identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
9B71234229236A73FF7AE2C0FEC2FC59.text	9B71234229236A73FF7AE2C0FEC2FC59.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Metallactus minax Suffrian 1866	<div><p>Species belonging to the  Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group:</p><p>Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866</p><p>=  Metallactus mosei Schöller, 2003 syn. nov.</p><p>Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov.</p><p>=  Metallactus incultus Suffrian, 1866 syn. nov.</p><p>Metallactus tommasoi sp. nov.</p><p>General characters of the species group</p><p>In terms of overall external appearance, size, and dorsal coloration pattern, the species belonging to this group are comparable to those recently assigned to the  Metallactus kollari (Perty, 1832) and  Metallactus generosus Suffrian, 1866 species complexes (Sassi 2018, 2020a).</p><p>Distinctive features of the species group proposed here are primarily based on the shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus, which has a rounded spoon-like apex and a characteristic more or less pointed tubercle below the apex on the ventral surface. In two of the three species, this tubercle is particularly developed, forming a conspicuous sharp, conical process. Additionally, there is an unusually deep, heart-shaped depression on the fifth abdominal ventrite of the male. On the contrary, in the above-mentioned species complexes, the ventral aedeagal surface is basically smooth and devoid of particular structures, and the depression on the male fifth anal sternite is definitely shallower, with its rear margin only weakly notched or almost straight.</p><p>The overall dorsal coloration shows significant individual variability, which can create considerable difficulties in correctly identifying the species when examination of the median lobe of the aedeagus is not possible. However, a trait that seems to characterize this group of species quite well, compared to those mentioned above, is the coloration of the legs and ventral parts, which are generally totally or almost totally black, contrary to what is observed, for example, in the  Metallactus kollari group, where specimens with predominantly light coloration on the ventral side and legs prevail. Additionally, the almost entirely black coloration of the forehead (rarely there is a small, blurred light marking between the antennal insertions), in both males and females, distinguishes the species  M. minax and  M. abstersus, while in the third species ( M. tommasoi) the clypeofrontal surface is predominantly yellow.</p><p>The pronotal colouration can be totally black to black with margins and a longitudinal median stripe yellow. The elytral coloration is variable but falls into patterns that are quite common within the entire genus, namely a bicolored motif, with light parts in a yellowish or brick-red color, and dark parts represented by black spots variable in number, shape, and size, but with a predominant pattern consisting of a common large elliptical spot located in the center of the two elytra. This spot can appear significantly reduced, turning into a more or less oblique, separated pattern on each elytron, or it can be represented by a broad sutural band accompanied by other spots arranged longitudinally along the elytral disc. Specimens with very reduced and almost absent black patterns, as well as nearly completely melanistic specimens, have been observed, and might be not uncommon within all the species of the complex.</p><p>The endophallus (Fig. 5a) shows the typical organization already described for all the other groups (see Sassi 2018 for the terminology and figures) and regarded as an important trait in the delimitation of the genus. In this structure, the dorsal spicules are well-developed, with the apex aligned with the upper edge of the first sclerite in the folded-up structure. The fourth sclerite is broad, with wrinkled surface.</p><p>The vasculum of the spermatheca (Figs 5b–d) is C-shaped, with non-swollen lobes, the distal lobe slightly shorter than the basal one. The ductus is thin, rather long, and tightly coiled. The insertion of the ductus onto the bursa of the spermatheca is visibly sclerotized and elongated to form a pigmented sleeve.</p><p>Species treatments</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B71234229236A73FF7AE2C0FEC2FC59	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Sassi, Davide	Sassi, Davide (2025): Revision of the Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae). Zootaxa 5583 (1): 71-86, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3
