Taophila mars Samuelson

Samuelson, Allan, 2010, Review of Taophila, a genus endemic to New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae), Zootaxa 2621, pp. 45-62 : 57-58

Taophila mars Samuelson , new species

Fig. 2a, 3a, 4a

Description. Female (Holotype). Dorsum largely dark shining castaneous with a slight metallic greenish lustre; ventral surfaces as above except abdominal ventrites slightly paler, more orangish fuscous. Antenna with segments 1–3 and 10–11 orange-fuscous, intermediate segments dark fuscous; legs largely orangefuscous. Body surfaces mostly smooth, lustrous, bright under lights but abdominal ventrites subshagreened with fine sculpture. Dorsal pubescence of moderately long and bristle-like setae sporadically arranged in various directions, ± forming large rosettes; vertex with a central rosette.

Head: frontal surfaces flattened and continuous with interantennal space; frons finely and closely punctulate; vertex similarly punctulate, disc with a distinct median line; eye with maximum diameter about 0.5 x as broad as interantennal space; gena 0.5 x as deep as eye. Antenna slightly exceeding mid-elytron; pedicel about 0.5 x as long as segment 3; intermediate segments slender; apical 5 segments much heavier than preceding. Prothorax about 0.6 x as long as broad, broadest across middle with 2 distinctive teeth marking broadest part; sides otherwise evenly narrowed to apex and base; posterior angle weakly produced; base finely beaded; discal surface uneven, transversely depressed on sides along posterior 2/5; disc closely punctulate. Elytron gradually narrowed to preapex; preapex sinuately narrowed to extremity; inner disc largely confusedly punctate, the punctures small, deep but distinctly larger than pronotal ones and 2– 3 x as large as interspaces; posterior 1/5 with punctures becoming more regular adjacent to suture; humerus slightly swollen; postbasal area with 2 meandering heavy costae, the inner disappearing near suture and the outer reaching preapex. Ventral surfaces: propleuron with small deep punctures, commonly 1 x as large as interspaces; shining interspaces shining; metasternum with shallow small punctures, surface with fine sculpture; ventrite 1 in lateral view evenly and convexly elevated to metasternum; intercoxal piece 0.21 x as broad as basal breadth of segment; remaining ventrites appearning normal. Legs: femora normally slender-incrassate; metatibia nearly straight, dilated at apex. Genitalia: spermatheca with receptacle an elongate and nearly closed u-shape. Measurements: Body length 3.9 mm; body breadth 1.9 mm; head breadth 118 cmm; interantennal space 38 cmm; interocular space 70 cmm, eye 36 cmm, gena 18 cmm; pronotal length 100 cmm; pronotal breadth 158 cmm (across posterior teeth); elytral length 2.9 mm.

Male (Allotype). Similar to holotype, including distinct pronotal teeth laterally; elytral disc more evenly convex and lacking costae. Ventral surfaces: abodominal ventrites essentially on an even, flat plane in lateral view. Genitalia: aedeagal apex as in Fig. 3a. Measurements: Body length 3.25 mm; body breadth 1.65 mm; head breadth 106 cmm; interantennal space 30 cmm; interocular space 58 cmm; eye 36 cmm; gena 16 cmm; pronotal length 90 cmm; pronotal breadth 138 cmm; elytral length 2.5 mm.

Holotype Ψ (BPBM 17,187). NEW CALEDONIA. Mt Koghi, 500–550 m, ii.1983, N.L.H. Krauss collector; Allotype ɗ, same loc., ii.1978, Krauss (BPBM); paratopotypes: 500 m, 26–30.i.1963, G. Kuschel (1), C.M.Yoshimoto (2); 500 m, 15.ii.1963, Yoshimoto (1), Krauss (1); 19.ii.1963, Krauss (1); 500–750 m, 25–26.x.1967, J&M Sedlacek (2); 500–800 m, 23–27.x.1967, Sedlaceks (2); 400–600 m, ii.1980, Krauss (1); 500–550 m, xii.1983, Krauss (1).

Paratypes (BPBM): Thio, 11.xi.1958, C.R. Joyce (1); La Crouen, 16.iii.1961, J. Sedlacek (1); Col de Pirogue, 13.iii.1962, Krauss (1); same loc. 14.ii.1963, Krauss (2); S of Koh, 300 m, 31.i.1963, Yoshimoto (1); Ponerihouen, 30.vii.1971, J.L. Gressitt (1); Foret di Thi, 100–300 m, 29.x–1.xi.1967, Sedlaceks (12); La Foa- Canala, Saddle Road, 300–450 m, 30.i.1963, Krauss (1); heights between Thio-Nakety, 12.xi.1958, Joyce (1); Plateau de Dogny, 700 m, 1.ii.1963, Kuschel (1); Yiambi, NE, 1–50 m, 15.x.1967, Sedlaceks (1); 6 km N of Paita, 25.i.1963, Yoshimoto (1), Kuschel (1), Krauss (1). Paratypes (IAC): Sarramea/Reserve du Col d’Amieu, 23/11/07, beating various trees, S. Cazeres (2); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, S21˚34.694’ E165˚46.278’, 489 m, 08/02/06, Malaise trap, Cazeres (1); same loc., S21˚34.914’ E165˚46.376’, 609 m, 04/10/06, beating, J.P. Kataoui (1); same loc., 2–25/11/05, beating, Cazeres, C. Mille & Kataoui (4); same loc. S21˚34.903’ E165˚46.376’, 611 m, 08/02/ 06–03/03/06, Malaise trap, ICA personnel (2); Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21 ˚08.946’ E165˚19.407’, 389 m, 25–26/04/06, beating various trees, Mille & J.Brinon (1); same loc., S21.1038 E165.1707, 945 m, 11/10/06, Cazeres (1). Part of BPBM Foret di Thi series for deposit in IAC, ISNB, JOLIVET, MNHN, NMNH, ONNC, and SMTD.

Remarks. A larger dark castaneous species differing from all congeners by having a double-toothed prominence on each side of pronotum and by having ± erect, unkempt setae in various large rosette patterns. Both sexes treated. The name commemorates the planet Mars .