Phrynocepha australis 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 : 27-30

Phrynocepha australis Gilbert sp. nov.

( Fig. 80 )

Type Specimens. Holotype (female): NICARAGUA. Sta. Rita Boaco, 20 May 1958, a la luz, Coll. Mario Vaughan, Estrada 58-216 . Holotype deposited in the United States National Museum.

Paratype (1 female) – EL SALVADOR. Cuscatlan, Rosario [El Rosario], 15 June 1953, No. 444-

273, Col. M. S. V. (1) [ USNM].

Description. Female (holotype). Body length 4.41 mm; width at elytral humeri 1.76 mm; form elongate. Elytra bluish-black; head, pronotum, mesosternum, legs yellow-orange. Head elongate, with curved carina ventrally extending from eye to front edge of postclypeus, appearing “jowl-like;” genal length 1.60x longer than maximum length of eye; vertex shining, finely reticulate, with large darkened area behind eye containing numerous coalesced punctures; postclypeus with prefrontal ridge truncate; an acute, elevated frontal carina extends between antennal fossae, descending to front edge of postclypeus; anteclypeus narrow, entire, indistinct; labrum orange, quadrate, with six long, evenly spaced setae; labral notch indistinct; antennal fossae separated by distance equal to width of antennal fossa (fossal width measured from inside edges); frontal tubercles flat, indistinct, separated by coronal suture; area in front of antennal fossa with sunken appearance, without obvious lateral carina; interocular distance 1.59x wider than width of both eyes combined; eyes nearly round, very small relative to head; antennae stout, 0.70x length of body; antennomeres 1-3 orange; 4-11 dark brown; antennomere 3 longest; antennomere 2 shortest; antennomeres 5-11 subequal in length. Pronotum dull, smooth, reticulate, impunctate; lateral margins evenly curving to apex, widest at middle; basolateral projections small, obtuse; anterolateral projections rectangular, with corners rounded, not strongly projected; basal depression poorly defined. Scutellum orange-brown, triangular, impunctate. Elytra distinctly reticulate, irregularly punctate with punctures inconspicuous; humeri distinct; humeral costa not obvious, but with short indistinct costa extending 1/4 length of each elytron. Prosternal intercoxal process grooved, elevated ventrally over plane of prosternum, even with plane of tip of procoxae, narrowly, distinctly separating procoxae, width equal to approximately 1/4 width of procoxa. Procoxae globose. Procoxal cavities open. Mesosternum orange. Legs orange; tarsi orange-brown, darker than femora and tibiae; pro- and mesotibiae gradually expanded apically, with distinct central longitudinal carina; metatibiae without central carina. Abdomen dark brown, shiny, punctate, sparsely pubescent; fifth abdominal ventrite entire.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. The single female paratype measures 3.94 mm in length and 1.59 mm in width. The stout or slender appearance of the antennae, as represented by the ratio of the fourth antennomere (length to width ratio) in the female, is relatively stout, approximately 2.6x longer than wide.

Remarks. Phrynocepha australis clearly possesses all of the characters of the genus, including the extended gena, elevated prosternal intercoxal process, placement of the antennae below the eyes, the third antennomere longer than the fourth, globose procoxae and stout filiform to near moniliform antennae. Amongst the species within the genus, P. australis and P. natalieae are easily the smallest beetles. Specimens of P. australis range from 3.94 to 4.41 mm in length and P. natalieae from 3.47 to 4.00 mm. The smallest specimen of any other species is the holotype of P. laevicollis . This specimen is 4.12 mm in length. However, specimens of P. laevicollis range between 4.12 and 4.41 mm, and the obvious features of the legs, in both the male and female, will separate P. laevicollis from both P. australis and P. natalieae . Phrynocepha natalieae has a dark mesosternum, while the mesosternum of P. australis is orange. The female of P. australis has a strongly carinate “jowl.” Amongst females of the genus, this is a character shared with only P. capitata , P. laevicollis and P. pseudocapitata (new species below). Size and locality will readily separate P. australis from P. capitata and P. pseudocapitata , as well as from all other species of Phrynocepha . See also the remarks for other species.

Distribution. Known only from a single locality in El Salvador and another in Nicaragua.

Host. Unknown. The holotype was collected at light (a la luz). Specimens of other species collected by the author were day active. A collection at light was probably inadvertent.

Etymology. This species is given the Latin name “australis” for it represents the southern limit of the genus in Central America.

Specimens Examined. See “ Type Specimens.”

Figures

Figure 80. Distribution of Phrynocepha in Central America south of Mexico.