9B71234229206A77FF7AE595FE71FD9D.text	9B71234229206A77FF7AE595FE71FD9D.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Metallactus minax Suffrian 1866	<div><p>Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866</p><p>(Figs 1; 4a–d; 5a–b; 6a)</p><p>Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866: 249; Clavareau, 1913: 93 (catalogue); Blackwelder, 1946: 641 (catalogue). =  Metallactus mosei Schöller, 2003: 71 s yn. nov.</p><p>Types. Suffrian (1866) did not mention the number of the studied specimens, but he stated that they all came both from Berlin Museum and from Deyrolle’s and Clark’s collections, both of them at present hosted in BMNH. Three putative syntypes, one male and two females, were tracked down in BMNH and five specimens, all females, were available in MNHUB. All these specimens match the original description of the colour pattern and its variation. Suffrian clearly stated that he had only females available for the study. However, as mentioned above, one of the specimens from London is a male. This would suggest excluding at least this specimen from the type series. Nevertheless, certain circumstances led me to a different decision, and this specimen has instead been designated the lectotype of the species. The reasons are as follows. In the species group under study, sexual dimorphism is very reduced. Specifically, the interocular distance is only slightly different when comparing males and females. Additionally, males do not exhibit any easily evident development of the tarsi or anterior tibiae. Furthermore, of notable importance, the fifth anal sternite in males has an unusually deep depression at the apex, curiously similar to that typically observed in females of the majority of Cryptocephalinae. Again, in the original description, Suffrian focuses on the characteristics of the reddish spot in the basal region of the elytra, stating: “ Die Farbe schwarz, ein die schwarz bleibende Schulterbeule umziehender, den Seitenlappen mit einschliessender, nach Innen bis an den dritten Zwischenraum reichender Schulterfleck und die ziemlich breite Spitze, letztere in noch bleicherer Färbung, ziegelroth ”. This description, particularly the detail of the brick-red shoulder spot separated from the apical spot and encircling the black humeral callus, corresponds only to the two specimens from the Clark collection. Besides, only the male exhibits the pronotal coloration that Suffrian describes as "typical", specifically black with lateral margins and part of the anterior margin yellow. No other specimens from London or Berlin display this combination of colours on the pronotum. Furthermore, the male from the Clark collection has the typical handwritten note “a D. Suffrian. determinat.”, which is commonly found on the material studied by Suffrian in the preparation of his monograph (1866). As a matter of fact, there is also a further handwritten note “S Paul” that Suffrian does not mention. However, it should be noted that Suffrian was often not very precise in recording all the collection data, as can be seen in many other instances (see, for example, Sassi 2018, 2022, 2024). Therefore, the most reasonable interpretation of the observed situation is that Suffrian overlooked the presence of a male among the materials he studied. This interpretation is supported by the fact that the German entomologist made the same mistake on other occasions; see, for example, the treatment of the following species and what was stated in the designation of the lectotypes of  Metallactus insitivus Suffrian, 1866 and  M.taeniatellus Suffrian 1866 (Sassi 2022). For all these reasons, the typification has been made as follows. LECTOTYPE: ♂, glued, aedeagus extracted and glued on the same label bearing the specimen, abdomen glued on a separate label, // “250” [blue label, handwritten] // “S Paul” [one second unreadable word, white label, handwritten] // “E. Coll Chevt.” [white label, printed] // “65.56” [white label, printed] // “a D. Suffrian. determinat.” [white label, printed] // “  Met minax ” [white label, handwritten] // “ Syntype ” [rounded white label with blue margin, printed] // “  Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 LECTOTYPUS D. Sassi des.” [red label, printed] // (BMNH). PARALECTOTYPES: 1♀, pinned // ”  Metallactus minax Suffr Brazil ” [white label, handwritten) // “Type Suffr Coll. Deyrolle” [white label, handwritten] // “Baly Coll.” [white label, printed] // “ Syntype ” [white label with blue border, printed] // (BMNH); 1♀, pinned // “ Para ” [white label, handwritten) // “  Met. minax ” [white label, handwritten] // "E Coll Laferté" [white label, printed] // "67.56" [white label, printed] // "116" [blue label, printed] // " Syntype " [white with blue border, printed] // (BMNH); 4♀, pinned // “23948” [white label, printed] //  “minax Suffr. * c. variet. Brasil C. Sell.” [blue label, handwritten] // (MNHUB); 1♀, pinned // “23949” [white label, printed] //  “minax var. Suffr.* Brasil C. Sell.” [blue label, handwritten] // (MNHUB). The label information for these last five specimens matches the registration data from the old catalogue of the MNHUB (“23948 [ Metallactus]  minax Suffr. * 4. Brasil Sello.” and “23949 [ Metallactus minax] var. Suffr.* 1. [Brasil Sello].”). All paralectotypes labelled: “  Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 PARALECTOTYPUS D. Sassi det.” [red label, printed].</p><p>As regard  Metallactus mosei, Schöller (2003) described it based on 44 (47?) specimens. The description was made comparing the external habitus of the specimens with the syntypes of  M. minax hosted in MNHUB (which included only females) and highlighting a series of differences primarily in the colour pattern. Unfortunately, the material of the historical collection in MNHUB did not provide a complete picture of the variation range of  M. minax, and the lack of male specimens prevented a comparison of the male genitalia. I had the opportunity to study paratypes (of both sexes) of  M. mosei and I did not find any significative differences between the two species. For this reason, the following synonymy is here proposed:  Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 =  Metallactus mosei Schöller, 2003 syn. nov.