Pyrrhalta wulaiensis, Lee & Bezděk, 2021

Lee, Chi-Feng & Bezdek, Jan, 2021, Revision of the genera Xanthogaleruca Laboissiere, 1932 and Pyrrhalta Joannis, 1865 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae) of Taiwan, with type designation of Galerucella lineatipes Takei, ZooKeys 1039, pp. 1-108 : 1

Pyrrhalta wulaiensis sp. nov. Figs 34D-F , 36 , 37A-E

Types.

Holotype ♂ (TARI), Taiwan. Nantou: Peitungyanshan (北東眼山), 3.VII.2014, leg. F.-S. Huang, 變葉新木薑子 ( Neolitsea aciculata (Bl.) Koidz. var. variabillima J.C. Liao) 噴霧 (fogging). Paratypes. 1♂ (TARI), same locality as holotype, 3.VII.2014, leg. C.-F. Lee; Ilan: 1♂ (TARI), Fushan (福山), 5.VII.2013, leg. Y.-T. Wang; Miaoli: 1♂ (TARI), Hsuehchien (雪見), 5.III.2013, leg. W.-B. Yeh; Nantou: 1♀ (TARI), Meifeng (梅峰), 28-29.VIII.1981, leg. L. Y. Chou & S. C. Lin; 1♀ (TARI), same locality, 15.VII.1982, leg. S. C. Lin & C. N. Lin; 1♀ (NMNS), same locality, 13.VI. -18.VII.2001, leg. C. S. Lin & W. T. Yang, Malaise trap (KCN); 1♂ (NMNS), same but with "15.XI. -19.XII.2001"; 1♀ (NMNS), same but with "5.X. -16.XI.2004"; Taipei: 1♂ (TARI), Fushan (福山) - 烏來 (Wulai), 21.VI.2015, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♂ (TARI), Hsinhsien (信賢), 5.VII.2020, leg. M.-H. Tsou; 1♀ (TARI), same but with “27.VI.2020”; 1♀ (TARI), Wulai (烏來), 19.VII.2011, leg. M.-H. Tsou.

Diagnosis.

Smaller species, 3.3-3.7 mm in length. Elytra relatively broad, 1.5 × longer than wide; unicolorous, without dark spots; with ridges.

Description.

Length 3.3-3.7 mm, width 1.6-1.9 mm. Body color (Fig. 34D-F ) brown or dark brown; antennae black but antennomeres I-III yellow, IV, and V brown. Eyes large, interocular space 1.75-1.83 × diameter of eye. Antennae filiform in males (Fig. 36A ), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.5: 0.6: 0.7: 0.6: 0.6: 0.7: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.9, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 3.2: 2.2: 2.9: 3.0: 2.9: 2.9: 2.5: 2.0: 2.1: 2.0: 2.9; similar in females (Fig. 36B ), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.5: 0.7: 0.7: 0.6: 0.6: 0.7: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.8, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 3.5: 2.3: 2.9: 2.8: 2.5: 2.2: 2.3: 1.9: 1.8: 1.8: 2.7. Pronotum and elytra convex. Pronotum 1.7-2.0 × wider than long, with transverse ridge along apical margin deflexed at antero-lateral angles; disc smooth on ridge, but with reticulate microsculpture below ridge, with extremely dense and coarse punctures, with one short seta at each puncture; with median longitudinal and lateral depressions; lateral margins moderately rounded, widest at apical 1/3, apical and basal margins slightly concave; posterior setiferous punctures slightly erect. Elytra elongate and broad, parallel-sided, 1.5 × longer than wide; disc with reticulate microsculpture, and with coarse and sparse punctures, with extremely dense short pubescence, all of pubescence located between punctures; with indistinct, obliquely longitudinal ridges arising from behind humeral calli, with depressions between ridges and suture at apical 1/3 and middle. Apical spur of tibia of middle leg absent and tarsomere I not modified in males. Aedeagus (Fig. 36C, D ) slender in dorsal view, 5.9 × longer than wide, sides symmetric, parallel-sided but slightly narrowed at apical 1/4, apex angular; strongly curved near base in lateral view, apex acute; ostium transverse, covered by a membrane; two endophallic sclerite elongate, apex of primary endophallic sclerite with two teeth, 0.4 × as long as aedeagus, secondary sclerite 0.8 × as long as primary sclerite, apex acute, with one additional tooth at apical 1/4. Only apices of gonocoxae (Fig. 36I ) sclerotized and transverse, with short, scattered setae. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 36E ) with only apical area sclerotized; disc with several long setae and dense short setae along apical margin; spiculum long. Receptacle of spermatheca (Fig. 36F ) very swollen; pump short and strongly curved; sclerotized proximal spermathecal duct narrow and short. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V slightly concave, with shallow triangular depression at middle in males (Fig. 36H ); slightly concave in females (Fig. 36G ).

