Paleosepharia excavata ( Chujo )

Lee, Chi-Feng, 2018, The genus Paleosepharia Laboissiere, 1936 in Taiwan: review and nomenclatural changes (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae), ZooKeys 744, pp. 19-41 : 23-27

Paleosepharia excavata ( Chujo) Figs 1 D–F, 3

Monolepta excavata Chûjô, 1938 (Taiwan: Ilan, Nantou, Hualien): 144; Chûjô 1962: 114 (redescription); Chûjô 1965: 96 (Nantou); Kimoto 1969: 47 (Taichung, Nantou); Kimoto 1986: 58 (Nantou); Kimoto 1989: 254 (Taitung); Kimoto 1991: 14 (Taoyuan); Kimoto and Chu 1996: 79 (catalogue); Kimoto and Takizawa 1997: 385 (catalogue); Lee and Cheng 2010: 101 (food plants); Yang et al. 2015: 268 (catalogue).

Paleosepharia excavata : Gressitt and Kimoto 1963: 646; Beenen 2010: 485 (catalogue).

Paleosepharia polychroma Laboissière, 1938: 8 (China: Jiangsu, Jiangxi); Gressitt and Kimoto 1963: 646 (as synonym of P. excavata ).

Type material.

Monolepta excavata . Lecotype ♂ (TARI), here designated, labeled: "Taiheizan [= Taipingshan, 太平山] / 23-V-1931 / Col. R. Takahashi [p, w] // CO / Type [p, y, circular label with yellow border] // Monolepta / excavata / Chûjô [h] // DET. M. CHUJO [p, w] // 2193 [p, w]". Paralectotypes. 1♂ (TARI): "Horisha [= Puli, 埔里] / 12/V/1913 [h] / Col. M. Maki [p, w] // CO / Type [p, y, circular label with yellow border] // Monolepta / excavata / Chûjô [h] // DET. M. CHUJO [p, w] // 2194 [p, w]"; 1♂, 1♀ (TARI): "Kuaru [h] [unknown] / FORMOSA [p] / 20.VI.1937 [h] / COL. M. CHUJO [p, w] // CO / Type [p, y, circular label with yellow border] // Monolepta / excavata / Chûjô [h] // DET. M. CHUJO [p, w] // No. 1640 or 1346 [p, w]"; 1♀ (TARI): "Formosa / Musha, [= Wushe, 霧社] 1919 / V.18-VI.15. / T. Okuni [p, w] // CO / Type [p, y, circular label with yellow border] // Monolepta / excavata / Chûjô [h] // DET. M. CHUJO [p, w] // 1396 [p, w]"; 1♀ (TARI): "18/IV/1910 / Kanmon [h] [= Kuangman, 關門] / Col. I. Nitobe [p, w] // CO / Type [p, y, circular label with yellow border] // Monolepta / excavata / Chûjô [h] // DET. M. CHUJO [p, w] // 1973 [p, w]"; 1♀ (SDEI): "Formosa / Karenko [= Hualien, 花蓮], -19. / VII 20-VIII 4. / T. Okuni [p, w] // Monolepta / excavata / Chûjô [h] // DET. M. CHUJO [p, w] // 1973 [p, w] // Syntypus [p, r]".

Paleosepharia polychroma . The syntypes at the Institute Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Bruxelles, and the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm were not studied. Paleosepharia polychroma could be a distinct species because of slight difference of color patterns on the elytra between both species. Correctly assessing the status of this species requires further study.

