Megarhabda, Viswajyothi & Clark, 2022

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 : 5-6

Genus Megarhabda gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1A56949E-BD82-4D21-969D-0374649544B6

Type species

Trirhabda obscurovittata Jacoby, 1886 , by present designation.

Diagnosis

This genus is quite different from Trirhabda LeConte, 1865 (the genus in which the single named species of Megarhabda gen. nov. was previously placed). Among other things, the pronotum of Megarhabda is very short (about 2.5 times as broad as long). In this respect, the new genus is similar to Derospidea , but differs in the larger pronotal depressions and the more broadly explanate lateral pronotal margins ( Fig. 192 ). See the following key for additional diagnostic characters.

Etymology

The genus name ‘ Megarhabda ’ suggests a relationship to Trirhabda , but with unusually large size. It should be treated as a female noun.

Remarks

This genus includes a single named species, M. obscurovittata ( Jacoby, 1886) , which occurs from Guatemala to Panama, but an undescribed species from Guatemala and Mexico also belongs here. See Fig. 14 for a habitus photograph.

Figures

Figs 189–194. Anterior portions of bodies. 189. Pyesexora sp., dorsal view. 190. Cochabamba chrysopleura (Harold, 1875), dorsal view. 191. Anisobrotica sp., dorsal view. 192. Megarhabda sp., dorsal view. 193. Metrobrotica geometrica (Erichson, 1847), lateral view showing absence of lateral pronotal carina. 194. Cyclotrypema furcata (Olivier, 1308), lateral view showing absence of lateral pronotal carina.

Figs 10–18.Dorsal views. 10. Dircema?nigripenne (Fabricius, 1792).11. Neophaestussp.12. Derospidea brevicollis (LeConte, 1865). 13. Dicoelotrachelus sp. 14. Megarhabda sp. 15. Trirhabda nitidicollis LeConte, 1865. 16. Socorroita carinipennis (Bowditch, 1923). 17. Socorroita elvira Bechyné, 1956. 18. Miraces aeneipennis Jacoby, 1888.