimited, over 1/2 width of pronotum; two small, faint depressions on each side of longitudinal midline along anterior margin. Scutellum black, obtusely triangular, shining, impunctate. Elytra distinctly reticulate, irregularly, moderately punctate; punctures inconspicuous; with short, indistinct humeral costa extending about 1/4 length of each elytron (length depends on the angle of light source); humeri distinct. Prosternal intercoxal process grooved, approximately 1/3 width of procoxa, elevated ventrally over plane of prosternum, even with plane of tip of procoxae, separating procoxae and curving downward to mesosternum. Procoxae globose. Procoxal cavities open. Mesosternum black. Legs orange; tarsi dark brown, darker than femora or tibiae; pro- and mesofemora enlarged, not distinctly sulcate; tarsomere 1 of protarsi enlarged, heart-shaped, wider than 3; tarsomere 1 of mesotarsi enlarged, more elongate than tarsomere 1 of protarsi, but still wider than tarsomere 3 of mesotarsi; tarsomere 1 of metatarsi enlarged, more elongate than tarsomere 1 of pro- or mesotarsi, wider than tarsomere 3 of metatarsi; all tibiae stout, gradually expanded apically, with central carina, carina very pronounced on pro- and mesotibia. Abdomen dark brown, shiny, coarsely punctured, moderately pubescent; last abdominal ventrite shallowly, broadly emarginate, with small central orange lobe. Aedeagus bent ventrally nearly 90 degrees behind center point; basal piece about 27% total length of aedeagus ( Fig. 59 ); ventral end broadened subapically by ventrally deflected lobes; tip obtusely pointed ( Fig. 67 , 77 ).

Female (allotype). Similar to holotype, differing in the following characters: tarsomere 1 not broadly enlarged on pro- and mesotarsi; fifth abdominal ventrite entire, with small, broad dark lobe; “jowl” less pronounced laterally (in frontal view the margin of the “jowl” in the male is visible which gives the male a broader head than the female below the eyes); pro- and mesofemora not enlarged; tibiae slender, uniformly expanded; antennae not as stout, shorter, 0.59x length of body.

Variation. Male: length 5.76 – 6.12 mm; width at humeri 2.35 mm. Female: length 5.65 – 6.59 mm; width 2.24 – 2.53 mm. The stout or slender appearance of the antennae, as represented by the fourth antennomere (length to width ratio), varies. In the specimens selected for this species, the male and female antennae are stout and the ratio of the fourth antennomere is about 2.4x for both sexes.

Figures

Figures 43-46. Frontal view of faces of Phrynocepha. 43) P. deyrollei. 44) P. marciae. 45) P. pueblae. 46) P. punctulata.

Figures 51-54. Pronota of Phrynocepha. 51) P. marciae. 52) P. pseudocapitata. 53) P. pueblae. 54) P. punctulata.

Figures 56-59. Aedeagi, lateral view. 56) Phrynocepha capitata. 57) P. deyrollei. 58) P. kendrae. 59) P. marciae.

Figures 64-71. Tips of aedeagi, ventral view. 64) Phrynocepha capitata. 65) P. deyrollei. 66) P. kendrae. 67) P. marciae. 68) P. pueblae. 69) P. pulchella. 70) P. punctulata. 71) P. pseudocapitata.

Figures 72-77. Tips of selected aedeagi, lateral view. 72) P. pueblae. 73) P. pueblae. 74) P. deyrollei. 75) P. capitata. 76) P. kendrae. 77) P. marciae.

Figures 78-79. Distribution of Phrynocepha in Mexico.