Phaelota, JACOBY, 1887

Damaška, Albert František, Konstantinov, Alexander & Fikáček, Martin, 2022, Multiple origins of moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): molecular phylogeny, overview of genera and a new genus from Africa, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 196, pp. 647-676 : 668-669

PHAELOTA JACOBY, 1887

( FIG. 4 )

Type species: Phaelota semifasciata Jacoby, 1887 .

Synonymy: This genus has no generic synonyms.

Phylogenetic position: Unknown. A possible placement in the Chabria group has been discussed, but no molecular or morphological phylogenetic analysis has been published to justify this.

Diversity and distribution: So far, 16 species of Phaelota are known ( Ruan et al., 2017). The genus is found mainly in India and Sri Lanka. One species was described from Borneo ( Konstantinov, 2008).

Revisions: The fauna of southern India and Sri Lanka was recently revised by Prathapan & Viraktamath (2009).

Morphological characteristics: Body large, 2.5 to 5.5 mm long, oval to round in dorsal view, moderately convex in lateral view, colour variable. Head hypognathous, partially retracted into prothorax. Antennal calli well developed, triangular, separated from vertex and from each other by deep impressions. Frontal ridge wide and flat. Antennae with 11 antennomeres, not widened or forming any apical club. Pronotum wide, with a feebly developed a n t e b a s a l t r a n s v e r s e i m p r e s s i o n, s u r r o u n d e d by two short longitudinal impressions. Procoxal cavities closed posteriorly; in Phaelota sindhoori Prathapan & Viraktamath, 2004 , procoxal cavities narrowly open. The intercoxal proventral process wide. Elytra narrowing towards apex, with rows of slightly developed punctures. Legs long; all coxae with a triangular posterior denticle. Aedeagus simple, slightly curved in lateral view. Spermatheca simple, with a long pump and bulbous receptacle; spermathecal duct without coils. Vaginal palpi fused basally, and parallel.

Ecology: The genus contains both moss-inhabiting and leaf-surface-living species ( Konstantinov et al., 2013; Ruan et al., 2017). Prathapan & Viraktamath (2009) report that at least three leaf-surface-living Indian species feed on ferns. It is likely that various species from the genus feed on various food sources; however, the ecology of Phaelota needs more research to be resolved.

Remarks: The genus is similar to Chabria and Acrocrypta Baly, 1862 . It can be separated from Chabria , by having closed procoxal cavities (procoxal cavities are open in Chabria ). From Acrocrypta , the genus differs by having a wide intercoxal proventral process and elytral punctures in rows (in Acrocrypta , the intercoxal proventral process is narrow and elytra are confusedly punctured).

Figures

Figure 4. Moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera distributed in Asia. A A, Paraminotella nigrita; B, Benedictus shivalayanicus; C, Paraminota lauribina; D, Ivalia korakundah; E, Cangshanaltica nigra; F, Baoshanaltica minuta; G, Phaelota viridipennis; H, Clavicornaltica dali.