Serraphula bulirschi, Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010

Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle genus Serraphula Jacoby and description of Bechynella, a new genus from Western and Central Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), Zootaxa 2444, pp. 1-44 : 9-10

Serraphula bulirschi sp. n. ( Figs 4 , 22 , 33 , 57 )

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype 3, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, Kwazulu-Natal, Ntendeka Wilderness Area, Ngomi Forest, 27°51’S 31°23’E, 24-27.xi.2006, P. Bulirsch leg. ( SANC).

DIAGNOSIS. For the apical spur of hind tibiae, straight, slightly shorter than hind tibial length, with narrow dorsal furrow and regular and dense denture formed by small teeth, this new species is close to S. colonnellii sp. n. In addition, these two species are the only known Serraphula species with evident humeral callus and well developed metathoracic wings. However, S. bulirschi is clearly distinguishable from S. colonnelli for having: humeral callus more prominent; pronotal surface smooth (in S. colonnellii is clearly microreticulate); longer elytra and darker dorsal integument. The median lobe of aedeagus is indeed in S. bulirschi similar to those of S. debiasei sp. n., S. drakensbergensis sp. n. and S. natalensis sp. n., but it is easily distinguishable because more thickset and with clearly impressed and V-shaped ventral sulcus.

DESCRIPTION. Holotype 3. Dorsal integument dark brown, with metallic reflection. Body shape elongate-oval (LB = 1.99 mm), little convex. Maximum pronotal width at middle (WP= 0.65 mm); maximum elytral width at middle (WE = 0.98 mm).

Frons and vertex with microreticulate and very finely punctulate surface; a large setigerous pore with some small setigerous punctures gathered near each upper ocular margin; frontal dimples clearly impressed; frontal grooves distally finely impressed around upper ocular margin; frontal tubercles moderately delimited; frontal carina narrowed, slightly raised, apically rounded; labrum sub-trapezoidal, dark-brown; palpi darkbrown; eyes sub-elliptical, comparatively slightly larger than in other Serraphula species; antennae clearly shorter than body length (LAN = 1.64 mm; LAN/LB = 0.82), with segments 1–6 yellowish, segment 7 partially darkened, segments 8–11 entirely blackened; length of each antennomere proportional to numerical sequence 16:10:11:12:16:16:17:16:16:15:20 (right antenna).

Pronotum sub-rectangular, clearly transverse (LP = 0.44 mm; WP/LP = 1.49) laterally weakly rounded; basal and lateral margin finely bordered; punctation moderately dense, with small but clearly impressed punctures; surface sub-smooth, very finely and sparsely punctulate. Scutellum sub-triangular, apically rounded, with microreticulate surface.

Elytra clearly elongate (LE = 1.58 mm; LE/LP = 3.60), covering entirely pygidium, laterally sub-parallel, apically moderately obtuse, jointly-rounded; punctation arranged in 9 regular rows (+ 1 scutellar interrupted at basal fourth); punctures little-sized but clearly impressed; surface punctulate and very finely and irregularly wrinkled; elytral interstriae almost flat; humeral calli clearly evident; macropterous metathoracic wings.

Anterior and middle legs clearly darkened; hind femora dark-brown; hind tibiae and tarsi yellowish; hind tibiae slightly externally curved. Apical spur of hind tibiae slightly shorter than hind tibial length (LHT/LHTS = 1.09), straight, distally externally rounded; dorsal furrow narrowed, gradually and weakly open in distal half; denture regularly and very densely formed by very small teeth. First anterior and middle tarsomeres weakly dilated, with adhesive structures on ventral side (cf. Figs 77,79, 81–82 ).

Ventral surface blackish, apically paler; apical part of last abdominal sternite medially without pubescence.

Median lobe of aedeagus (LAED = 0.85 mm; LE/LAED = 1.85) in ventral view narrowed at middle part; apical part acute, with an evident median small tooth; ventral sulcus visible in distal half; in lateral view, median lobe weakly curved, with ventrally bent apical fifth; dorsal sulcus visible about in apical half; dorsal ligula apically strongly narrowed.

VARIATION. 3 (n = 1): LE = 1.58 mm; WE = 0.98 mm; LP = 0.44 mm; WP = 0.65 mm; LAN = 1.64 mm; LAED = 0.85 mm; LB = 1.99 mm; LE/LP = 3.60; WE/WP = 1.50; WP/LP = 1.49; LE/LAED = 1.85; LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.81; LHT/LHTS = 1.09.

ETYMOLOGY. This new species is named after its collector P. Bulirsch ( Czech Republic).

DISTRIBUTION. Republic of South Africa (Kwazulu-Natal). Southern-Eastern African chorotype (SEA) (cf. Biondi & D’Alessandro, 2006).

ECOLOGICAL NOTES. No information about its host plant is available for this species. Biome: Grassland (cf. Rutherford & Westfall, 1994). Veld type: North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld (cf. Acocks, 1988).

Figures

FIGURE 22. Geographical distribution of: Serraphula audisiana sp. n.; S. bulirschi sp. n.; S. colonnellii sp. n.; S. elongata Jacoby; S. mpumalangaensis sp. n.; S. natalensis sp. n.; S. puncticollis Bryant; S. wittmeri sp. n.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Habitus of: Serraphula aenea Jacoby (1); S. alticola sp. n. (2); S. audisiana sp. n. (3); S. bulirschi sp. n. (4).

FIGURES 31 – 36. Head and pronotum of Serraphula Jacoby: S. aenea Jacoby (31); S. audisiana sp. n. (32); S. bulirschi sp. n. (33); S. colonnellii sp. n. (34); S. debiasei sp. n. (frontal dimple pointed) (35); S. drakensbergensis sp. n. (36).

FIGURES 43 – 60. Median lobe of aedeagus of Serraphula Jacoby; lateral, ventral and dorsal view: S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, Southwell area (43 a); S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, nr Thornhill (43 b); S. colonnelii, Kwazulu- Natal, Ifafa Mouth (44); S. debiasei, Eastern Cape Province, 4 km S Barkly Pass (45); S. uysi, Transvaal, Palala (46); S. puncticollis, Eastern Cape Province, Port St. John (47); S. natalensis, KwaZulu-Natal, Blesberg (48); S. oberprieleri, Zimbabwe, Bunga Forest (49); S. mpumalangaensis, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (50); S. alticola, Mpumalanga, Mount Sheba area (51); S. audisiana, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (52); S. aenea, Mashonaland (53); S. drakensbergensis, Kwazulu-Natal, Cathedral Peak (54); S. grobbelaariae, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Boskrans Dam (55); S. duplessisi, Limpopo, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Soutpansberg (56); S. bulirschi, Kwazulu-Natal, Ntendeka Wilderness Area, Ngomi Forest (57); S. transvaalensis, Eastern Transvaal, Nelshoogte Pass (58); S. osellai, Kwazulu- Natal, Ngele Forest (59); S. wittmeri, Limpopo, Branddraai (60).

FIGURES 77 – 82. Ventral side of first anterior and middle tarsomeres in male and female of Serraphula elongata Jacoby: male with differentiated adhesive structure (77, 79, 81 – 82); female without differentiated adhesive structure (78, 80).