Ugandaltica, D'Alessandro, Paola & Biondi, Maurizio, 2018

D'Alessandro, Paola & Biondi, Maurizio, 2018, Ugandaltica gen. n., a tiny flea beetle from the forest canopy in Central Africa (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini), ZooKeys 746, pp. 123-136 : 125-128

Ugandaltica gen. n.

Diagnosis.

The very small size, convex body, and rather short antennae (Fig. 1A) make the new genus similar to the "moss-inhabiting genera", mainly widespread in the Palaearctic and Oriental Regions ( Konstantinov et al. 2013, Damaška and Konstantinov 2016, Ruan et al. 2017). This habitus is, therefore, a clear example of adaptive convergence. The diagnostic characters of the "moss-inhabiting genera" are notably different from those of Ugandaltica gen. n., which is also not associated with mosses (see below). Among the Afrotropical flea beetle fauna, Bezdekaltica Döberl from Socotra Island ( Döberl 2012), Jacobyana Maulik from the Oriental and Afrotropical regions ( Biondi and D’Alessandro 2011), and Stegnaspea Baly from the Republic of South Africa and Tristan da Cunha ( D’Alessandro et al. 2012) show a similar general morphology.

The genus Stegnaspea is immediately distinguishable from Ugandaltica gen. n. by the lack of a scutellum, along with several other characters, concerning among others the head sculpture, shape of the maxillary palpi, shape of the pronotum and pronotal sculpture, elytral surface, male and female genitalia, and the metafemoral extensor tendon ( D’Alessandro et al. 2012).

The genus Jacobyana shows some similarities with the new genus in its pronotal shape and sculpture, first two antennomeres, and the metafemoral extensor tendon ( Biondi and D’Alessandro 2011). However, it is easily distinguishable from this genus by the shape and sculpture of the head, shape of the distal antennomeres, anterior angles of the pronotum, third and fourth visible tarsomeres, and the rather different male and female genitalia.

Bezdekaltica , a genus known only from the species B. socotrana Döberl, shares along with its general shape ( Döberl 2012) some aedeagal characteristics with Ugandaltica gen. n., such as the absence of sculpture, the presence of rather big pores on the surface, and the peculiar shape of the phallobasis (Figs 3C, 4C). Notwithstanding these similarities in the aedeagus, considered a likely indicator of real affinity, differences in the female genitalia (Figs 3D, 4D), head and pronotal sculpture, the shape of antennomeres, palpi, prosternum, and the tarsi ( Döberl 2012), allow us to consider Ugandaltica gen. n. as a different genus. Bezdekaltica specifically differs from Ugandaltica gen. n. in having: deeply incised frontal grooves which connect in the middle of the frons (Fig. 4A); an anteriorly and posteriorly bordered pronotum, with short longitudinal lateral impressions touching pronotal base (Fig. 4A); sharp maxillary palpi (Fig. 4B); the third tarsomere larger than the second, and slender fourth visible tarsomeres; antennomeres which are clearly more homogenous in shape; and the prosternum wider anteriorly than the intercoxal prothoracic process (Fig. 4B). In addition, Bezdekaltica has closed procoxal cavities, this is contrary to the statement reported by Döberl (2012), which also separates it from Ugandaltica gen. n. (Fig. 4B).

Description.

The new genus is established on the following set of characters. Body roundish, clearly convex, glabrous (Fig. 1A). Frons and vertex smooth; frontal tubercles absent; frontal grooves distinctly impressed, extending from upper ocular margin to antennal socket on each side; genae moderately elongate; maxillary palpi four-segmented, thickset; labial palpi three-segmented (Fig. 2A, C). Antennae slightly shorter than half the body length (Fig. 1A); antennomeres 1-2 distinctly larger than the rest; antennomere 7 distinctly larger than adjacent antennomeres (Fig. 2A). Pronotum sub-trapezoidal, slightly wider posteriorly, distinctly transverse, and distinctly rounded laterally, as wide as elytral base basally; anterior and basal margin not bordered; basal margin distinctly sinuous; lateral margin moderately expanded; anterior angles distinct and prominent, obliquely bevelled; posterior angles with a slightly prominent setigerous pore; punctation clearly impressed (Fig. 2B). Scutellum slightly elongate, roundish apically (Fig. 2B). Elytra indistinctly elongate, entirely covering pygidium, strongly arcuate laterally, jointly rounded apically; lateral margin moderately expanded up to sub-apical part of elytra, slightly visible in dorsal view; punctation arranged in 9 (+ 1 scutellar) regular rows, distinctly impressed but becoming shallower towards the elytral apex; humeral callus distinctly prominent; elytral epipleurae horizontally orientated, slightly visible laterally up to apical fourth of elytra (Figs 1A, 2D). Macropterous metathoracic wings. Hind femora clearly swollen; tibiae straight, not channeled, external margin not dentate; apical spur only present on hind tibiae, simple, and moderately elongate; third tarsomere of all legs about as narrow as second; ungual tarsomere of all legs slightly enlarged; and tarsal claws sub-appendiculate (Figs 2D, 3A). Prosternum clearly narrower anteriorly than intercoxal prothoracic process; and procoxal cavities open (Fig. 2C). Metafemoral extensor tendon with extended arm of dorsal lobe moderately elongate and slightly depressed; basal angle of ventral lobe acute; dorsal margin of ventral lobe straight, distinctly oblique; recurved flange distinctly sclerotized; dorsal-basal angle of the tendon almost right angled; ventral-basal angle of tendon widely obtuse; basal edge of tendon slightly curved (Fig. 3B). The metafemoral extensor tendon of this new genus is similar to those of the Psylliodes morpho-group ( Furth and Suzuki 1998), but most likely constitutes a new morpho-group, which will include Jacobyana . Aedeagal surface without any complex sculpture, but with evident pores; phallobasis widely rounded basally; aedeagus distinctly curved in lateral view (Fig. 3C). Spermatheca of the "alticine type" (Type A of Furth and Suzuki 1994), with distal part distinct from basal part, ductus uncoiled, laterally inserted, and not invaginated in the basal part; neck not distinctly separate from basal part; apical part thicker than neck and distinctly separate (Fig. 3D). Tignum and vaginal palpi as in Fig. 3D.

Etymology.

This new genus is named after Uganda, the country in which it was collected. Female gender.

Type species.

Ugandaltica wagneri sp. n.

Distribution.

Central Africa (Uganda) (Fig. 1B).