</p><p>Type locality. São Paulo (Brazil).</p><p>Additional material examined. ARGENTINA: Misiones: Santa Ana I.1952 (1, USNMNH); 12 km SW Santa Ana 21.I.1989 (1, BYU); BRAZIL: Mato Grosso: Maracaju II.1937 (1, USNMNH). Paraná: Jaguariaiva 29.I.1974 (1, AMNH). São Paulo: “ São Paulo ” (15, NMPC &amp; MNHN); Piracicaba II.2002 Lab. Rearing on  Eucalyptus urophylla (3, DSPC, LT of  Metallactus mosei). PARAGUAY: Amambay: Cerro Cora National Park 19–21.I.2001 (1, NMPC). Asunción: 1891 (7, MNHN). Caaguazú: Caaguazú XII.1943 (1, USNMNH). Central: Capiatá II.1995 (1, MSNM); “Central” 1885 (1, MNHN). Concepción: 120 km NEE Concepción 2–3-II.2008 175 m (5, NMPC &amp; DSPC); Serranía San Luis 23.I.2001 (4, JPPC &amp; MSNG); Concepción (1, HNHMB); “Concepción Corocò” II.1997 (3, DSPC); Orquela Pochon (Horqueta?) I.1936 (1, NHMB). Cordillera: Naranjo II.1995 (3, MSNM); Altos III.1991 (2, DSPC); San Bernardino (3, NMV &amp; MNHUB). Paraguarí: 5 Km W La Colmena 200m 21–22, II.2008 (2, MMPC); Sapucai 1903 (3, BMNH &amp; USNMNH). San Pedro: 5 km N Taquati III.1989 (1, DSPC). “Paraguay” (15, MNHUB &amp; NHMB).</p><p>Additional data from literature. BRAZIL: São Paulo: Boa Esperança do Sul (Schöller 2003, locus typicus of  M. mosei).</p><p>Distribution. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay. New for Argentina and Paraguay. In my opinion, the indication “Para” on the label of one of the females housed in BMNH would require further confirmation.</p><p>Comparative notes. Based on the available material, compared to the other two species in the group, the dorsal black coloration of this species is more extensive, predominantly featuring a pattern with a black pronotum and yellow elytra with a common, large, elliptical black spot in the center. However, this black pattern is often reduced and fragmented, and the pronotum can also be extensively yellow. Due to the elliptical elytral spot and the black coloration of the legs,  Metallactus minax could resemble some species of  Griburius in the  posticatus group (Sassi 2024), such as  G. ephippiatus Suffrian, 1866, and  G. posticatus Suffrian, 1866 . Nevertheless,  M. minax can be easily distinguished from them by its more cylindrical profile, which is not dorsally flattened as seen in the typical  Griburius habitus of the aforementioned species. Additionally,  M. minax is clearly distinct in terms of aedeagal morphology and the shape of the spermatheca, where the ductus, contrary to what is generally observed in  Griburius, is long, frail and tightly coiled.</p><p>Description of male. Habitus in figs 1a–b (HT). BL = 4.8–5.7 mm, BW = 2.9–3.4 mm, PL = 1.5–2.0 mm, PW = 2.5–3.1 mm. Interocular distance 12.3–14.6 % of BL.</p><p>Head: usually completely black, occasionally with small, burred round yellow spot on frontoclypeal suture. Labrum light yellow. Surface of upper frons and vertex quite convex, head punctation sparse but well impressed on vertex, denser on clypeus and along inner rim of eyes, setosity almost missing on vertex and frons, but, again, thick and adpressed along lower part of inner eye margins. Mid-cranial suture apparent between upper half of eyes. Upper lobes of eyes well separated along median line. Ocular lines narrow, strictly adhering to ocular rim, marked by rows of small punctures. Ocular canthus rounded, scarcely setose. Antennae rather long, slender, blackish with first five antennomeres partly yellowish, 3–5 bright, subcylindrical, the subsequent ones dull, moderately flattened and more diffusedly setose.</p><p>Pronotum: black, often with longitudinal median yellow stripe extended from anterior to posterior margin, slightly larger posteriorly, spotted with small black marking just in front of scutellum. Lateral margins and external part of anterior and posterior ones yellow as well. Often yellow median stripe can be reduced so not attaining anterior and posterior margins. At times yellow pattern coalesces so black colour reduced to couple of large, oblique, wavy markings at sides of midline. In single specimen from Jaguariaíva (Paraná, Brazil) pronotum totally black (Fig. 1n). Pronotal outline transverse, regularly convex. Lateral margins narrow, regularly curved with maximum width just behind half of length. Posterolateral impression short, shallow. Surface moderately lustrous with scattered, well-impressed punctation, denser on sides, almost obliterated on central part of disc.</p><p>Scutellum: completely black, moderately raised. Apex truncated in a straight line or mildly rounded. Surface smooth, minutely and sparsely punctured, with few, short, whitish setae above all on basal half.</p><p>Elytra: yellow with common, large, transverse, elliptical black spot at middle of disc. Such black spot can be reduced or broken into separate smaller markings or, as in lectotype, prolonged along suture in broad stripe reaching anterior margin. In single studied specimen (Fig. 1n) from Jaguariaíva (Paraná, Brazil) black pattern extended to cover most of elytral surface leaving yellow colour only on humeral area and apex. Humeral callus always spotted with black even in lighter specimens. Elytral outline cylindrical with sides almost parallel. Lateral margins narrow, scarcely visible from above. Scutellar area not raised. Humeral callus scarcely prominent, not punctured. Elytral punctation fine and weak, rather close, irregularly arranged on anterior half, but hints of more regular rows toward apex. Intervals flat. Epipleura flat or slightly convex, with smooth, impunctate surface.