Bezdekaltica, Döberl, 2012

Döberl, Manfred, 2012, Alticinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52, pp. 429-447 : 434-435

Bezdekaltica gen. nov.

Type species. Bezdekaltica socotrana sp. nov.

Description. Body small, broadly oval, glabrous. Head hypognathous, slightly convex in lateral view. Frontal lines deeply incised, nearly straight, connecting in middle of frons. Antennal calli small, shining smooth, roundabout sharply delimited, separated from each other by upper part of anterofrontal ridge. Anterofrontal ridge gradually wider anteriorly. Antennae with 11 antennomeres, short.

Pronotum transverse, distinctly wider than long, anteriorly convergent. Anterior angles beveled. In dorsal view, lateral margins visible only in posterior part. Basal margin broadly produced in middle part, with very faint short impression on both sides at level of 5 th elytral stria.

Scutellum small, almost semicircular. Elytra glabrous, oval, widest nearly in the middle, elytral base broader than base of pronotum. Surface with 11 regular striae, including scutellar and outermost ones. Winged, humeral calli present. Lateral margins of elytra are well visible in dorsal view. Elytral apex widely rounded. Epipleurae vertical, disappearing near apex.

Anterior coxal cavities open posteriorly. First ventrite as long as following ones combined. Apical ventrite in males with two small triangular incisions on posterior margin. All tibiae evenly straight and rounded, in apical third shallowly flattened and on both sides with fine short setae. Metatibiae provided with fine short spine inserted in the middle of apex. Metatarsi inserted at end of tibia, much shorter than half of metatibial length. Metatarsomere IV not inflated, claws appendiculate.

Differential diagnosis. Genus Bezdekaltica gen. nov. is characterised by a cluster of primitive characters (see SCHERER 1961): (1) claw segment of metatarsi not inflated, (2) spine at the end of metatibia simple, (3) metatibia without excavation, (4) pronotal disc without distinct impressions, (5) body not strikingly vaulted, (6) anterior coxal cavities open, (7) pronotum narrow, not twice as wide as long, (8) metatarsi much shorter than half of metatibial length, (9) winged, with developed humeral calli.

The following Aethiopian and Palaearctic genera share all these characters, but can be distinguished by at least one additional special character (cf. also BECHYNÉ 1955, 1960, SCHERER 1961): Aphthona Chevrolat, 1836 – metatibia with broad furrow in apical part; Bangalaltica Bechyné, 1960 – antennomeres III–V strikingly long; Chirodica Germar, 1834 – body elongate, subparallel, elytra confusedly punctate; Eugonotes Jacoby, 1897 and Hespera Weise, 1889 – dorsum pubescent; Gabonia Jacoby, 1893 – anterior angles of pronotum not obtuse, humeral calli distinctly potruding; Mniophilosoma Wollaston, 1854 – metafemora not inflated; Nzerekorena Bechyné, 1955 – antennomere IV as long as antennomeres I-III combined; Phyllotreta Stephens, 1836 – elytra confusedly punctate.

Genus Batophila Foudras, 1860 , also sharing all above-mentioned characters, can be separated from Bezdekaltica gen. nov. as follows: body elongate, frontal lines missing, lateral margins of pronotum parallel or divergent, pronotal base straight or evenly rounded, elytral striae impressed, without humeral calli, apterous, 1.6–2.1 mm (in Bezdekaltica gen. nov.: body oval, frontal lines present, lateral margins of pronotum convergent anteriorly, pronotal base widely produced in middle part, elytral striae not impressed, with humeral calli present, macropterous, body length 1.3–1.6 mm).

Etymology. Dedicated to Jan Bezděk (Brno, Czech Republic), well known specialist in Galerucinae, who kindly gave me the opportunity to study interesting material of Alticinae from Socotra. Gender feminine.