Rhynchasphaera Bechyné, 1955

Roie, Martijn Van, D’Hont, Anouk, Konstantinov, Alexander & Furth, David, 2023, Types of Cuyabasa Bechyné, Palmaraltica Bechyné and Rhynchasphaera Bechyné (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini: Oedionychina) of the Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, with keys to species and descriptions of genitalia, and new combinations for species transferred to the oedionychine, Zootaxa 5318 (1), pp. 67-82 : 76

Genus Rhynchasphaera Bechyné, 1955

Rhynchasphaera Bechyné 1955b:198 (type species: Rhynchasphaera orophila Bechyné, 1955 , by original designation).

Number of species. Three.

Distribution. Bolivia, Peru.

Remarks. Rhynchasphaera closely resembles some members of Asphaera and Aspicela Dejean, 1836 . Bechyné (1955b) stated the following differentiating characters: clypeus vaulted upwards, forming a tubercle, on which the antennae are implanted; epipleura vertical, not visible from lateral view, deeply grooved. We propose the following additional characters: anterolateral callosity of pronotum long, directing anteriorly; lateral margins of pronotum and elytra widely explanate. These characters seem to be common to genera closely related to Asphaera (see also Konstantinov et al. 2022).

Key to species of Rhynchasphaera

1 Frons at most with a few small punctures. Basal third of elytra with blue-black macula that does not reach elytropleura; apical part of macula almost straight-edged ( Figure 9 )............................. Rhynchasphaera orophila Bechyné, 1955

- Frons punctate; coloration of elytra not as above............................................................ 2

2 Elytra evenly rounded when viewed laterally ( Figure 8B ); elytra matte, deeply punctate; elytra yellow with metallic blue-green coloration basally and sublaterally ( Figure 8 )............................. Rhynchasphaera latipleura Bechyné, 1956

- Elytra not evenly rounded when viewed laterally ( Figure 7B ); elytra shiny, not as deeply punctate; elytra mostly yellow or rufous, with small metallic blue-black maculae basally ( Figure 7 ).............. Rhynchasphaera basisticta Bechyné, 1958

Figures

FIGURE 7. Holotype female of Rhynchasphaera basisticta Bechyné from the NMB. A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view; C. Frontal view; D. Label. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Paratype of Rhynchasphaera latipleura Bechyné from the NMB. A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view; C. Frontal view; D. Label; E. Spermatheca. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Holotype male of Rhynchasphaera orophila Bechyné from the NMB. A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view; C. Frontal view; D. Label. Scale bar: 1 mm.