</p><p>Pygidium: black, smooth, covered by thick, adpressed, whitish setae and sparse shallow punctures.</p><p>Underside: ventral surface black, matt, covered with long, thick, adpressed, yellowish setae, except shiny, scarcely setose, sparsely punctured posterior part of hypomera. Prosternal process narrow, fairly impressed at middle, with apex roughly triangular, slightly raised at tip. Surface of prosternal process covered with long, thick, semi-erect whitish setae. Fifth abdominal ventrite with deep, heart-shaped, bald, impunctate median depression and deeply notched posterior margin.</p><p>Legs: black with yellow stripe along anterior margin of anterior femora.</p><p>Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 4a–d) subcylindrical with apex blunt, flattened, spoon-shaped in ventral and dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view. Setose depressions shifted to very lateral border of ventral surface, in form of narrow, lengthened callosities, with short, scattered, barely visible setae. Ventral surface just below apex raised in large, squat, pointed median bulge whose distal margin, in lateral view, is fairly concave. At times, such bulge showing two symmetrical indentations (sd in fig. 4d) on apical side so that its base connected to apex by short carina. This pattern is not always evident, and in many cases, surface regularly slanted (Fig. 4a). Endophallus (Fig. 5a) with sclerite I well developed, with large straight-directed denticule. Dorsal spicule well developed, finger-like, with well pigmented apex. Sclerite II slender, slightly convex. Sclerite III robust, sickle shaped. Branches of sclerite IV with surface minutely wrinkled, shorter than sclerite III in folded-up structure, parallel-sided with rounded apex and long sharp process at base.</p><p>Female. BL = 6.1–7.1 mm, BW = 3.9–4.3 mm, PL = 2.0– 2.3 mm, PW = 3.3–3.8 mm. Interocular distance 16.9–18.0 % of BL.</p><p>Female differs in the larger interocular distance, in the pronotal colouration, which is usually totally black, reduced and finer punctation on the frontoclypeal surface. Additionally, often the ventral yellowish setosity is not as gaudy as in male and does not hide the surface of inferior parts. Besides, the anterior tarsi are slightly narrower.</p><p>The fifth abdominal ventrite in females has a large and deep pit. The bottom of the pit is glabrous, matt, impunctate but covered by tiny wrinkles. The vasculum of the spermatheca (Fig. 5b) is moderately pigmented, sickle-shaped with slightly twisted, not swollen proximal lobe. The distal lobe is rather short, slender, tapered with an acute apex slightly bent downwards. The ampulla is not pigmented, short, sitting just at the basal apex of the vasculum. The duct and the sperm gland insertions are perceptibly distinct. The duct is very long, uniform in size, slender, floppy, strictly coiled, with its insertion on the bursa copulatrix forming a rigid, well pigmented sleeve.</p><p>Biological notes. Schöller (2003) reported some specimens of the type series of  M. mosei to be reared on  Psidium guajava ( Myrtaceae) and  Eucalyptus urophylla ( Myrtaceae) (see also Agrain et al. 2024 for the evaluation of the degree in host plant association).</p><p>Remarks. Regarding the variability mentioned above, concerning the appearance of the ventral surface of the aedeagal median lobe (Figs 4a and 4d), careful comparisons have revealed that this variability is distributed rather randomly and shows no correlation with either the external coloration or possible partitions of the distribution range. Additionally, different intermediate forms are present, which cannot be attributed to distinct alternative patterns. Based on current knowledge, it does not seem possible to assign taxonomic significance to the variations in this structure within this taxon.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B71234229206A77FF7AE595FE71FD9D	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Sassi, Davide	Sassi, Davide (2025): Revision of the Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae). Zootaxa 5583 (1): 71-86, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3
9B71234229246A76FF7AE4F5FCD2FAF1.text	9B71234229246A76FF7AE4F5FCD2FAF1.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian 1866) D. Sassi 2025	<div><p>Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov.</p><p>(Figs 2; 5d; 6b)</p><p>Scolochrus abstersus Suffrian, 1866: 133; Clavareau, 1913: 88 [ Griburius] (catalogue); Blackwelder, 1946: 639 [ Griburius] (catalogue). =  Metallactus incultus Suffrian, 1866: 358; Clavareau, 1913: 93 (catalogue); Blackwelder, 1946: 641 (catalogue). Syn. nov.