Calligrapha catarinae, Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2015

Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2015, Systematic revision of the genus Calligrapha Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae) in Central America: The group of Calligrapha argus Stål, Zootaxa 3922 (1), pp. 1-71 : 33-35

Calligrapha catarinae sp. nov.

(Figs 6c, 8, 9c, 9f)

In the beetle collections at the Museum für Naturkunde and the Natural History Museum I isolated some specimens misplaced among C. argus Stål or C. geographica Stål which clearly differed from these species, yet were indistinguishable from each other for several characters. In the course of this study I found additional specimens in other collections, conforming to this type. Given the consistent and remarkable differences observed with C. argus Stål and C. fulvitarsis Jacoby (see below), the most similar of all known Calligrapha , I feel confident to describe these specimens as belonging to a new taxon.

Holotype: 1351 / San Antonio, Chiapas, v. Jurckhein /? argus ( MfN).

Paratypes: (1) one specimen: Cerro Zunil, 4000ft., Champion / 96425 ( MfN); (2) two specimens: Guatemala [one with: geographica Stål ] ( MfN); (3) one specimen: Distrikt Socomusco, Hotzen S.V. ( MfN); (4) one specimen: Sinanja, Vera Paz, Champion / Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. (NHM); (5) one specimen: Purula, Vera Paz, Champion / Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. (NHM).

Habitus (Fig. 6c). Length: 8.84 mm; width: 5.61 mm. Body elongated oval, moderately convex. Head, disc of labrum, mandibles basally, first antennomere dorsally, pronotum, scutellum, all ventral surfaces, coxae, trochanters apically, femora, tibiae, and first tarsal segment shiny black with slight bronzy metallic reflection; narrow apex of clypeus, margins of labrum, apex of mandibles, mouth parts, apical antennomeres, tarsi, dark elytral markings, and epipleura very dark testaceous; basal segments of antennae ventrally, base of trochanters, knees, and tarsal articulations bright reddish brown; background of elytra dark yellow with dark markings margined golden creamy yellow.

