Colasposoma (Colasposoma) hajeki, Zoia, 2012

Zoia, Stefano, 2012, Eumolpinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Socotra Island, Insect biodiversity of the Socotra Archipelago (Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52), pp. 449-501 : 465-467

Colasposoma (Colasposoma) hajeki sp. nov.

( Figs. 45–52 , 129–130 , 143 )

Type locality. Yemen, Socotra Island, Dixam plateau, Firmihin, 12°28.6′N, 54°01.1′E.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ Yemen, Socotra Island, Dixam plateau, 14.-15.vi.2012, Firmihin, Dracaena woodland, 12°28.6′N, 54°01.1′E, 490 m. [printed white label]; Socotra expedition 2012, J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart leg.[printed white label] ; Holotypus Colasposoma (Colasposoma) hajeki n. sp. S. Zoia det. 2012 [printed red label]’ ( NMPC). PARATYPES (5 spec.): same data as holotype (2 ♀♀ NMPC; 1 J,

JBCB; 1 J 1 ♀ SZCM). Description. Habitus as in Figs. 129–130 ; body length of holotype 5.0– 5.2 mm ( JJ), of paratypes 4.8–5.8 mm (♀♀). Body red-yellowish, with slightly greenish metallic coloration of hypomerae, meso– and metanepisterna, and partially darkened abdominal ventrites I–IV ; head, pronotum and scutellum metallic green, with slightly visible yellowish background; elytra yellowish; labrum reddish, mandibles dark brown, palpi yellowish; antennae reddish, antennomeres VII–XI slightly darkened; legs including tarsi yellowish.

Frons nearly flat in middle, on whole surface with confused, moderately strong punctures which are stronger and partially confluent at mid frons, bare; surface between punctures smooth, shiny; clypeus not separated from frons, bare, with punctation slightly finer than on frons, its distal border concave. Two apical palpomeres oblong, penultimate nearly four fifths of ultimate one in length, two times longer than wide. Antennomere I nearly 1.6 times longer than II and nearly 1.5 times wider, feebly bent on outer side; antennomere II two times longer than wide; antennomere III nearly as long as I and nearly three times (♀) to four times (J) longer than wide; antennomeres IV and V subequal to III; antennomere VI shorter; antennomeres VII–X dull, feebly widened, VII little longer than the following ones; antennomere XI 1.2 times longer than, and as wide as antennomere X.

Pronotum 1.9–2.0 times wider than long (2.4 × 1.2 mm in holotype); sides arched and margined throughout, widest in basal third; angles with small tooth with bristle; surface with relatively strong, partially confluent punctation on pronotal disc, punctures stronger and confluent on pronotal sides, bare.

Scutellum almost two times wider than long, rounded, finely punctured at base, bare.

Hypomeron with spaced punctures, bare; distal border of prosternum concave, margined; notosternal suture moderately deep, reaching the distal border of hypomeron; prosternum ( Fig. 52 ) in midline nearly 1.7 times as long as wide between procoxae, almost flat, finely punctate, with long thin whitish pubescence. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 52 ) narrower than prosternum between coxae, its distal edge convex, with a light impression in middle, surface with a few fine punctures, pubescent; mesepimera not punctured, with fine microsculpture, bare. Metaventrite ( Fig. 52 ) finely punctured, with moderately long thin pubescence, distal border with a small rounded incision in middle; metacoxae nearly as spaced as mesocoxae; metanepisterna nearly 3.6 times longer than wide, punctured, finely rugose, with fine pubescence.

Elytra oblong, 1.2–1.3 times longer than wide at humeral level (3.6 × 2.9 mm in holotype); surface regularly convex in males, elytral punctation moderately strong and confused; surface between punctures smooth, convex; in females elytral surface feebly impressed on basal third and with low carina on sides of apical slope, punctation on elytral sides trasversally confluent, subrugose ( Fig. 50 ); apices at nearly right angle; humeri moderately prominent, smooth, not punctured, covering elytral border in dorsal view; elytral surface bare. Epipleura impunctate, bare and smooth, gradually tapering to elytral apices.

Legs long and slender; femora unarmed, feebly swollen; tibiae straight, protibial surface rough in distal half; pro-, meso- and metatarsomere I slightly widened in males. Claws appendiculate, shortly divided in about their midlength with a small acute tooth ( Fig. 51 ).

Dorsal side of abdomen scarcely sclerotized, with exception of pygidium which has rounded and pubescent apex; abdominal ventrites roughly punctured and pubescent.

Aedeagus as in Figs. 45–46 .

Spermatheca as in Fig. 49 ; spermathecal gland distally divided into two small terminal chambers (two dissected specimens); coxites short, conical, sclerotized; spiculum ventrale relatively long and thin; vagina without any sclerotization.

Differential diagnosis. Colasposoma (Colasposoma) hajeki sp. nov. is characterized by appendiculate claws and different coloration of pronotum and elytra, with the latter being yellowish, non metallic. The new species somewhat resembles C. (C.) subcostatum Gerstaecker, 1871 , described from Tanzania and subsequently reported from other countries of Eastern Africa ( Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda / Democratic Republic of Congo border); both species clearly differ in many aspects: claws (which are bifid with a relatively long inner tooth in C. (C.) subcostatum ), color and body length (see photos of C. (C.) subcostatum in ZOIA 2012). I observed appendiculate claws in a few African Colasposoma species not related with C. (C.) hajeki ; nevertheless the character does not seem to be frequent in this genus. Claw conformation in this genus is rarely described by the authors, yet a careful check of the character in a significant number of species could give useful information for species discrimination and relationships recognition (see also occurrence of simple claws in C. (C.) austerum sp. nov.).

Etymology. I am pleased to name this species after Jiří Hájek (NMPC) who collected a part of the material studied and helped me facilitate my studies at the NMPC.

Collection circumstances. Three specimens were collected after the twilight sitting on a Dracaena trunk, additional three specimens were collected at light (J. Hájek, pers. comm 2012).

Figures

Figs. 44–52. 44 – Colasposoma (Colasposoma) purcharti sp. nov. (J holotype): elytron, lateral view. 45–52 – Colasposoma (Colasposoma) hajeki sp. nov. (45–48: J holotype; 49–52: ♀, Firmihin): 45 – aedeagus, apex, dorsal view; 46 – aedeagus, lateral view; 47 – tegmen; 48 – ventral sclerite of sternite IX; 49 – spermatheca; 50 – elytron, lateral view; 51 – claws of metatarsi; 52 – prosternum, meso– and metaventrite.

Figs. 129–138. Habitus, dorsal and lateral view of: 129–130 – Colasposoma (Colasposoma) hajeki sp. nov.(Jholotype); 131–132 – Erythraella bicuspidata gen. et sp. nov. (J holotype); 133–134 – Macrocoma niedobovae sp. nov. (J holotype); 135–136 – Macrocoma bezdeki sp. nov. (J holotype); 137–138 – M. hulai sp. nov. (J holotype).

Figs. 139–144. Distribution maps of the species based on the studied material (in Fig. 142, question marks indicate a possible montane form of C. (C.) brevepilosum sensu lato, see species description).