</p><p>Types. As regard  Scolochrus abstersus, Suffrian (1866) did not mention the number of specimens under study, but he reported that he could examine only females, and the material (hosted in MNHUB) was collected by Virmond in Brazil. One single specimen matching the original description was tracked down in MNHUB. Curiously, and once again, the specimen turned out to be male. For the same reasons pointed out concerning the typification of  M. minax (see above), it seemed reasonable to assume that Suffrian erroneously believed the likely single available specimen to be a female. Therefore, the specimen in MNHUB, whose external habitus perfectly matches the original description, has been designated as the lectotype. The typification was made as follows. LECTOTYPE: ♂, glued, aedeagus glued on the same card, abdomen glued on a separate card, //  “abstersus Suffr. * Brasil Virm.” [blue label, handwritten] // “24027” [white label, printed] // “  Griburius abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) ( Scolochrus abstersus) LECTOTYPUS D. Sassi des.” [red label, printed] // “  Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) D. Sassi det. 2024” [white label, printed] // (MNHUB). The information on the original label, matches the registration data from the old catalogue of the MNHUB (“24027 [ Scolochrus]  abstersus Suffr. * 1. Brasil, Virmund.”).</p><p>Regarding  Metallactus incultus, Suffrian once again does not indicate the exact number of specimens he studied, but states that he saw only females. From the description provided, it can be inferred that there were at least three. Additionally, he lists MNHUB and NMV, as well as the Clark collection, currently housed in BMNH, as depositories of the material. My research has located four syntypes, all females: one in MNHUB, one in BMNH, and two in NMV. The Berlin specimen matches perfectly with the description of the coloration that Suffrian seems to consider as 'typical,' and for this reason, it has been designated as the lectotype of the species. The information on the original label, matches the registration data from the old catalogue of the MNHUB (“23982 [ Metallactus]  incultus Suffr * 1. [Brasil], v. Olf."). The specimens from London and Vienna correspond, with some minor approximations, to what the German entomologist reports as variations in colour (essentially a reduction of the black elytral pattern, up to completely yellow elytra). These three specimens have been designated as paralectotypes. Regarding the labels on the specimens from Vienna, which do not match what Suffrian (1866) reported in the original description, it should be emphasized (as already pointed out above) that this issue pertains to all the material from Vienna used by Suffrian in his monograph. This matter has been discussed multiple times in previous works, to which the reader is referred for details (Sassi 2018, 2022). The typification was made as follows. LECTOTYPE: ♀, pinned, // "  incultus Suffr .* Brasil v. Olf." [blue label, handwritten] // "23982" [white label, printed] // “  Metallactus incultus Suffrian, 1866 LECTOTYPUS D. Sassi des.” [red label, printed] // “  Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) D. Sassi det. 2024” [white label, printed] //. (MNHUB). The information on the original label, matches the registration data from the old catalogue of the MNHUB (“23982 [ Metallactus]  incultus Suffr * 1. [Brasil], v. Olf.”). PARALECTOTYPES (3): 1♀, pinned, // “brasilia” [white label, handwritten] // “162” [blue label, handwritten] // “E. Coll. Chev. t ” [white label, printed] // “  Met incultus ” [white label, handwritten] // “a D. Saffrian. [sic!] determinat.” [white label, handwritten] // “67.56” [white label, printed] // (BMNH); 2♀, pinned, // “Ytaranga Brasilien Natterer” [white label, printed] // (NMV). All paralectotypes labelled: “  Metallactus incultus Suffrian, 1866 PARALECTOTYPUS D. Sassi det.” [red label, printed] // “  Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) D. Sassi det. 2024” [white label, printed] //.</p><p>Type locality. “ Brazil ”.</p><p>Further material examined. None.</p><p>Distribution. Brazil.At present, it seems impossible to identify the exact geographic location of the only locality mentioned on the labels of the material preserved at NMV (Ytaranga). However, it is reasonable to assume that this is an old toponym from southern Brazil, possibly from the state of São Paulo, where it is known that Natterer conducted extensive research and collected a large amount of material (Schifter, 1993).</p><p>Comparative notes. For its dorsal coloration,  Metallactus abstersus closely resembles some species in the  M. kollari (Perty, 1832) species-group (Sassi 2018), particularly in specimens where there is a reduced black pattern on the elytra, as sometimes seen in  M. dodecastictus Suffrian, 1866 . However, in the species of the  kollari group, the head, legs, and ventral parts typically have extensive or predominantly yellow colouration while in  M. abstersus the ventral parts and the legs are completely black, and the head almost entirely black, sometimes with a hint of a dirty yellow spot on the lower part of the clypeus. Conversely, the upper lip is consistently a rather bright yellow, contrasting sharply with the dark colour of the rest of the head. This combination of colours is not found in other  Metallactus species-groups. The only species in the  kollari group with entirely black head and legs is  M. languidus Suffrian, 1866, but here the sides of the abdomen are bordered with yellow, and the elytral pattern observed so far is clearly different, being characterized by a series of small, rounded black spots (up to six), arranged in two rows on each elytron. Again, in  M. albifrons Suffrian, 1866 the abdomen and the legs are completely black, but the frons is extensive yellow. Anyway, the morphology of the aedeagus is always decisive, as the large tubercle on the ventral face of the median lobe