Other material examined

(n = 72). Chiayi: 1♂ (TARI), Alishan [阿里山], 5-9.VII.1981, leg. L. Y. Chou & S. C. Lin; Hsinchu: 1♂ (TARI), Kuanwu [觀霧], 6.IV.2010, leg. L.-H. Sun; 1♂ (TARI), same locality, 30.IV.2010, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♀ (TARI), Litungshan [李棟山], 6.VI.2010, leg. Y.-L. Lin; 1♂ (TARI), Mamei [馬美], 4.V.2008, leg. S.-F. Yu; 3♀♀ (TARI), same locality, 18.V.2008, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♂ (TARI), Talu trail [大鹿林道], 19.VI.2010, leg. Y.-L. Lin; 1♀ (TARI), same locality, 11.VII.2016, leg. H. Lee; Hualien: 1♂, 1♀ (TARI), Hsinpaiyang [新白陽], 15-20.X.2007, leg. Y.-F. Hsu; 1♀ (TARI), Huitouwan [迴頭灣], 10.VII.2007, leg. C.-F. Lee; 1♂, 1♀ (TARI), Wanjung [萬榮], 11.VI.2011, leg. M.-H. Tsou; Ilan: 1♀ (TARI), Chinyang [金洋], 23.X.2011, leg. C.-H. Hsieh; 1♀ (NMNS), Tsuifenghu [翠峰湖], 21.VI.1992, leg. C. Y. Li; 1♂ (NMNS), Taipingshan [太平山], 8.III.1989, leg. K. W. Huang; 1♂, 3♀♀ (TARI), same locality, 17.VIII.2007, leg. Y.-C. Chang; Nantou: 1♂ (NMNS), Aowanta [奧萬大], 9.IX.2008, leg. C. C. Lai; 1♂ (TARI), Fenghuangshan [鳳凰山], 10.V.2010, leg. Y.-T. Wang; 1♀ (TARI), Hoshe [和社], 23.I.2014, leg. H.-T. Yeh; 1♂ (TARI), Huakang [華岡], 13.IX.2010, leg. C.-F. Lee; 1♀ (TARI), Meifeng [梅峰], 20-22.VI.1979, leg. K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen; 1♀ (NMNS), same locality, 24.IX.1997, leg. W. T. Yang; 1♂ (NMNS), Oiwake [= Tsuifeng, 翠 峰]-Tattaka [= Sungkang, 松崗], 24.VI.1961, leg. T. Shirozu; 1♂ (TARI), Tsuifeng [翠峰], 21.VI.1979, leg. K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen; 1♂ (TARI), same locality, 25-27.VI.1981, leg. K. S. Lin & W. S. Tang; 1♂ (TARI), Tungfu [同富], 8.V.2011, leg. C.- F. Lee; Taichung: 3♂♂, 3♀♀ (TARI), Anmashan [鞍馬山], 21.IV.2010, leg. C.-F. Lee; Taitung: 1♂ (TARI), Hsiangyang [向陽], 9.V.2013, leg. J.-C. Chen; 1♂ (TARI), Lichia [利嘉], 19.V.2009, leg. U. Ong; 3♀♀ (TARI), same locality, 15.VII.2014, leg. Y.-T. Chung; 1♀ (TARI), Litao [利稻], 23.VI.2010, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 4♀♀ (TARI), Liyuan [栗園], 29.III.2011, leg. C.-F. Lee; 1♀ (TARI), same locality, 24.VII.2013, leg. C.-F. Lee; 1♂ (TARI), same locality, 24.II.2014, leg. J.-C. Chen; 1♂ (TARI), same locality, 14.III.2014, leg. W.-C. Huang; 2♀♀, same locality, 28.III.2014, leg. W.-C. Huang; 1♀ (TARI), Motien [摩天], 23.VI.2010, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♀ (TARI), Wulu [霧鹿], 24.VI.2010, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♀ (TARI), same locality, 5.X.2010, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♂, 5♀♀ (TARI), same locality, 29.III.2011, leg. C.-F. Lee; 1♂ (NMNS), Yenping [延平], 30.VII.1992, leg. W. T. Yang; Taoyuan: 3♂♂, 1♀ (TARI), Hsuanyuan [萱源], 16.XII2008, leg. S.-F. Yu; 1♀ (TARI), Lalashan [拉拉山], 10.X.2009, leg. H. Lee; 2♂♂, 6♀♀ (TARI), Paling [巴陵], 8.XI.2009, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♀ (TARI), Tungyanshan [東眼山], 15.V.2010, leg. H. Lee; 1♂ (TARI), same locality, 5.XI.2011, leg. H. Lee.

