Serraphula duplessisi, Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010

Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle genus Serraphula Jacoby and description of Bechynella, a new genus from Western and Central Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), Zootaxa 2444, pp. 1-44 : 14-15

Serraphula duplessisi sp. n. ( Figs 8 , 21 , 37 , 56 , 69 )

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype 3, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, Limpopo, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Soutpansberg, 23° 00’S 30°16’E, 3-7.xi.1980, R.S. du Plessis leg. ( SANC). Paratypes: same locality, date and collector of the holotype, 1 3 and 1 Ƥ ( BAQ; SANC).

DIAGNOSIS. By the median lobe of aedeagus ventrally sub-parallel but clearly tapered from the apical fifth to the apex and apically with evident median small tooth, this new species is similar to S. mpumalangaensis sp. n. However, S. duplessisi is clearly distinguishable by the brown with bronze reflection of the dorsal integument, and the laterally clearly rounded and bordered pronotum.

DESCRIPTION. Holotype 3. Dorsal integument brown, with evident bronze metallic reflection. Body shape elongate-oval (LB = 1.88 mm), moderately convex. Maximum pronotal width at apical 2/5s (WP = 0.73 mm); maximum elytral width at basal tird (WE = 0.85 mm).

Frons and vertex with sub-smooth surface; a large setigerous pore near each upper ocular margin; frontal dimples weakly impressed; frontal grooves distally fine impressed around upper ocular margin; frontal tubercles very weakly delimited; frontal carina narrowed, weakly raised, apically rounded; labrum sub-trapezoidal, dark-brown; palpi dark-brown; eyes sub-elliptical, normally sized; antennae shorter than body length (LAN = 1.68 mm; LAN/LB = 0.89), with segments 1–4 pale, segments 5–7 apically brown, segments 8–11 entirely brown; length of each antennomere proportional to numerical sequence 20:10:10:14:16:15:15:15:15:15:22 (right antenna).

Pronotum sub-rectangular, clearly transverse (LP = 0.55 mm; WP/LP = 1.32) laterally distinctly rounded; basal margin finely bordered; lateral margin slightly enlarged; punctation densely distributed with rather large punctures deeply impressed on very finely wrinkled and sparsely punctulate surface. Scutellum sub-triangular, apically sub-acute, with microreticulate surface.

Elytra elongate (LE = 1.35 mm; LE/LP = 2.45), covering entirely pygidium, laterally clearly rounded, apically sub-acute; punctation arranged in 9 (+ 1 very short scutellar) regular rows, with large punctures, strongly impressed on punctulate surface; elytral interstriae clearly keeled; humeral calli absent; sub-apterous metathoracic wings.

Legs yellowish but with dorsally slightly darkened hind femora; hind tibiae weakly externally bent. Apical spur of hind tibiae long about as half of hind tibial length (LHT/LHTS = 1.93), apically slightly internally curved; dorsal furrow gradually enlarged towards distal part; denture densely but irregularly formed by small teeth. First anterior and middle tarsomeres clearly dilated, with adhesive structures on ventral side (cf. Figs 77,79, 81–82 ).

Ventral integument brown, without special preapical impressions.

Median lobe of aedeagus (LAED = 0.73 mm; LE/LAED = 1.86) in ventral view weakly enlarged at middle part, distinctly narrowed in apical fifth; apical part moderately rounded, with evident median small tooth; ventral sulcus obliterate; in lateral view, median lobe slightly bent in basal third; apical part slightly ventrally bent; dorsal sulcus visible in apical fifth; dorsal ligula apically rounded.

VARIATION. 3 (n = 2; mean and standard deviation): LE = 1.28 ± 0.11 mm; WE = 0.84 ± 0.02 mm; LP = 0.54 ± 0.02 mm; WP = 0.69 ± 0.05 mm; LAN = 1.64 ± 0.05 mm; LAED = 0.71 ± 0.02 mm; LB = 1.86 ± 0.02 mm; LE/LP = 2.37 ± 0.12; WE/WP = 1.22 ± 0.07; WP/LP = 1.28 ± 0.06; LE/LAED = 1.79 ± 0.10; LAN/ (LE+LP) = 0.90 ± 0.03; LHT/LHTS = 1.97 ± 0.05. Ƥ (n = 1): LE = 1.53 mm; WE = 0.98 mm; LP = 0.60 mm; WP = 0.75 mm; LAN = 1.54 mm; LSP = 0.13 mm; LB = 2.20 mm; LE/LP = 2.54; WE/WP = 1.30; WP/LP = 1.25; LE/LSP = 12.20; LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.72; LHT/LHTS = 2.14.

