Paolaltica, Biondi, Maurizio, 2014

Biondi, Maurizio, 2014, Paolaltica eocenica new genus and new species of flea beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) from Baltic amber, Zootaxa 3852 (4), pp. 496-500 : 497-498

Paolaltica gen. nov.

( Figs 2 , 3 )

Diagnosis. Among flea beetles described from fossil resins ( Bukejs 2014), Paolaltica gen. nov. is easily distinguishable on the basis of having the combination of the following characters: pronotum without any antebasal transverse impression, metatarsi attached on apices of metatibiae, and elytral punctation arranged in regular rows. Based on the general habitus and elytral punctation being arranged in regular rows, the new genus could be confused with recent Amphimela Chapuis or Erystus Jacoby , but Paolaltica gen. nov. is different from both: in the former case, having a narrower interantennal space with evident frontal carina and well impressed frontal grooves, while in the latter, for having obliquely downward-oriented elytral epipleura, narrower interantennal space with an evident frontal carina, and a longer first metatarsomere, shorter than second and third together.

Considering the complete set of “visible” characters in the sample, such as: body dorsally convex; eyes large; elytral epipleura obliquely downward-oriented, well visible in lateral view; apical spur of hind tibiae well visible, straight, not thickset and medially inserted; claws sub-appendiculate; first metatarsomere about as long as second and third together, and third tarsomere medially just incised, the new genus is more similar to Sphaeroderma Stephens. However, Paolaltica gen. nov. is different from the latter genus for the following characters: body shape clearly more elongate; elytral punctuation regular and well impressed with smooth or very sparsely punctulate interstriae (rarely regular in Sphaeroderma , in this case interstriae more densely punctulate); hind femora more enlarged; pronotum regularly arcuate basally (sinuate in Sphaeroderma ); pronotal anterior angles not thickened (generally thickened in Sphaeroderma ).

Description. Body shape moderately elongate, dorsally convex. Head with frontal grooves running closely to inner ocular margin; interantennal space narrow, with an evident frontal carina prolonged up to labrum; genae about as long as one-third of ocular vertical diameter; eyes large, sub-elliptical; antennae with 11 antennomeres. Elytral punctation arranged in 9 regular rows apparently well impressed, also impressed on apical declivity; interstriae weakly convex, smooth or with very sparse punctulation; elytral epipleura ventrally oriented at oblique angle, well visible in lateral view. Legs with hind femora clearly enlarged (ratio of length/width = 1.71); hind tibiae with well visible, straight, not thickset and medially inserted apical spur. Tarsi with medially weakly and finely incised third tarsomere and sub-appendiculate claws; first metatarsomere about as long as second and third together.

Type species. Paolaltica eocenica Biondi.

Etymology. The name of this new genus is derived from Paola D’Alessandro, my research collaborator and valuable expert in flea beetle taxonomy, and the name of the type genus of the tribe ( Altica ), to which the genus belongs.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Paolaltica eocenica gen. and sp. nov., holotype: habitus in dorso-lateral view.

FIGURE 3. Paolaltica eocenica gen. and sp. nov., a) holotype: habitus in ventral-lateral view; b) line drawing.