of the aedeagus, characteristic of species in the  minax group, is never observed in the  kollari group of species. The combination of the chromatic characters mentioned above (legs, head, upper lip and ventral parts) allows this species to be closely aligned with  M. minax, whose affinity is especially evident due to the morphology of the aedeagus and the shape of the anal depression in the male. Males of  M. abstersus can be distinguished from those of  M. minax not only by the different color pattern but also by the shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus. In particular, the curvature of the median ventral bulge, whose apical profile in lateral view is distinctly convex in  M. abstersus, whereas it is concave in  M. minax . Lastly, the shared colour pattern with females previously assigned by Suffrian to a different taxon ( M. incultus), and the substantial similarity in overall appearance, further justifies proposing the following synonymy:</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B71234229246A76FF7AE4F5FCD2FAF1	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Sassi, Davide	Sassi, Davide (2025): Revision of the Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae). Zootaxa 5583 (1): 71-86, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3
9B71234229256A78FF2AE350FB71FC11.text	9B71234229256A78FF2AE350FB71FC11.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian 1866) D. Sassi 2025	<div><p>Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866)</p><p>=  Metallactus incultus Suffrian, 1866 syn. nov.</p><p>Description of lectotype (the only male available). Habitus in fig. 2a–b (LT). BL = 5.0 mm, BW = 3.0 mm, PL = 1.6 mm, PW = 2.6 mm. Interocular distance 13.0 % of BL.</p><p>Head: black with blurred, trefoil-shaped yellow spot between antennal insertions. Labrum yellow. Surface of vertex and upper part of frons smooth, almost impunctate, punctation denser on clypeus and along inner rim of eyes, setosity almost missing on vertex and frons, thick and adpressed on clypeus and along inner eye margins. Mid-cranial suture obliterated. Upper lobes of eyes well separated along median lines. Ocular lines narrow, strictly adhering to ocular rim, marked by rows of small punctures. Ocular canthus deep, rounded, scarcely setose. Antennomeres highly missing, only basal third preserved, first one blackish, the following two yellowish.</p><p>Pronotum: yellow with two comma-shaped, black spots on sides of median line. Two additional, smaller black spots situated externally to first ones, also comma-like with concavity directed forward. Pronotal outline scarcely transverse, roughly square, lateral margins narrow, almost straight, surface regularly convex. Posterolateral impression apparent but shallow, so that posterior margin not particularly swollen toward sides. Surface moderately lustrous with scattered, rather strong punctation, denser on sides, almost obliterated on disc.</p><p>Scutellum: completely black, moderately raised, truncated at apex. Surface smooth, impunctate with few, short, regularly scattered whitish setae.</p><p>Elytra: completely yellow with suture and apical margin narrowly infuscate. Elytral outline cylindrical, parallel-sided. Surface regularly convex with lateral margins narrow, scarcely visible from above. Scutellar area faintly raised. Humeral callus scarcely prominent, not punctured. Punctation shallow and minute, quite irregularly arranged in rows in particular in basal half. Intervals flat.</p><p>Pygidium: piceous, smooth, dull, covered by sparse, rather shallow punctures and pale setae.</p><p>Underside: ventral surface black, matt, covered with long, thick, adpressed, whitish setae, except shiny, scarcely setose, sparsely punctured posterior part of hypomera. Prosternal process narrow, longitudinally grooved, roughly rounded on apex. Surface of prosternal process covered with long, thick, semi-erect whitish setae. Fifth abdominal ventrite with a deep, heart-shaped, bald, impunctate median depression and deeply notched posterior margin.</p><p>Legs: black with anterior margins of anterior femora yellow.</p><p>Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 2h–m) subcylindrical with apex blunt, relatively short, flattened, spoon-shaped in ventral and dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view. Setose depressions shifted to very lateral border of ventral surface, in form of narrow, lengthened callosities, with very short, scattered setae. Ventral surface bearing two shallow but clearly visible rounded depressions on its apical section, delimiting a large, squat, pointed median bulge whose distal margin, in lateral view, is slightly convex. Endophallus not examined.</p><p>Female. BL = 6.3 mm, BW = 3.9 mm, PL = 1.8 mm, PW = 3.3 mm. Interocular distance 15.9 % of BL.</p><p>In females, formerly described as  Metallactus incultus, the interocular distance is larger, whereas they are very similar regarding the coloration. Small differences can be observed: in a single specimen (the LT of  M. incultus, fig. 2g) the humeral callus is black, and an oblique black spot is also present at the middle of elytral surface. This specimen is also characterized by a closer and more irregular arrangement of the elytral punctation. However, it would be futile to propose a diagnostic pattern based on the few available specimens, which still show evident chromatic variability.