Hermaeophaga belkadavi Konstantinov

Lopatin, I. K. & Konstantinov, A. S., 2009, New genera and species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from China and South Korea, Zootaxa 2083 (1), pp. 1-18 : 12-14

Hermaeophaga belkadavi Konstantinov , new species

( Figs 33–38 )

Holotype, male. China, S. Sichuan, near Bijishan village, left tr. of Lianhegou river , 2500–3200m, 19. VI.2000, Belousov, Kabak, Davidian ( ZMAS) . Paratypes, 9 specimens with the same labels as holotype (7 USNM, 2 ZMAS) .

Body length 2.65–2.85 mm, width 1.35–1.72 mm. Head and pronotum black with light bluish tint. Antennomeres one to five and all tibiae and tarsi yellow. Antennomeres six to 11 and all femora brownish.

Head ( Fig. 33 ) slightly convex in lateral view (frons and vertex form slightly convex line in lateral view). Vertex shiny, without punctures and wrinkles in middle. Supracallinal sulci absent, but head surface bends from antennal calli to vertex thus separating antennal calli from it. Midfrontal sulcus deep, well visible. Orbital and supraorbital sulci deep and relatively wide, being most noticeable sulci on head. Suprafrontal sulcus deep. Frontal ridge narrows between antennal calli, also narrowing ventrally forming denticle at anterofrontal ridge ( Fig. 33 ). Antennomere two nearly as long as three, but longer than four.

Pronotum slightly swollen anterolaterally, with anterolateral callosity forming acute denticle. Antebasal transverse impression shallow in middle, deepens laterally. Disc nearly lacking punctures. Procoxal cavities widely open. Intercoxal prosternal process extends posteriorly beyond coxae.

Elytron with well developed humeral callus, widest nearly at middle. Punctures confused, distance between them varies significantly. Elytral slopes nearly vertical at basal one third.

Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 34,35) slightly converging posteriorly in ventral view, nearly straight in lateral view with apex bent dorsally. Apex lacking defined denticle in ventral view. Apical part of longitudinal impression narrowing abruptly.

Spermatheca with pump clearly separated from receptacle ( Fig. 36 ). Apical part of pump rounded, but not wider than base of horizontal part. Flattened part of pump curved. Vaginal palpi merged together with external side of apex slightly concave in middle ( Fig. 37 ). Tignum with stalk curved in middle and anteriorly ( Fig. 38 ).

Comments: Hermaeophaga belkadavi can be separated from all other Eurasian species of the genus with the help of the following key, where it is in the same couplet with H. adamsi Baly. It can be separated from it by the larger body (about 2.70 mm — H. adamsi is about 1.8 mm); the midfrontal sulcus deep and well visible and the pro- and mesofemora brownish, as dark as metafemora.

Etymology: The species name refers to I. Belousov, I. Kabak, and G. Davidian who collected these remarkable beetles.

Figures

FIGURES 33–38. Hermaeophaga belkadavi. 33, head, frontal view; 34, median lobe of aedeagus, ventral view; 35, median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view; 36, spermatheca; 37, vaginal palpi; 38, tignum.