Head broad, deeply inserted in pronotum; surface very finely microreticulate, relatively densely and homogenously covered with moderately strong punctures; supraocular sulci deep, slightly bisinuous, from antennal calli well beyond upper eye margin; few sparse setae near eyes, particularly on antennal calli; frontal suture very fine, obsolete behind, apically joining strongly bisinuated clypeal suture; clypeus long, slightly depressed at sides, conspicuously sloping ventrally at apex, sculptured as frons, with few sparse fine setae laterally and longer, larger and medially convergent setae at apical angles. Antennae slender, surpassing humeri; first antennomere long, thick, nearly cylindrical at apical 2/3; antennomeres 2–6 elongated, relatively thin, smooth, with very sparse setae; second antennomere half as long as first, third subequal to first; antennomeres 3–6 shortening progressively, sixth slightly longer than second; segments lengthening gradually beyond sixth antennomere; antennomeres 7–11 thicker, widening from base to apex, 8–11 rugose and pubescent, eleventh about as long as first, tappering towards blunt apex and slightly emarginate dorsally; eighth antennomere 0.68x as wide as long. Labrum with regularly curved sides and emarginate at apex; with very long lateral and apical straight or slightly bent setae, convergent medially. Mandibles large, very strong, well surpassing labrum by 2/3 their length; sides slightly concave basally before broad apical curvature; laterally and frontolaterally very strongly punctured, with long recumbent translucent setae. Maxillary palpi long; apical palpomere subtrapezoidal, broader than long, with slightly curved longer external margin and slightly compressed dorsoventrally and weakly concave at apex; previous palpomere slightly broader apically than base of last segment, long, regularly curved externally to narrow base; first palpomere long, feebly curved, gradually thickening from base. Pronotum transverse (W/L=1.87), broader anteriorly before middle; sides straight basally, slightly divergent up to midlength, and gently curving towards strongly protruding apical angles; apical border slightly bisinuated, slightly convex medially; basal border convex; apically finely margined, laterally and at angles with broader, slightly explanate margin; surface very finely microreticulate, with irregularly scattered small and medium-sized punctures, becoming large, deep and sometimes convergent at sides; primary punctures intermingled with very fine secondary punctures; round deep convergent punctures at basal margin except on median lobe; setae at apical angles long, fine, bent dorsolaterally backwards; setae at basal angles long, fine, bent dorsolaterally forwards. Hypomeral suture impressed, slightly wavy, regularly slightly diverging from pronotal border, more weakly impressed apically; hypomera very finely microreticulate, shiny, unpunctured, convex medially, transversally depressed basally. Prosternum relatively narrow, feebly concave, finely margined anteriorly; surface finely microreticulate except at glossy process; prosternal process narrow, convex, feebly longitudinally raised medially, setose, apically depressed, gradually sloping towards straight apex; sides of process strongly rugosely punctured, with scattered long setae; apex of process punctured, setose, feebly raised at sides. Mesanepisterna finely microreticulate. Metepisterna moderately and sparsely punctured; apically densely punctured with elongated convergent punctures. Metaventrite finely leathery at sides, smooth and glossy medially, strongly closely punctured near mesocoxae, with some strong punctures near lateral border; finely punctured, with very fine hairs laterally on disc; deeply transversally furrowed at posterior border. Scutellum small, longer than wide at base (W/L=0.90) with regularly curved sides towards round blunt apex; finely microsculptured, unpunctured. Elytra long, with regularly broadly curved shoulders, weakly curved laterally towards regular elongated apical curvature; surface very finely microsculptured, smooth, shiny, with dense, very fine dot-like punctures in pale areas, almost imperceptible apically on elytra, and stronger, deeper punctures around and within dark markings; very tight, regularly impressed premarginal line of punctures, only becoming slightly confused at subhumeral area; scutellar row present, double basally. Markings: (i) sutural stripe complete, continuous, broadly surrounding scutellum basally, gradually narrowing posteriorly, barely reaching apex of elytra; (ii) subsutural stripe broad, completely confluent laterally with sutural stripe, starting basally shortly before apex of scutellum, gradually narrowing posteriorly, slightly widening right before apex and irregularly disappearing abruptly slightly before apex; (iii) arcuate band long, set medially on disc, completely confluent laterally with subsutural stripe, weakly concave externally, with slightly divergent but entirely laterally confluent basal end; apical end strongly widened as slightly elongated rounded, weakly divergent shape; (iv) humeral spot short, elongated oval on shoulder, completely confluent laterally with (v) humeral lunule, gently curved apically towards suture, ending near and only slightly beyond basal end of arcuate band; basally very narrowly connected to dark basal margin of elytron at humeral internal declivity; (vi) spot enclosed by humeral lunule large, round, narrowly separated from internal concavity of lunule; (vii) midlateral spot large, subrectangular, completely confluent externally with narrow dark margin of elytron; (viii) spot of apical declivity large, semicircular, completely fused laterally with subsutural stripe; (ix) apical spot medium-sized, round, slightly transversally elongated, free; (x) nine additional roundish, small to relatively large spots on disc; four equidistantly separated and aligned longitudinally parallel to elytral margin on lateral declivity, the basalmost at level with basal end of arcuate band; four more as an internal series, parallel to former series with each spot set slightly forwards compared to nearest spot in external row, except basalmost spot; one round spot on external basal concavity of arcuate band, at level with midlateral spot. Legs long, slender. Femora fusiform, with surface delicately microsculptured, shiny, with relatively dense fine punctures bearing short fine setae. Tibiae slender, faintly curved ventrally; feebly carinated longitudinally at ventral margin, neatly furrowed externally at apical half, furrow widening towards emargination for tarsal insertion; sparsely punctured with longitudinally elongated punctures, becoming rugose at apex, with golden reddish dense pubescence. Abdominal ventrites shiny, smooth, with very fine sparse punctures bearing a fine translucent hair; punctures denser, stronger near metacoxae. Penis figured in Figs 9 c, 9f.

Distribution. Species endemic of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas ( Mexico) and chain extensions in Guatemala ( Fig. 8 , black squares). C. catarinae sp. nov. is endemic from the Caribbean Mesoamerican domain. Material examined (13 specimens).

