Benedictoides munclingeri, Damaška & Konstantinov & Fikáček, 2022

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 : 658-659

BENEDICTOIDES MUNCLINGERI SP. NOV.

( FIG. 5 )

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: EFFFD238-A15A-49BB-870B-7CE4EC04690C

Type locality: Mount Cameroon (Fako) , Cameroon .

Type material: Holotype (male, NMPC). Label data: (1) CAMEROON: Fako reg., Mount Cameroon; 4°08′27″N, 9°11′02″E; sifting moss; 3. xii. 2019; Pavel Munclinger lgt.; (2) VOUCHER SPECIMEN ex coll. A. F. DamaŠka, no. AFD-281; (3) HOLOTYPE Benedictoides munclingeri Albert F. DamaŠka des. 2021.

Description: Body ( Fig. 5 ) 1.4 mm long, 0.75 mm wide in dorsal view, 0.5 mm high in lateral view. Dorsal surfaces brown; ventral surfaces dark blackish brown. Antennae long, reaching to one-half of the elytra. Antennomeres 1–2 and 11 light yellowish brown, antennomeres 3–5 and 10 brown, antennomeres 6–9 dark blackish brown. Basal half of femora darkened, apical half of femora, tibiae and tarsi brown. Pronotum convex, elevated anteriorly in lateral view; anterior angles of pronotum with a long seta reaching basal elytral margin. Elytra with nine regular rows of large, deep punctures; interspace between rows 8 and 9 slightly elevated, forming a longitudinal ridge. Basal elytral margin surrounded by a deep groove reaching to a quarter of the lateral elytral margin. Aedeagus ( Fig. 5 ) long, slender in ventral, bow-like in lateral view. Basal orifice slightly widened basally, basal two-thirds of aedeagus parallel-sided, apical third narrowed in ventral view. Apex of aedeagus dull, with a small, pointed tip in ventral view, forming an apical edge-like tip sharply curved ventrally in lateral view. Tegmen slender. Female unknown.

Etymology: The species is named in honour of Pavel Munclinger who collected the only known specimen while sifting for the first time in his life. The species name is a noun in the genitive case.

DNA material: The sequences of Benedictoides munclingeri are available under the following GenBank accession numbers: cox 1 barcode ( OK561527 ), wingless ( OK500042 ).

Figures

Figure 5. Benedictoides munclingeri. A, habitus in dorsal view; B, habitus in lateral view; C, habitus in ventral view; D, detail of head and pronotum; E, aedeagus in dorsal, lateral and ventral view; F, pronotum and elytral base of Benedictoides; G, pronotum and elytral base of Benedictus.