Monotalla guadeloupensis Bechyne , 1956

Konstantinov, Alexander S., Linzmeier, Adelita M., Clark, Shawn M. & Ivie, Michael A., 2015, Review of the West Indian genus Monotalla Bechyne (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini) with description of five new species, ZooKeys 505, pp. 117-136 : 122

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Monotalla guadeloupensis Bechyne, 1956 Figs 1, 13-17, 18-21

Monotalla guadeloupensis Bechyné, 1956: 588 (type locality Guadeloupe, type NHMB), Savini and Furth 2001: 907 (status restored).

Description.

Body length: 1.32-1.35 mm, width: 1.05-1.10 mm. Color blackish with light bluish metallic luster. Ventral side and appendages light brown or amber. Distance between eyes about 2 times wider than transverse diameter of eye. Punctures on vertex about as large as distance between them. Pronotal punctures sparce, slightly elongate in shape, their transverse diameter much smaller than distance between them. Elytral punctures relatively large, forming well developed rows. Distance between punctures in rows about as great as their diameter. Distance between rows at base of elytra about as great as diameter of punctures. Distance between rows in middle of elytra greater than diameter of punctures. Lateral (outer) side of metatibia deeply and coarsely dentate. Metatibial spur curved, projects beyond denticle situated on apex of inner side of metatibia. Aedeagus slender, with shallow and wide impression ventrally. Posterior sclerotizations of vaginal palpi slightly widening apically, straight at apex. Posterior sclerotization of tignum gradually narrowing posteriorly, abdominal sternite 8 without sclerotized spots near apex. Spermatheca with relatively long middle part of receptacle, with internal side forming few folds.

Comments.

Monotalla guadeloupensis is the type species of Monotalla . In the key to Monotalla species it ends up in the same couplet with Monotalla lecticafolium . It can be separated by the following characters: punctures on vertex about as large as distance between them; aedeagus slender, with shallow and wide impression ventrally. In Monotalla lecticafolium , punctures on vertex are much smaller than distance between them and aedeagus is robust, without impression ventrally.

Type material.

Holotype, male: 1) Guadeloupe; 2) 1953 Coll Heikertinger; 3) Holotype Monotalla guadeloupensis J. Bechyné det. 1956. (NHMB).

Material examined.

Guadeloupe: Basse Terre, Mam[elles] de Pigeon, 600-700m, 16° 10.668N, 61° 44.152W, 21 Aug 2005, M.A. Ivie, beating dead palm frond (male WIBF, female USNM). Guadeloupe: Basse T. Gourbeyre, Palmiste, 05-20 Jan 2003, J. Touroult colr. (male WIBF).