Hemiphrynus barri 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 : 5-7

Hemiphrynus barri Gilbert sp. nov.

( Fig. 13 , 19, 25, 32, 82)

Type Specimens. Holotype (male) [ CASC # 18540 ] and allotype (female). MEXICO. SINALOA: 38 miles NE Concordia nr. Loberas , 3 July 1982, A. J. Gilbert Collector [6,500ft.] . Holotype and allotype deposited in the California Academy of Sciences.

Paratypes (1 male and 3 females) – same data as holotype except Fred G. Andrews (1) [ CSCA] ; Hwy. 40, 6.5 mi. E. Potrerillos, 20 August 1964, E. Schlinger ; 1870m [5,600ft.] (2) [ UCRC] ; 6.5 mi. E. Potrerillos , 21 August 1964, P. A. Rauch (1) [ UCRC] .

Description. Male (holotype). Body length 4.47 mm; width at elytral humeri 1.76 mm; form elongate. Elytra shining, bluish-brown; head, pronotum, thoracic sterna, legs yellow-orange. Head not elongate, without ventral “jowl-like” area; genal length 0.54x length of eye; vertex dull, reticulate, irregularly, indistinctly punctate; anterior margin of postclypeus truncate, flat, without anterolateral ridge; frontal carina acute, raised in lateral view; antennal fossae separated by distance slightly more than width of antennal fossa (fossal width measured from inside edges); labrum orange, rectangular with corners rounded, shining, impunctate; labral notch indistinct; frontal tubercles distinct, elevated, separated by coronal suture; area in front of antennal fossa with slightly sunken appearance, with frontogenal suture, without lateral carina; interocular distance 1.24x wider than width of both eyes combined; antennae slender, 0.88x length of body; antennomeres orange; antennomere 2 shortest; 4 longer than 3; antennomeres 1 and 4-11 nearly equal in length. Pronotum transverse, with few irregularities and inconspicuous punctures, shining; lateral margins tapering to anterior margin; with indistinct basal depression; basal margin straight; anterolateral projections distinct, rectangular, with corners rounded; posterolateral angles distinct, acute. Scutellum orange, shining, obtusely triangular, impunctate. Elytra reticulate, with scattered very indistinct punctures; humeri poorly developed. Prosternal intercoxal process level with prosternum, not elevated ventrally to level of procoxae, very narrowly, inconspicuously separating procoxae. Procoxae conical, appearing contiguous. Procoxal cavities open. Legs including tarsi, orange; pro- and mesofemora not enlarged; tarsomere 1 of protarsi enlarged, as wide as 3, longer than 2-4 combined; tarsomere 1 of mesotarsi enlarged, more elongate than tarsomere 1 of protarsi, not as wide as tarsomere 3 of mesotarsi, longer than 2-4 combined; tarsomere 1 of metatarsi not enlarged, much longer than 2-4 combined, not wider than tarsomere 3 of metatarsi; all tibiae with a central longitudinal carina entire length. Abdomen brownish-orange, shiny, impunctate, sparsely pubescent. Aedeagus stubby, sharply bent nearly 90 degrees ventrally near point 1/3 from tip ( Fig. 13 ); basal piece about 36% total length of aedeagus; ventral end narrowed into squared tip with shallow apical notch ( Fig. 32 ).

Female (allotype). Similar to holotype, differing in the following characters: size slightly larger (length 4.76 mm; width 1.88 mm); tarsomere 1 not enlarged or overly elongate on all legs; fifth abdominal ventrite truncate.

Variation. The single male paratype measures 4.00 mm in length and 1.65 mm in width. Females vary in length from 4.76 – 5.29 mm and in width from 1.88 – 2.00 mm. In both the male and female, the color of the abdomen varies form brownish-orange to nearly black. The stout or slender appearance of the antennae, as represented by the fourth antennomere (length to width ratio), varies. In specimens selected, the male fourth antennomere is slender, approximately 3.5x longer than wide and in the female, even more slender, approximately 4.3x longer than wide.

Remarks. Hemiphrynus barri can be distinguished from all other Hemiphrynus by the entirely orange thoracic sterna, a prothorax that is distinctly widest basally and tapers to the anterior angles (Fig. 19) and by the indistinctly punctate vertex ( Fig. 13 , 19). See the remarks for the other species for additional differences.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in the Mexican state of Sinaloa at elevations between 5,600 and 6,500 feet.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. Named for Dr. William F. Barr, University of Idaho, for the many interesting chrysomelids that either he or his students have collected over the years. Many of these specimens, including the Hemiphrynus cited in this paper from Alto, New Mexico, have been brought to my attention and resulted in new species descriptions, new localities or host records, and in this case a review of two alticine genera.

Specimens Examined. See “ Type Specimens.”

Figures

Figures 13-18. Frontal view of faces of Hemiphrynus. 13) H. barri. 14) H. corrugatus. 15) H. elongatus. 16) H. intermedius. 17) H. smithi. 18) H. sydneyae.

Figures 32-38. Tips of aedeagi, ventral view. 32) H. barri. 33) H. corrugatus. 34) H. elongatus. 35) H. intermedius. 36) H. sulcatipennis. 37) H. smithi. 38) H. sydneyae.