Taophila corvi Samuelson

Samuelson, Allan, 2010, Review of Taophila, a genus endemic to New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae), Zootaxa 2621, pp. 45-62 : 51-52

Taophila corvi Samuelson , new species

Fig. 2 d, 3g, 4 e

Description. Female (Holotype). Head (labrum pale) and prothorax dark smooth-shining castaneous; elytron orange-testaceous, surface duller on inner basal disc, otherwise smoother; ventral body surfaces and legs orange-testaceous. Antenna largely fuscous but 1–3 and 11 testaceous. Dorsal vestiture inconspicuous on pronotum but conspicuously silvery setose on elytral preapex-apex and apically on elytral sides.

Head: front gradually and transversally raised across interantennal space, surface smooth-shining with small deep punctures commonly 0.5 x as large as interspaces; vertex similarly punctate over smooth interspaces but central disc more impunctate and barely suggesting a median line; eye about 0.55 x as broad as interocular space; gena 0.4 x as deep as eye. Antenna extending to about mid-elytron, pedicel and 3 subequal in length; flagellar segments moderately slender with apical 5 distinctly heavier. Prothorax nearly 0.9 x as long as broad, broadest before middle with side convex from middle anterior angle and sinuately narrowed basally to projecting posterior angle; basal bead distinct preceded by a fine antimarginal sulcus; pronotal disc evenly convex, smooth-shining, with small deep punctures commonly 1 x as large as interspaces. Elytron rather slender, tapering from postbasal area nearly to apex; apex briefly but steeply declivitous and straight (not beaked) in lateral view; humerus moderately swollen followed by a heavy costa disappearing near preapex; disc confusedly and deeply punctate on inner basal quadrant, the surface with dull subgranulate sculpture; remaining inner disc more sparsely punctate with interspaces smooth and feebly swollen; puncture rows regular at side. Ventral surfaces: propleuron smooth with deep punctures mostly smaller than interspaces; metasternum subgranulate with larger punctures laterally, the surface becoming smoother with smaller punctures medially; abdominal ventrite 1 somewhat produced and shield-like, surface granulatepunctulate and finely pubescent; intercoxal piece of ventrite 1 about 7: 64 as broad as segment (alternate dissected specimen). Legs: metafemur smooth, indurate; metatibia nearly straight. Genitalia: spermatheca with receptacle slender, v-shaped. Measurements: Body length 3.5 mm; body breadth 1.45 mm; head breadth 87 cmm; interantennal space 30 cmm; interocular space 54 cmm; eye 30 cmm; gena 12 cmm; pronotal length 98 cmm; pronotal breadth 112 cmm; elytral length 2.65 mm.

Male (Allotype). Similar to female in coloration and vestiture but elytron generally smooth-shining on inner discal quadrant instead of granulate. Antenna extending past mid-elytron with apical segments much heavier. Prothorax slightly longer in proportion to breadth. Elytron additionally with a slight post-humeral depression and lacking a pronounced post-humeral costa. Genitalia (alternate male): aedeagal apex as in Fig. 3g. Measurements: Body length 2.8 mm; body breadth 1.3 mm; head breadth 84 cmm; interantennal space 28 cmm; interocular space 52 cmm; eye 30 cmm; gena 12 cmm; pronotal length 92 cmm; pronotal breadth 96 cmm; elytral length 2.0 mm.

Holotype Ψ ( BPBM 17,183), NEW CALEDONIA. Mt Koghi, 500 m, 26–30.i. 1963, G. Kuschel; Allotype ɗ ( BPBM), same loc., 500 m, 27.x. 1967, J.& M. Sedlacek.

Paratopotype Females: Mt Koghi, 500 m, 29.xi. 1963, R. Straatman (1); ± 600 m, 30.xi. 1963, Straatman (1); 500–700 m, 1.xii. 1963, Straatman (2); 450–600 m, 4–6.x. 1967, Sedlaceks (1); 500–800 m, 23–27.x. 1967, Sedlaceks (1); 600–900 m, 19.iii. 1968, T.C. Maa (2); 400–600 m, i. 1969, N.L.H. Krauss (5); 420 m, 21.ix. 1979, W.C. Gagne, C.M. Nishida & G.A. Samuelson (1).