Remarks.

Adults of P. wulaiensis sp. nov. and P. ishiharai Kimoto are easily separated from other species within the species group by the longitudinal ridges on the elytra (Fig. 34 ) and the angular apices of aedeagi (Figs 35C , 36C ). Pyrrhalta wulaiensis sp. nov. is distinguished from P. ishiharai by the smaller body size (Fig. 37F ), 3.3-3.7 mm long (4.8-5.1 mm long in P. ishiharai ), absence of dark spots between the longitudinal ridges on the elytra (Fig. 34D ) (dark spots present between longitudinal ridges on elytra in P. ishiharai Fig. 34A ), lacking apical spine on tibia and normal tarsomere I of middle leg in males (apical spine present on tibia (Fig. 35E ) and modified tarsomere I of middle leg in males of P. ishiharai (Fig. 35H )), transverse ostium and medially curved aedeagus (Fig. 36C, D ) (in longitudinal ostium and recurved at apical 1/3 of aedeagus P. ishiharai (Fig. 35C, D )), transversely rounded gonocoxae with scattered short setae (Fig. 36I ) (longitudinally cylindrical gonocoxae with dense, long setae in P. ishiharai (Fig. 35K ))

Host plant.

Larvae and adults feed on flowers of Meliosma rhoifolia Maxim. ( Sabiaceae ).

Biology.

One female was collected on flowers of the host plant (Fig. 37E ) July 8, 2011 in Wulai, northern Taiwan by Mr Mei-Hua Tsou. The female deposited eggs (Fig. 37A ) singly on flowers July 12. Larvae hatched in seven days. The larvae (Fig. 37B ) fed on flowers and the larval duration was eleven days. mature larvae (Fig. 37C ) burrowed into soil and built underground chambers for pupation. Duration of the pupal stage (Fig. 37D ) was eight days.

Distribution.

The species is widespread at lowlands (0-1,500 m) in northern Taiwan and mid-altitudes (1,500-2,500 m) in central Taiwan.

Etymology.

The species is named for the locality where specimens were collected and used for laboratory rearing.

Figures

Figure 34. Habitus of Pyrrhalta ishiharai Kimoto and P. wulaiensis sp. nov. A P. ishiharai, female, typical form, dorsal view B ditto, ventral view C ditto, lateral view D P. wulaiensis sp. nov., female, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view.

Figure 35. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta ishiharai Kimoto A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E apex of tibia of middle leg, male F abdominal ventrite VIII G spermatheca H tarsi of middle leg, male I abdominal ventrite V, female J abdominal ventrite V, male K gonocoxae.

Figure 36. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta wulaiensis sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G abdominal ventrite V, female H abdominal ventrite V, male I gonocoxae.

Figure 37. Field photographs of Pyrrhalta wulaiensis sp. nov. on host plant A egg B third-instar larva C mature larva D pupa E adult F adults: P. wulaiensis sp. nov. (left) and P. ishiharai (right).