Monolepta mohamedsaidi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 24851E45-4856-4726-854B-71386D5F4794

Figs 54–56

Type material. Holotype: ♂ “ Sarawak, 4th. Division Gn. Mulu NP / nr. Base Camp 50–100 m, V.–VIII.1978, P. M. Hammond & J. E. Marshall, B. M.1978-49” (BMNH; Fig. 54). Type locality: 3º55′ N / 114º46′ E . – Paratypes: Brunei. 46 ex., Labi, Bukit Teraja 60 m, Mxt. Dipt. Forest, 4º18′ N / 114º26′ E, 21.VIII.79, B.M. 1983-39, Light trap 1, 75 m above ground, S. L. Sutton (BMNH) ; 24 ex., Temburung District Ridge, NE of Kuala Belalong, 300 m, 4º37′ N / 115º08′ E, X.1992, 125W MV Light Trap, J. H. Martin coll. (BMNH) ; 1 ex., Darussalam, Ulu Temburong NP, 4°32′ N / 115°9′ E, II.2015, P. Kočarek (CJB) . – Indonesia. 3 ex., N Sumatra, Bivouac one Mt Bandahara, 3º43′ N / 97º41′ E, 25.VI.–5.VIII.1972, J. Krikken (RMNH) ; 1 ex., N-Sumatra, Hutapadang, 1°25′ N / 99,28E, VIII.1991, Lichtfang, D. Erber (ZFMK) . – Malaysia. 1 ex., Penang, 5º24′ N / 100º29′ E, Lam. 93.60 (BMNH); 3 ex., Mt. Matang, W. Sarawak, 1º34′ N / 110º16′ E, I.-II.1914, Bryant coll. (BMNH) ; 1 ex., W. Sarawak, Quop, 1°37′ N / 110°24′ E, IV.1914, G. E. Bryant (BMNH) ; 1 ex., Sarawak, foot of Mt. Dulit, Junction of rivers Tinjar & Lejok, 3º20′ N / 114º09′ E, 29.VIII.1932 (BMNH) ; 1 ex., Malay Penin., Selangor, Bukit Kutu, 3500ft., 3º33′ N / 101º43′ E, 11.IX.1929, H. M. Pendlebury (BMNH) ; 2 ex., Sabah, Tawau Plat. 1300 ft., 8 m S. Telupid, 5º35′ N / 117º07′ E, 8.IX.1977, M. E. Bacchus (BMNH) ; 4 ex., Sarawak, Gunong Mulu Nat. Park, R. G. S. Exped. 1977/78, 3º55′ N / 114º46′ E, 24.VI.1978, J. D. Holloway et al. (BMNH) ; 24 ex., Sarawak, 4th. Division Gn. Mulu NP, nr. Base Camp 50–100 m, 3º55′ N / 114º46′ E, V.–VIII.1978, P. M. Hammond & J. E. Marshall (BMNH) ; 2 ex., Sabah, Sandakan, Sepilok FR (obs tower), 50 m, 5º52′ N / 117º56′ E, 1.XI.1987, Krikken & Rombaut (RMNH) ; 1 ex., Sabah, Interior zone, road Keningau-Sepulut, km 39 Sg. Sook, 350 m, 5.02′ N/116.27′ E, 17.XI.1987, J. Huisman & R . de Jong (RMNH) ; 1 ex., Sabah, West coast zone, 12 km NNE of Ranau, Poring hot Springs, 6.04′ N/116.42′ E, 9.XI.1987, J. Huisman & R. de Jong (RMNH) ; 1 ex., Sabah, Keningau Area, Tenom, 4º59′ N / 115º55′ E, 23.XI.1987, Krikken & Rombaut (RMNH) ; 1 ex., Malaysia, Fraser′ s Hill, 3º42′ N / 101º44′ E, 22.II.1991, RM Exped. (NHRS) ; 1 ex., Johor, Gunung Ledang, 2º22′ N / 102º36′ E, 19-23.VI.1993, Yusof, Saiful, Meor (UKM) ; 1 ex., Pahang, Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata, 4°28′ N / 101°22′ E, 1400 m, II.1997, Schuh & Lang (ZFMK) ; 1 ex., Pahang, Endau Rompin NP, 2°31N / 103°24′ E, IV.2008, P. Čechovsky .

Etymology. Dedicated in honour to Mohammed Salleh Mohamed Said, taxonomist from Malaysia, who did a tremendous work on the South-East Asian Chrysomelidae .

Description

Total length. 3.25–4.00 mm (mean 3.60 mm; n = 10).

Head. Very finely punctuated, varied from yellowish to blackish, labrum and mandible black. Antenna slender, short, extending almost to the middle of elytra, blackish and only three basal antennomeres yellow (Figs 55b, 56A). Second antennomere shorter than third; ratio length of second to third antennomere 0.67–1.00 (mean 0.72); ratio length of third to fourth antennomere 0.50– 0.60 (mean 0.53; Fig. 56B).

Thorax. Pronotum finely punctuated, entirely yellow-brownish and shiny. Pronotal width 1.00– 1.25 mm (mean 1.12 mm), ratio length to width 0.58–0.62 (mean 0.60). Scutellum, meso- and metathorax black. Elytra shows considerable variation. Almost 80 % has black elytra with longitudinal yellow spot in the middle of the disc (Fig. 55b, 56 Ab), others two yellow spot on the first basal halfof elytra, and another two spots on the apical part that stretch to elytral margin (Fig. 56 Aa). Elytral length 2.50–2.90 mm (mean 2.71 mm), maximal width of both elytra together 1.90–2.20 mm (mean 2.08 mm), ratio of maximal width of both elytra together to length of elytron 0.75–0.79 (mean 0.77; Fig. 56A). Legs entirely yellowish.

Abdomen. Yellowish.

Male genitalia. Median lobe is slender and narrowed towards apex. Tectum is long, lanceolate with marked tip. Median spiculae long and slender structure, lateral spiculae fine comb-like, ventral spiculae weakly sclerotised and hardly visible (Fig. 56C).

Female genitalia. Spermatheca with small spherical nodulus, middle part short, cornu long, slender and curved (Fig. 56D). Bursa sclerites of same size, both with very strong spines (Fig. 56E).

Diagnosis. Monolepta mohamedsaidi sp. nov. shows considerable variation on elytra. Small body size with yellow elytra and broad black outer and sutural margins (Figs 55b, 56 Ab) is very characteristic for most specimens. There is some similarity with M. marginicollis that is of same size, but has a black spot on vertex and also black pronotal lateral and basal margins (Figs 34A, 56 Ab). Specimens with yellowish spot on elytra look similar to M. zonula and M. empatbulat sp. nov. (Fig. 56 Aa). M. zonula, is on average larger (total length 3.50–4.90, M. mohamedsaidi sp. nov. 3.25–4.00 mm); M. empatbulat sp. nov. is of same size as M. mohamedsaidi sp. nov. but has partly black legs. The genitalic characters, particularly median lobe, allow also here a clear identification. Highest similarity with M. zonula,in external and genital morphology suggest a close phylogenetic relationship.

Distribution. Known from Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo (Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei; Fig. 54).