Paratopotype Males: Mt Koghi, ii. 1962, N.L.H. Krauss (1); 26–30.i. 1963, Kuschel (3); 15.ii. 1963, Krauss (4); ± 600 m, 30.xi. 1963, Straatman (7); 500–700 m, 1.xii. 1963, Straatman (5); 500–750 m, 25–26.x. 1967, Sedlaceks (1); 300–600 m, 19.iii. 1968, J.L. Gressitt & Maa (1); 600–900 m, 19.iii. 1968, Maa (5); 200–400 m, i. 1969, Krauss (2); 400–600 m, i. 1969, Krauss (18); SW slope, 500 m, 19–22.viii. 1971, J. Holloway (1); 400– 500 m, 11.ii. 1976, Krauss (1); 420 m, 21.ix. 1979, Gagne, Nishida & Samuelson (1); 500–550 m, xii. 1983, Krauss (1).

Paratype Females: Thi River Val., viii. 1940, F.X. Williams (1); Col de la Pirogue, vii. 1950, Krauss (2); Plateau de Dogny, 20.xi. 1958, C.R. Joyce (1); same loc., 150–900 m, 4.ii. 1971, Krauss (1); 6 km N of Paita, 25.i. 1963, C.M. Yoshimoto (1); Col des Roussettes, 450–550 m, 4–6.ii. 1963, Kuschel (3); 7 km S of Tchambouenne, 750 m, 28.i. 1964, Straatman (1); Col d’Amieu, 500 m, 26.xii. 1976, Psychotria, Gressitt (1); same loc., 500 m, 28.xii. 1976, Scaevola, Gressitt (1); same loc., 500–600 m, 28.xii. 1976, Gressitt (1); Foret di Thi, 29.x– 1.xi. 1967, Sedlaceks (1); Foret di Thy, 400 m, 29.iii. 1981, J.Chazeau & Gressitt (1); Slopes of Mt Rembai, 375–675 m, 23.ix. 1979, Gagne, Nishida & Samuelson (1); Yahoue, 100–200 m, i. 1985, Krauss (1).

Paratype Males: St Louis, v. 1950, Krauss (2); Plateau de Dogny, 20.xi. 1958, Joyce (1); same loc., 1.ii. 1963, Krauss (1); same loc., 29.iii. 1968, Maa (1); Col d’Amieu, 750 m, 3.iii. 1960, Gressitt (2); same loc., 650 m, 31.iii. 1968, Gressitt & Maa (1); same loc., 500 m, 25.xii. 1976, Prunus, Gressitt (1); same loc., 500 m, 28.xii. 1976, Hibiscus, Gressitt (1); same loc., 500–600 m, 28.xii. 1976, Gressitt (1); same loc., 350–650 m, 13.xi. 1963, Straatman (1); Foret di Thy, 550 m, 1.iii. 1960, Gressitt (2); Foret di Thi, 28.x– 1.xi. 1967, Sedlaceks (2); Col des Roussettes, 450–500 m, 4–6.ii. 1963, Kuschel (2); Valle d’Amoa, 7.ii. 1963, Yoshimoto (1); Col de la Pirogue, 330 m, 21.ii. 1963, Yoshimoto (3); 7 km S of Tchambouenne, 750 m, 28.i. 1964, Straatman (1); La Crouen, 20–22.iii. 1968, Gressitt & Maa (1); Yahoue, 60–100 m, iii. 1980, Krauss (1). BPBM paratopotype series with parts for deposit in IAC, ISNB, JOLIVET, MNHN, NMNH, ONNC, and SMTD.

Remarks. A smaller bicolorous species. Similar to T. scorpii , n. sp. but the elytra are more evenly tapered to a narrower apex. Both sexes treated. Named for the constellation Corvus.

PLATE 2. Dorsal view — Taophila , new species. a. mars , n. sp., PT Ψ—body length = 3.8 mm; b. cancellata , n. sp., PT Ψ—body length = 4.45 mm; c. cancellata , n. sp., PT ♂—body length = 4.1 mm; d. corvi , n. sp., PT Ψ—body length = 3.5 mm; e. scorpii , n. sp., PT Ψ—body length = 3.1 mm; f. millei , n. sp., HT, Ψ—body length = 3.75 mm; g. joliveti , n. sp., PT Ψ—body length = 4.1 mm; h. sagittarii , n. sp., PT Ψ—body length = 4.0 mm; i. hydrae , n. sp., HT ♂ —body length = 3.0 mm.