Mesomphalia latipennis Boheman, 1856

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 : 178-179

Mesomphalia latipennis Boheman, 1856

( Figs. 144–147 , 156 , 168 )

Mesomphalia latipennis Boheman, 1856: 38 ; 1862: 102; Gemminger & Harold, 1876: 3633; Wagener, 1881: 64; Spaeth, 1901: 339; 1914: 33; Blackwelder, 1946: 738; Borowiec, 1999: 117.

Measurements (14 males / 2 females). Total length: 12.2–14.0/14.3–14.4; greatest elytral width: 11.9–13.2/13.0; pronotum length: 2.9–3.6/3.2–3.5; greatest width of pronotum: 7.0–8.3/8.0–8.1; elytral length/width ratio: 1.02–1.06/1.07–1.1; pronotal length/width ratio: 2.3–2.4/2.3–2.5.

Diagnosis. Mesomphalia latipennis can easily be differentiated by: pronotum with sparse setae; elytra with conspicuous macroreticulation, bearing moderately long, dense and semidecumbent setae, distributed uniformly, except for glabrous humerus and apex of gibbosity, and two circular subglabrous areas at post-median region.

Redescription. Body rounded with acuminate apex and yellowish-brown setae, except elytra whitish-brown. Vertex rugged, with deep and sparse punctures next to superior ocular margins, with erect and sparse setae; coronal suture deep with reddish-brown apical depression. Frontoclypeus moderately swollen, with dense setae and deep, dense punctures.

Antennae black, except apex of scape, pedicel and antennomeres III–IV reddish-brown. Antennomeres III, V–VII subequal in length, slightly shorter than IV; VIII and X subequal in length, slightly longer than IX; XI about 1.5x longer than X with truncate apex.

Prothorax with long and semidecumbent setae, becoming denser on lateral depressions. Pronotum with anterior margin strongly sinuous. Prosternum with long, semidecumbent and dense setae, decreasing towards apex of prosternal process. Prosternal collar somewhat curved and projected, with lateral apices subacuminate, followed by long and deep transverse groove, wider at median region. Prosternal process with longitudinal sulcus, starting at median region extending to apex; apical margin rounded.

Mesothorax glabrous, except mesoventrite process with narrow lateral margins, around 2x shorter than prosternal process, U-shaped, subtruncate apex. Elytra around 3.5x longer than prothorax; deep, dense punctures at apex of gibbosity, and lateral and apical margins; macroreticulation conspicuous, bearing moderately long, dense and semidecumbent setae, distributed uniformly, except two circular subglabrous areas at post-median region and glabrous apex of gibbosity; apical margin with long and erect setae, ventrally. Lateral margins broader at median region; apical angle rounded, convergent and directed dorsally. Gibbosity perpendicular to disc, 0.43–0.51x elytral length, perpendicular to disc.

Metaventrite with posterior margin with row of long, dense and decumbent setae; metanepisterna with long, dense, and decumbent setae.

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

Remarks. Boheman (1862) redescribed M. latipennis ( Figs. 144–147 ) and considered it to be similar to M. gibbosa ( Figs. 101–104 ) by having the same setal pattern in the elytra, forming foveae, and the lateral margins being broadly rounded. We add that the prosternal collar is also quite similar in these two species, in extension of the lateral angles and curvature in the lateral view. However, the species differ by the density and color of setae on the pronotum and the elytra, and by the punctation of the elytral margins. Mesomphalia gibbosa has yellowishbrown spots of setae on the pronotum, with a higher concentration of setae under the humerus and next to the elytral apex, as well as fine and moderately sparse punctures on the lateral margins, which are absent at the apical margin. Mesomphalia latipennis possesses elytra which have whitish sparse setae, not forming spots, and deep, dense punctures on the lateral margins, forming grooves at the apical margin.

Geographical distribution. Described from “ Brasília ( Boheman, 1856) . A new state record from Espírito Santo ( Brazil) is added ( Figs. 156 , 168 ).

Material examined (15). Type material. Holotype ( Figs.146–147 ) at ZMHB, photographs examined. BRAZIL: Espírito Santo: Baixo Guandú, 10.XII.1920, F. Hollmam (1 male, MNRJ); Linhares, 8–14.VIII.1972, C. & T. Elias (1 male, 1 female, DZUP); Santa Teresa, Garbe (1 male, DZUP; 1 male, MZSP); 26.X.1964, C. & T. Elias (1 male, DZUP); 24.IX.1966, C. & T. Elias (1 male, DZUP); 1.XII.1928 (3 males, 1 female, MNRJ); 7.XII.1966, C. & T. Elias (2 males, DZUP); 1–3.II.1968, C. & T. & Elias (1 male, DZUP); 3.I.1970, C. & T. Elias (1 male, DZUP).

Figures

FIGURES 156. Map of geographic distribution of Mesomphalia gibbosa (Fabricius, 1781); M. latipennis Boheman, 1856; M. nudoplagiata Spaeth, 1901; M. retipennis Boheman, 1850; Mesomphalia spaethi Simões & Monné, sp. nov.; M. sexmaculosa Boheman, 1856.

FIGURES 140 – 147. Mesomphalia species: 140 – 143, Mesomphalia retipennis Boheman, 1850: 140, lateral view; 141 – 143, holotype: 141, dorsal view; 142, lateral view; 143, labels; 144 – 147, Mesomphalia latipennis Boheman, 1850: 144, dorsal view; 145, lateral view; 146 – 147, holotype: 146, dorsal view; 147, labels.

FIGURES 164 – 169. Map of geographic distribution of 164, Mesomphalia tumidula Boheman, 1850; 165, M. variolaris Boheman, 1850; 166, M. denudata Boheman, 1850; 167, M. retipennis Boheman, 1850; 168, M. latipennis Boheman, 1856; 169, M. nudoplagiata Spaeth, 1901.

FIGURES 101 – 104. Mesomphalia gibbosa (Fabricius, 1781). 101, male, dorsal view; 102, female, dorsal view; 103, female, lateral view; 104 a – c. holotype: 104 a, dorsal view; 104 b, ventral view; 104 c, labels.