</p><p>The pit on the fifth abdominal ventrite in females is large and deep. The bottom of the pit is glabrous, matt, impunctate but covered by tiny wrinkles. The vasculum of the spermatheca (Fig. 5d) is moderately pigmented, sickle-shaped with straight, not swollen proximal lobe. The distal lobe is short, mildly swollen at middle, with an acute apex slightly bent downwards. The ampulla is not pigmented, short, sitting just at basal apex of vasculum. The duct and sperm gland insertions are perceptibly distinct. The duct is very long, uniform in size, slender, floppy, strictly coiled, with its insertion on the bursa copulatrix forming a rigid, well pigmented sleeve.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B71234229256A78FF2AE350FB71FC11	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Sassi, Davide	Sassi, Davide (2025): Revision of the Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae). Zootaxa 5583 (1): 71-86, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3
9B712342292B6A7FFF7AE279FC20FD0D.text	9B712342292B6A7FFF7AE279FC20FD0D.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Metallactus tommasoi Sassi 2025	<div><p>Metallactus tommasoi sp. nov.</p><p>urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4A89F110-2366-4590-968A-23B02B1431F0</p><p>(Figs 3; 4e–g; 5c; 6c)</p><p>Types.   HOLOTYPE: ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: ♂, glued, detached abdomen glued on the same card, median lobe of aedeagus glued on a separate card, // “ARGENTINA Bs. AIRES,  Felipe Sola ( Bahia Blanca) coll. Monrós En. 942” [white label, handwritten] // “F. Monros Collection 1959” [White label, printed] // “  Metallactus tommasoi sp. nov . HOLOTYPUS D. Sassi des.” [red label, printed] // (USNMNH). PARATYPES (24):  ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: 2♂ 1♀, same data as the holotype (USNMNH &amp; DSPC);  4♀ // “ ARGENTINA Bs. AIRES,  Bahia Blanca Felipe Sola coll.  Monrós Feb. 942” [white label, handwritten] // “F. Monros Collection 1959” [White label, printed] // (USNMNH);   7♂ 2♀ // “ ARGENTINA Bs. AIRES,  Felipe Solá coll. Monrós Feb. 942” [white label, handwritten] // “F. Monros Collection 1959” [White label, printed] // (USNMNH &amp; DSPC);   3♂ // “ ARGENTINA Bs. AIRES,  Tandil coll. Monrós En. 1941” [white label, handwritten] // “F. Monros Collection 1959” [White label, printed] // (USNMNH &amp; DSPC);   1♀ // “ ARGENTINIEN Prov. Buenos Aires  Sierra de la Ventana 20.3.54 [white label, partly handwritten] // “Zool. Staatslg. M,nchen” [White label, printed] // (ZSM).   Córdoba: 4♀ // “CORDOBA - ARGENTINA  Dep. de Calamuchita El Sauce XII-1938 Manuel J. Viana [white label, printed] // “F. Monros Collection 1959” [White label, printed] // (USNMNH &amp; DSPC). All paratypes also labelled: // “  Metallactus tommasoi sp. nov . PARATYPUS D. Sassi des.” [red label, printed] //.</p><p>Additional material examined.A single female was examined, bearing the following information: PARAGUAY: Caaguazu:  Morombi 12–15.XII.2013 (UDPC). The specimen is slightly larger than the recorded range for females of the new species. Additionally, its coloration is partly different, with the elytra being completely yellow except for a small, rounded spot at the apex. Despite matching the rest of the observed characteristics, it was deemed more prudent not to consider this specimen as part of the type series of the new species. Therefore, the presence of  Metallactus tommasoi in Paraguay remains doubtful, pending further confirmation.</p><p>Type locality.  Felipe Solá (Buenos Aires, Argentina).</p><p>Etymology. The new species is dedicated to my son Tommaso, a keen naturalist and skilled biologist, specialized in a field different from biosystematics.</p><p>Distribution. Argentina, Paraguay (?).</p><p>Comparative notes. The new species chromatically differs from both  M. minax and  M. abstersus in the coloration of the head, which is predominantly yellow on frons and clypeus rather than totally or almost totally black. Additionally, the elytral colour pattern appears quite characteristic, with the suture generally broadly banded in black, and the presence of spots in the middle of the elytron predominantly oriented longitudinally. Moreover, elytral punctation is usually less dense than in the other species, and arranged in almost regular rows. The most evident difference, however, lies in the shape of the median lobe, where the median bulge on the ventral surface is significantly reduced compared to what is observed in the other species of the group.</p><p>Description of male. Habitus in figs 3a–b (HT). BL = 5.2–5.3 mm, BW = 3.0– 3.1 mm, PL = 1.7–1.8 mm, PW = 2.5–2.7 mm. Interocular distance 11.4–11.6 % of BL.</p><p>Head: usually black, with clypeus and lower part of frons yellow. Usually, yellow pattern extended upwards in form of two curved spots along inner border of eyes, leaving a black line in middle. At times such spots reduced to small round markings between upper lobes of eyes. Labrum light yellow as well. Surface of upper frons and vertex quite convex, head punctation sparse, moderately impressed on vertex, denser and stronger on clypeus and along inner rim of eyes. Setosity almost missing on vertex and frons but, again, thick and adpressed along lower part of inner eye margins and along median line between eyes. Mid-cranial suture usually scarcely visible. Upper lobes of eyes well separated along median lines. Ocular lines shallow, strictly adhering to ocular rim, marked by rows of small punctures. Ocular canthus rounded, scarcely setose. Antennae rather short, slender, blackish with first five antennomeres partly yellowish, 3–5 bright, subcylindrical, the subsequent ones dull, moderately flattened and more diffusedly setose.