Erinaceialtica thomasi, Konstantinov & Linzmeier, 2020

Konstantinov, Alexander S. & Linzmeier, Adelita M., 2020, Moss inhabiting flea beetles of the West Indies III: Erinaceialtica, a new genus from Hispaniola (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini), ZooKeys 955, pp. 113-145 : 113

Erinaceialtica thomasi sp. nov. Figs 52-55

Description.

Body length 2.37 mm, width 1.24 mm. Vertex and part of head below vertex including frons and antennal calli black without apparent greenish or blueish tint. Antennomere 11 as dark as 9. Pronotum dark brown with base slightly lighter in color than apex. Antebasal pronotal impression very shallow and poorly defined. Two bumps on pronotum short with even shorter one in between them close to posterior margin. Elytral disc with two long, triangular, dark greenish to blueish metallic tint along suture. Rest of disc posteriorly dark yellow. Elytra laterally and towards apex appear darker. Ventral side of body dark brown to black, except last abdominal segment being lighter in color. Pro- and mesofemora yellow at base, dark brown for rest of its length. Pro- and mesotibiae brown, with slightly lighter area around middle. Metafemora dark, with bronzy shine. Metatibia bicolored, darker at apex, lighter at base. Setae on orbit and vertex as sparse and same color. Setae on middle of vertex short, directed towards middle, not forming a small “mohawk”. Pronotal setae directed laterally and posteriorly. Second row on punctures on elytral slope not impressed with setae directed laterally and ventrally from it. Median lobe of aedeagus narrows extensively from middle to apex, apex more or less cylindrical in ventral view. In lateral view, median lobe bends abruptly ventrally.

Diagnosis.

Erinaceialtica rileyi has unique color and can be easily identified using the key at the end of the paper.

Habitat.

Unknown.

Etymology.

The species epithet, thomasi , is a patronym in honor of late Mike Thomas, who contributed greatly to our knowledge of beetle diversity, taxonomy, and identification in the United States.

Type material examined.

Holotype, male; 1) Haiti Dept. Sud-Oueste, Parc National La Visite 2040-2150m, 23-V-1984 Coll. M.C. Thomas (USNM).

Figures

Figures 52 - 55. Adult Erinaceialtica thomasi sp. nov. 52 habitus, dorsal view 53 median lobe of aedeagus, ventral and lateral views 54 habitus, three quarter view 55 habitus, frontal view.