Mesomphalia subnitens Spaeth, 1917

Simões, Marianna V. P. & Monné, Marcela L., 2014, Taxonomic Revision of the genus Mesomphalia Hope, 1839 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Zootaxa 3835 (2), pp. 151-197 : 171-172

Mesomphalia subnitens Spaeth, 1917

( Figs. 114–116 , 157 , 162 )

Mesomphalia subnitens Spaeth, 1917: 26 ; Blackwelder, 1946: 738; Borowiec, 1999: 118.

Measurements (5 males / 5 females). Total length: 12.0–14.0/14.0–15.0; greatest elytral width: 10.8–11.5/ 11.5–12.5; pronotum length: 3.1–3.4/3.1–3.5; greatest width of pronotum: 7.2–7.7/7.2–8.0; elytral length/width ratio: 1.11–1.21/1.21–1.20; pronotal length/width ratio: 0.43–0.44/0.43–0.44.

Diagnosis. Mesomphalia subnitens differs from other species in the genus by: integument of elytra with slightly tumescent, shiny and punctate macroreticulation, decreasing towards anterolateral and apical angles; yellow to yellowish-brown pubescence limited to two subtriangular macules of setae at the pronotum, and four spots at the elytral disc.

Redescription. Elongate body, longer than wide; with yellowish-brown setae. Vertex with long and erect setae, with coarse and dense punctures (corrugated anteriorly). Coronal suture with dark red depression.

Antennae black, except apex of scape, pedicel, antennomeres III–IV dark brown. Antennomere III and V subequal in length, about 1.2x shorter than IV; VI, VIII–X subequal in length, slightly longer than VII; XI with rounded apex.

Prothorax with a pair of subtriangular spots of long and dense setae. Pronotum with sinuous anterior margin; posterior angle truncate. Prosternum with long, dense and semidecumbent setae and short, dense and decumbent setae at anterior margin of procoxae. Prosternal collar moderately projected forward, followed by deep and long, transverse groove, with anterior margin of anterolateral angle subtruncate on males; and short, shallow groove with anterior margin of anterolateral angle rounded on females.

Prosternal process with a deep and short longitudinal sulcus, starting medianly and not reaching apex; apical margin rounded.

Mesoventrite, mesepisterna, mesepimera glabrous; mesoventrite process with wide lateral margin, around 2.5x shorter than prosternal process, U-shaped, with truncate apex. Elytra about 3.5x longer than prothorax, with shiny macroreticulation, slightly tumescent, with coarse punctation, decreasing towards anterolateral and apical angles, and absent at anterior margin of gibbosity, macroreticulation bearing long, dense and decumbent setae, forming two spots on each elytron: one subtriangular after humeral angle and the other ellipsoidal at apical third of disc; lateral margins slightly striated; basal margin sinuous; lateral margin more expanded at median region or at basal third; apical angle rounded, convergent and slightly projected dorsally. Gibbosity conical at basal third, about 1.5x length of elytra, tilted anteriorly.

Metaventrite posterior margin with a row of short, erect and dense setae; metepimera with long, dense and decumbent setae.

Abdominal ventrites III–V with reddish-brown ellipsoidal spots; I–IV with short row of long and decumbent setae, becoming denser along lateral margins.

Remarks. The setal pattern on the prothorax forms two subtriangular spots of yellowish-brown setae and two spots on each of the elytra: one subtriangular under the humeral angle and another ellipsoidal along the apical third of the disc, and slightly striated lateral margins of the elytra in M. subnitens ( Figs. 114–116 ) place it near M. turrita ( Figs. 110–113 ), however, the latter differs by an elongate body and shiny, nearly impunctate, integument.

Geographical distribution. Described from “ Brasília ( Spaeth 1917) . A new state record to Rio de Janeiro ( Brazil) is added ( Figs. 157 , 162 ).

Material examined (10). Type material. Holotype ( Fig. 116 ), deposited at MM, photographs examined. BRAZIL: (Ex Musaeo Mniszech) (2 males, 1 female, MNHN); (Ex Musaeo H.W. Bates 1892), (Ex Coll. R. Oberthur) (1 female, MNHN); Rio de Janeiro: Macaé, XI.19, Garbe (1 female, MZSP); Nova Friburgo, IV–V.1884, P. Germain leg.(Ex Coll. R. Oberthur) (3 males, 2 females, MNHN).

Figures

FIGURES 157. Map of geographic distribution of Mesomphalia denudata Boheman, 1850; M. sublaevis Boheman, 1850; M. subnitens Spaeth, 1917; M. tumidula Boheman, 1850; M. turrita (Illiger, 1801); M. variolaris Boheman, 1850.

FIGURES 114 – 122. Mesomphalia species: 114 – 116, Mesomphalia subnitens Spaeth, 1917: 114, dorsal view; 115, lateral view; 116, holotype, dorsal view; 117 – 120, Mesomphalia sexmaculosa Boheman, 1856: 117, dorsal view; 118, lateral view; 119, holotype; 120, labels; 121 – 122, Mesomphalia tumidula Boheman, 1850: 121, male, dorsal view; 122, female, dorsal view.

FIGURES 158 – 163. Map of geographic distribution of 158, Mesomphalia gibbosa (Fabricius, 1781); 159, M. sublaevis Boheman, 1850; 160, Mesomphalia spaethi Simões & Monné, sp. nov.; 161, M. turrita (Illiger, 1801); 162, M. subnitens Spaeth, 1917; 163, M. sexmaculosa Boheman, 1856.

FIGURES 105 – 113. Mesomphalia species: 105 – 106, Mesomphalia sublaevis Boheman, 1850: 105, dorsal view; 106, lateral view; 107 – 109, Mesomphalia spaethi Simões & Monné, sp. nov. holotype: 107, dorsal view; 108, ventral view; 109, lateral view; 110 – 113, Mesomphalia turrita (Illiger, 1801): 110, dorsal view; 111, lateral view; 112 – 113, lectotype: 112, dorsal view; 113, labels.