</p><p>Pronotum: black with variable yellow pattern. Usually lateral and anterior margins are yellow, as well as outer part of posterior one. Besides, a longitudinal yellow line present at center of disc, starting from anterior margin and often reaching posterior one. In this case such yellow line broadening backwards and containing small black fleck just in front of scutellum. Pronotal outline weakly transverse, regularly convex. Lateral margins narrow, regularly curved with maximum width just behind half of length. Posterolateral impression short, shallow. Surface moderately lustrous with scattered, well-impressed, often double-sized punctation, denser on sides, almost obliterated on central part of disc.</p><p>Scutellum: completely black, moderately raised. Apex truncated in a straight line or mildly rounded. Surface smooth, minutely and sparsely punctured, with few, short, whitish setae.</p><p>Elytra: elytral colour pattern remarkably variable as well. Often, elytra yellow with common, large, black stripe along suture, extending from anterior margin to elytral clivus. Black stripe, when complete, usually shortly broadened at its anterior third. Occasionally, black stripe may diminish progressively to almost disappearing towards elytral base, however, the black broadening on anterior third tends to persist in form of common rounded spot or two distinct, sometimes blurred markings. More rarely, black stripe reduced to very narrow black line along suture. Specimens with more extended dark elytral pattern, exhibit nearly rectangular or vaguely C-shaped, longitudinal black spot at middle of elytron. In some specimens, longitudinal spot merging with sutural stripe to give a pattern where dark colouration predominates over yellow (Fig. 3h). Humeral callus always spotted with black even in lighter specimens. In a single specimen (Fig. 3g), elytral dark pattern retained but faded into faint light brown design, almost not distinguished from yellow background. As a result, elytra might initially appear completely yellow. Elytral outline cylindrical with sides almost parallel. Lateral margins narrow, scarcely visible from above. Scutellar area not raised. Humeral callus scarcely prominent, not punctured. Elytral punctation moderately impressed, mostly sparse over anterior half, posteriorly arranged in almost regular rows. Intervals flat. Epipleura slightly convex, with smooth, impunctate surface.</p><p>Pygidium: usually black (but almost completely yellowish in some specimens), smooth, covered by thick, adpressed, whitish setae and sparse well-impressed punctures.</p><p>Underside: ventral surface black (sometimes part of the rear margin of the fifth abdominal ventrite yellowish), matt, covered with long, thick, adpressed, whitish setae, except shiny, scarcely setose, sparsely punctured posterior part of hypomera. Prosternal process narrow, fairly grooved at middle, with apex short triangular. Surface of prosternal process covered with long, thick, semi-erect whitish setae. Fifth abdominal ventrite with deep, heart-shaped, bald, shiny, impunctate median depression and deeply notched posterior margin.</p><p>Legs: black with yellow stripe along anterior margin of anterior femora. Median and posterior femora partly yellow as well.</p><p>Male genitalia: Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 4e–g) subcylindrical with apex rounded, flattened, paddleshaped in ventral and dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view. Setose depressions shifted to very lateral border of ventral surface, very sender, barely visible, marked with very few, tiny setae. Ventral surface just below apex raised in moderate, squat, roughly angulate median bulge. Endophallus very similar to that of  M. minax, with no significant differences detected.</p><p>Female. BL = 5.6–6.4 mm, BW = 3.2–3.9 mm, PL = 1.8–2.1 mm, PW = 2.8–3.3 mm. Interocular distance 15.6–17.9 % of BL.</p><p>Female differs in the larger interocular distance and in the larger and stouter body. No significant differences have been noticed regarding the colour pattern.</p><p>The pit on the fifth abdominal ventrite in females is large and deep. The bottom of the pit is glabrous, matt, impunctate but covered by sparse, tiny wrinkles.The vasculum of the spermatheca (Fig. 5c) is moderately pigmented, sickle-shaped with straight, not swollen proximal lobe. The distal lobe is long, not swollen, tapered toward the apex. The ampulla is not pigmented, small, sitting just at basal apex of vasculum. The duct and the sperm gland insertions are perceptibly distinct. The duct is very long, uniform in size, slender, floppy, strictly coiled, with its insertion on the bursa copulatrix forming a rigid, twisted, well pigmented sleeve.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B712342292B6A7FFF7AE279FC20FD0D	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Sassi, Davide	Sassi, Davide (2025): Revision of the Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae). Zootaxa 5583 (1): 71-86, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5583.1.3
