Paranota minima (Wagener, 1881)

Simões, Marianna V. P., 2014, Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Paranota Monrós and Viana, 1949 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Dorynotini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 68 (4), pp. 631-655 : 647-648

Paranota minima (Wagener, 1881) ( Figs. 47–56 , 99 )

Batonota minima Wagener 1881: 42 , 46 (type locality: Paraguay). Spaeth 1914: 66, 1923: 69; Maulik 1916: 583.

Dorynota minima: Blackwelder 1946: 747 .

Paranota minima: Monrós and Viana 1949: 397 , 425; Borowiec 1999: 167.

Diagnosis. This species may be distinguished from other members of the genus by the dark red ground color, body diminutive in size and strongly convex in lateral view, and humeral ridge complete and well-marked.

Redescription. Body ( Figs. 47–50 ) strongly convex in lateral view, shiny, dark red dorsally except for half–moon black spots on posterior half of pronotum, yellowish brown ventrally, antennomeres VI–XI reddish brown, and lateral margins of prosternal process, lobe of hypomeron, mesepisternum, anterior and lateral margins of metasternum, metepimeron, and anterior margin of sternites dark brown. Head: Interocular distance 1.3 shorter than widest width of eye. Coronal suture depressed at apex. Vertex with short, sparse setae. Frontoclypeus flat, with mid-frontal and epistomal sulcus incomplete. Interantennal distance 2 times shorter than antennal sockets. Antennae with length ratio of segments 100: 95: 25: 50: 65: 75: 75: 65: 80: 85: 105. Thorax: Prosternal process with apex 1.8 times wider than medial region, notched medially, 3 times shorter than prosternal process, with truncate posterior angle. Mesepimeron with exposed portion rectangular, ca. 2 times wider than long. Elytra with dense, coarse punctation; anterior angle strongly obtuse externally with reflexed margins; humeral ridge complete and well-marked; disc with 3 longitudinal ridges, 2 closer to suture, departing from anterior margin, meeting at the posterior third of disc, and extending to posterior margin, and 1 departing from humerus, extending to basal third of disc. Lateral margins subparallel, ca. 1/5 width of disc, with reflexed edge; apical margin rounded. Disc with spinose projection ca. 1.3 times shorter than body height. In ventral view, epipleural ridge well-developed with rounded denticular projection at anterior third. Tarsomere II 1.3 times longer than I. External claw 1.6 times longer than internal claw. Abdomen: Sternites glabrous, III–V subequal in length, 1.3 times shorter than II; V with flat posterior margin. Male terminalia ( Figs. 52–56 ): Same as described for P. ensifera ( Fig. 39 ), except tegmen ( Figs. 53–54 ) with manubrium 2 times longer than arms.

Variation. The interocular distance varies from 1.2 to 1.4 shorter than widest width of eye.

Measurements. Three males / one female: total length: 6.9–7.5 / 9.0; greatest elytral width: 5.7–6.4 / 7.6; pronotal length: 1.7 / 2.6; greatest pronotal width: 4.0–4.5 / 5.0.

Remarks. Wagener (1881) and Monrós and Viana (1949) highlighted the diminutive size and convex shape of the body, features that distinctly characterize the species from others in the genus. Monrós and Viana (1949) compared it to P. ensifera ( Figs. 35–36 ) and suggested that the body color and elytral shape were similar. However, P. minima ( Figs. 47–50 ) has a dark red ground and the most internal ridges of the elytra meet at the posterior third of the disc and extend to the posterior margin. Paranota ensifera has a dorsal ground color ranging from yellowish brown to reddish brown and the most internal ridges of the elytra meet at the posterior third of disc and extend to the posterior margin.

Paranota minima resembles P. rugosa ( Figs. 57– 60 ) in body color and shape of the prosternal process, and humeral angle and ridge. Both have a dark red ground color, the prosternal process with the apex distinctly expanded laterally, and the anterior elytral angle strongly obtuse with a complete and well-marked ridge. However, P. rugosa never has a body length less than 10 mm, the pronotum has a broad, emarginated anterior margin, and the elytral punctation is dense, coarse, and confused with a rugose aspect on the disc. Paranota minima never is more than 10 mm in body length (Monrós and Viana 1949), the pronotum has a narrow and entire anterior margin, and the elytral punctation is dense and coarse, forming longitudinal rows.

Geographical Distribution. Recorded from Argentina ( Formosa) and Paraguay (Borowiec and Świętojańska 2014). Previously with undetermined distribution within Paraguay, now from Monte Lindo, Dept. of Presidente Hayes ( Fig. 99 ).

Type Material. Holotype ( Figs. 49–51 ): Paraguay // Typus // minima \ coll. Wagener \ typus // Manchester Museum \ M/ CR MUS. SPAETH COLL. // Manchester Museum \ Syntype // F2019.2658 ( MMUE) .

Other Material Examined (5). ARGENTINA: Barrancas : Provincia de Santiago del Estero, E. R . Wagner lgt. (1 specimen, MNHN); Formosa: Clorinda , IX.1949, A. Martinez lgt. (1 male, USNM) ; PARAGUAY: (1 male, MMUE); Presidente Hayes: Monte Lindo , XI.1993 (1 male, 1 female, DBET) .

Figures

Figs. 47–56. Paranota minima, male. 47) Dorsal view; 48) Lateral view; 49) Holotype, dorsal view; 50) Holotype, lateral view; 51) Holotype labels; 52) Median lobe, lateral view; 53) Tegmen, dorsal view; 54) Tegmen, lateral view; 55) Apex of median lobe, dorsal view; 56) Apex of median lobe, ventral view. o = ostium. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs. 98–102. Geographic distribution of Paranota species. 98) P. ensifera; 99) P. minima; 100) P. rugosa;

Figs. 35–46. Paranota ensifera. Male: 35) Lectotype, dorsal view; 36) Lectotype, lateral view and labels; 37) Protarsomere; 38) Claws; 39) Median lobe, lateral view; 40) Tegmen, dorsal view; 41) Tegmen, lateral view; Female: 42) Abdomen; 43) Sternite VIII; 44) Spermatheca; 45) Tergite X; 46) Sternite IX. ma = manubrium. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs. 57–68. Paranota rugosa. Male: 57) Dorsal view; 58) Lateral view; 59) Holotype, dorsal view; 60) Holotype, lateral view and labels; 61) Protarsomere; 62) Median lobe, lateral view; 63) Tegmen, dorsal view; 64) Tegmen, lateral view; Female: 65) Sternite VIII; 66) Sternite IX; 67) Spermatheca; 68) Tergite X. Scale bars = 1 mm.