Paratypes. Paratypes similar in shape, color and sculpture to the holotype. Pronotal surface variable from microreticulate to wrinkled. Female bigger than males (LB = 2.20 mm), with shorter antennae (LAN = 1.54 mm; LAN/LB = 0.70).

Spermatheca with sub-globose basal part; distal part bent between collum and apex; appendix present; ductus short, thin and weakly curved, sub-ventrally inserted.

ETYMOLOGY. This new species is named after its collector R.S. du Plessis ( Republic of South Africa).

DISTRIBUTION. Republic of South Africa (Limpopo). Southern-Eastern African chorotype (SEA) (cf. Biondi & D’Alessandro, 2006).

ECOLOGICAL NOTES. No information about its host plant is available for this species. Biome: Forest (cf. Rutherford & Westfall, 1994). Veld type: North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld (cf. Acocks, 1988).

Figures

FIGURE 21. Geographical distribution of: Serraphula aenea Jacoby; S. alticola sp. n.; S. debiasei sp. n.; S. drakensbergensis sp. n.; S. duplessisi sp. n.; S. grobbelaariae sp. n.; S. monticola sp. n.; S. oberprieleri sp. n.; S. osellai sp. n.; S. transvaalensis sp. n.; S. uysi sp. n.

FIGURES 5 – 8. Habitus of: S. colonnellii sp. n. (5); S. debiasei sp. n. (6); S. drakensbergensis sp. n. (7); S. duplessisi sp. n. (8).

FIGURES 37 – 42. Head and pronotum of Serraphula Jacoby: S. duplessisi sp. n. (37); S. grobbelaariae sp. n. (38); S. oberprieleri sp. n. (39); S. osellai sp. n. (40); S. puncticollis Bryant (41); S. wittmeri sp. n. (42).

FIGURES 43 – 60. Median lobe of aedeagus of Serraphula Jacoby; lateral, ventral and dorsal view: S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, Southwell area (43 a); S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, nr Thornhill (43 b); S. colonnelii, Kwazulu- Natal, Ifafa Mouth (44); S. debiasei, Eastern Cape Province, 4 km S Barkly Pass (45); S. uysi, Transvaal, Palala (46); S. puncticollis, Eastern Cape Province, Port St. John (47); S. natalensis, KwaZulu-Natal, Blesberg (48); S. oberprieleri, Zimbabwe, Bunga Forest (49); S. mpumalangaensis, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (50); S. alticola, Mpumalanga, Mount Sheba area (51); S. audisiana, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (52); S. aenea, Mashonaland (53); S. drakensbergensis, Kwazulu-Natal, Cathedral Peak (54); S. grobbelaariae, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Boskrans Dam (55); S. duplessisi, Limpopo, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Soutpansberg (56); S. bulirschi, Kwazulu-Natal, Ntendeka Wilderness Area, Ngomi Forest (57); S. transvaalensis, Eastern Transvaal, Nelshoogte Pass (58); S. osellai, Kwazulu- Natal, Ngele Forest (59); S. wittmeri, Limpopo, Branddraai (60).

FIGURES 61 – 76. Spermatheca of Serraphula Jacoby: S. natalensis, KwaZulu-Natal, Blesberg (61); S. audisiana, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (62); S. osellai, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngele Forest (63); S. alticola, Mpumalanga, Mount Sheba area (64); S. oberprieleri, Zimbabwe, Bunga Forest (65); S. grobbelaariae, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (66); S. transvaalensis, Eastern Transvaal, Nelshoogte Pass (67); S. uysi, Transvaal, Palala (68); S. duplessisi, Limpopo, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Soutpansberg (69); S. elongata, Eastern Cape Province, nr. Grahamstown (70); S. debiasei, Eastern Cape Province, 4 km S Barkly Pass (71); S. colonnelli, Kwazulu-Natal, Umzinto Vernon Crookes N. R. (72); S. wittmeri, Limpopo, Branddraai (73); S. mpumalangaensis, Mpumalanga, Houtenbek Farm, Macabelel Lodge (74); S. monticola, Kwazulu-Natal / Free State, Botha’s Pass (75); S. drakensbergensis, Kwazulu-Natal, Monk’s Cowl (76).

FIGURES 77 – 82. Ventral side of first anterior and middle tarsomeres in male and female of Serraphula elongata Jacoby: male with differentiated adhesive structure (77, 79, 81 – 82); female without differentiated adhesive structure (78, 80).