Diagnosis.

Adults of Paleosepharia excavata are similar to those of P. formosana and P. yasumatsui in possessing two transverse black bands on yellow elytra, but this species is easily recognized by its slender, indistinctly margined transverse black bands (broad and distinctly margined bands in others). Males of these species are also similar in possessing a broader penis (less than 6.0 times longer than wide; more than 6.5 times in other species), bifurcate apex of tectum (acute apex in other species), and lacking a pair of elongate and apically curved spiculae (such spiculae present in other species). Males of P. excavata differ in possessing a shallow notch in the apex of the tectum (deep notch in apex of tectum in P. yasumatsui ), recurved apex of penis (not recurved in P. yasumatsui ), short hooked spiculae 1/2 lengths of longer spiculae (1/6 lengths of longer spiculae in P. formosana , 4/5 lengths of longer spiculae in P. yasumatsui ).

Description.

Males. Length 4.8-6.1 mm, width 2.5-3.0 mm. General color reddish brown (Fig. 1 D–E); antennae, scutellum, tibiae, and tarsi black; elytra yellow, with slender black stripes along each lateral margin and suture extending from base to apex, and two transverse, slender, indistinctly defined black bands at basal 1/3 and 2/3, usually abbreviated near suture and lateral margins. Antenna (Fig. 3A) filiform, ratio of length of antennomeres I to XI 1.0: 0.4: 0.6: 0.9: 0.9: 0.9: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8; ratio of length to width from antennomere I-XI 4.6: 2.1: 3.1: 4.8: 4.8: 5.6: 5.4: 5.5: 5.5: 5.0: 5.7. Pronotum 1.58-1.59 times wider than long; lateral margins slightly curved, basal margin slightly curved, apical margin slightly concave; disc with lateral fovea and dense minute punctures. Elytra parallel-sided; 1.49-1.56 times longer than wide; with one pair of oblique dark depressions at suture behind scutellum; disc with dense, minute punctures; apex truncate. Penis (Fig. 3 C–E) elongate, 4.5 times longer than wide; parallel-sided, abruptly widened at apical 1/3, apically tapering; tectum elongate from middle to near apex, basally broadened, apex bifurcate; moderately recurved at basal 1/4 in lateral view; ventral surface with lateral areas membranous, apical membranous area short. Endophallic spiculae complex (Fig. 3F) with longest pair directed anteriorly, one pair of hooked spiculae 1/2 lengths of the longest spiculae; one pair of longitudinal rows of hooked setae starting from bases of longest spiculae, smaller near base; one row of elongate, apically tapering setae covering surface behind hook-like setae; and one paired cluster of short, hooked setae near base.

Females. Length 5.4-6.3 mm, width 2.8-3.3 mm. Similar to male (Fig. 1F); but elytra lacking oblique depressions, anterior transverse black band extending to suture; ratio of length of antennomeres I to XI (Fig. 3B) 1.0: 0.3: 0.6: 0.8: 0.7: 0.7: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8; ratio of length to width from antennomere I to XI 4.1: 1.9: 3.3: 4.5: 4.4: 4.4: 5.1: 4.9: 5.5: 4.8: 6.0. Gonocoxae (Fig. 3J) slender, tightly conjunct from apical 1/3 to base; each gonocoxa with six or seven setae from apical 1/6 to apex, apex truncate. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 3G) weakly sclerotized medially, with several short setae at apex, and two rows of long setae at sides, spiculum extremely elongate. Spermathecal receptaculum (Fig. 3I) swollen; pump extremely slender and curved; sclerotized spermathecal duct slender. Bursa sclerites (Fig. 3H) elongate and apically tapering, with stout teeth along lateral margin at base; slightly curved in lateral view.

Food plant.

Betulaceae : Alnus formosana (Burkill ex Forbes & Hemsl.) Makino ( Lee and Cheng 2010).

Distribution.

Taiwan, China.