Trichobrotica Bechyné, 1956

Viswajyothi, Keezhpattillam & Clark, Shawn M., 2022, New World genera of Galerucinae Latreille, 1802 (tribes Galerucini Latreille, 1802, Metacyclini Chapuis, 1875, and Luperini Gistel, 1848): an annotated list and identification key (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 842, pp. 1-102 : 27

Genus Trichobrotica Bechyné, 1956

Trichobrotica Bechyné, 1956b: 969 (type species Diabrotica sexplagiata Jacoby, 1878 , by original designation).

Iceloceras Blake, 1958: 76 (type species Diabrotica sexplagiata Jacoby, 1878 , by original designation).

Remarks

This genus includes 22 described species, occurring from Mexico through much of South America. See Fig. 110 for a habitus illustration. See Blake (1958) for a key that includes some, but not all, of the species (as Iceloceras ). Also, realize that the genus should probably be split to form multiple genera. Blake (1966a) stated that the species with a relatively short third antennomere might eventually be removed from the genus. Additional variability involves the elytral punctures, which are exceptionally coarse in some species, while being extremely minute in others. The different genal lengths among the species are also noteworthy. Females of some species of Trichobrotica are hardly distinguishable from females of Luperosoma . A species described from Guatemala, Luperus albomarginatus Jacoby, 1888 , has most recently been classified in the genus Pseudoluperus Beller & Hatch, 1932 . However, our examination of the type specimen (British Museum of Natural History) reveals that it instead belongs in Trichobrotica . Hence, we propose a new combination, Trichobrotica albomarginata ( Jacoby, 1888) comb. nov. This species is very similar to T. nymphaea ( Jacoby, 1887) but differs in having a dark occiput. Perhaps, the two are synonyms, but this requires further study.

Figures

Figs 109–117. Dorsal views. 109. Parabrotica subtilis (Weise, 1921). 110. Trichobrotica sexplagiata (Jacoby, 1878). 111. Luperosoma marginatum Jacoby, 1891. 112. Carpiradialis pueblensis Niño- Maldonado & Clark, 2020. 113. Deinocladus sp. 114. Coronabrotica amazonensis Moura, 2010 [reproduced from Moura (2010), with permission from the copyright holder, Magnolia Press]. 115. Trachyscelida venezuelensis (Bechyné, 1956). 116. Synetocephalus penrosei Gilbert & Clark, 2012. 117. Geethaluperus flavofemoratus (Jacoby) comb. nov.