GUATEMALA

NMNH: (1) two specimens: Guatemala, Suchitepequez, Zapotitlan, 1525 meters, Finca Las Nubes, 16 June ’73, Ginter Ekis, Calligrapha catarinae i.l. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: Cerro Zunil, 4000 ft, Champion, Calligrapha catarinae i.l. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. OUMNH: (1) one specimen: Cerro Zunil, 4000 ft., Champion, B.C.A. duplicates pres. 1909 by F.D. Godman Cat. No. 84, Calligrapha catarinae i.l. J. Gómez- Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: Cerro Zunil, 4–5000 ft., Champion, B.C.A. duplicates pres. 1909 by F.D. Godman Cat. No. 84, Calligrapha catarinae i.l. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. ZSM: (1) Cerro Zunil, 4–5000 ft, Champion, Polyspila argus Stal, Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke , Calligrapha catarinae i.l. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011.

MEXICO

NMNH: (1) one specimen: Chiapas, Mex., L. Holzen, ’19, Pacific Slope Cordilleras 800–1000 m, Calligrapha catarinae i.l. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. ZSM: (1) one specimen: Distrikt Socomusco, Hotzen S.W., Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke.

Variation. In one female specimen from Guatemala, the basal connection of humeral lunule with base of elytra is broader, more conspicuous. The spot enclosed by the humeral lunule can be narrowly connected to inner concavity of lunule by areas of dark suffusion. In most specimens there are ten additional markings on elytra, and not nine like in the holotype, with the internal row of spots including five and not four spots, the three basalmost small and round, with a trend of third and larger fourth to fuse together (a trend apparently completed in the holotype). The single additional spot on concavity of arcuate band can be very narrowly connected to the latter by dark suffusions.

Diagnosis. The new species is very similar and possibly most closely related to the Panamanian C. fulvitarsis , sharing a similar shape, colouration and disposition of spots, including a basal blunt end of the arcuate band and a roundish spot enclosed by the humeral lunule, generally with small basal emargination in the other species in this group. However, these species can be easily recognized by the larger size of C. catarinae sp. nov., larger and neater spots on elytra, larger midlateral spot, confluent with margin of elytron, and legs completely black. This species is also very similar to C. argus Stål , sharing the lack of subhumeral spot and the presence of a large midlateral spot, confluent with margin, as well as a characteristic bitonality to pale areas of elytra, with a paler rim around dark markings. However, C. catarinae sp. nov. is consistently darker, blackish, and shows other differences, including a more compact humeral marking, a blunt basal end of the subsutural stripe, a sudden preapical disappearance of the subsutural stripe, an elongated spot enclosed by humeral lunule, the semicircular shapes of the spot of apical declivity and generally of the apex of the arcuate band, and it is also generally larger and more elongated. The size of the specimens and the general disposition of markings is also reminiscent of C. geographica Stål , among which it can be found sometimes in collections, but a closer examination reveals many differences, most notably the type of midlateral spot, narrow and free in C. geographica Stål , large and confluent with margin in C. catarinae sp. nov. The pattern of markings may also induce the mistake to place the specimens with C. diversa Stål , but the absence of midlateral spot in the latter makes them easily distinguishable. Finally, there could be some confusion with C. suboculata Stål , particularly since this species can lack one of the two spots enclosed by the humeral lunule, but the shape of most markings on elytra separate them.

Derivatio nominis. These large and striking Calligrapha are amongst the most beautiful representatives of the genus, which compelled me to name this species with love after my beautiful daughter, Catarina.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Geographic distributions of Calligrapha ancoralis Stål (black circles) and the two new species of Calligrapha described here, C. anabelae sp. nov. (white squares) and C. catarinae sp. nov. (black squares).

FIGURE 9. Penis in ventral, lateral and dorsal view of apex of the species Calligrapha ancoralis Stål (a, d), C. anabelae sp. nov. (b, e), C. catarinae sp. nov. (c, f), C. ramulifera Stål (g, h), and C. argus Stål (i, j). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.