Kiskeya, KONSTANTINOV, 2006

Damaška, Albert František, Konstantinov, Alexander & Fikáček, Martin, 2022, Multiple origins of moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): molecular phylogeny, overview of genera and a new genus from Africa, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 196, pp. 647-676 : 663-664

KISKEYA KONSTANTINOV & CHAMORRO- LACAYO, 2006

( FIG. 3 )

Type species: Kiskeya baorucae Konstantinov et al., 2006 .

Synonyms: No generic synonyms.

Phylogenetic position: We found Kiskeya deeply nested inside the ‘Disonychine–Monoplatine’ clade, belonging to the Disonycha generic group, where it stands as a sister-lineage to all its remaining members.

Diversity and distribution: Five species of Kiskeya are known to date. The genus is endemic to the West Indies.

Revisions: New species with keys provided are described in Konstantinov & Konstantinova (2011) and Konstantinov et al. (2020).

Morphological characteristics: Body extremely small (0.8–1.1 mm), strongly ovate and extremely convex in lateral view. Head hypognathous. Antennae with only nine antennomeres, short, four apical antennomeres strongly widened, forming a compact and rounded antennal club. Pronotum strongly convex, bearing a pair of basal setiferous pores on lateral margin. Elytra extremely convex, round, nearly lacking punctures. Procoxal cavities closed posteriorly. Metaventral process short, triangular, not covering the mesoventrite in the space between the mesocoxae. Metafemora strongly widened, metatibiae slightly curved. The first abdominal ventrite bears a distinct ridge surrounded by deep punctures, with an anterior process reaching the space between metacoxae. Aedeagus simple and parallel-sided, curved in lateral view. Spermatheca subcylindrical, pump wide and relatively long. Spermathecal duct extremely short.

Ecology: Specimens of Kiskeya were collected in cloud forests by sifting or individually from moss cushions. Larvae were also collected in the same moss samples (Konstantinov, unpubl. data).

Remarks: The morphology of Kiskeya represents an extreme specialization for edaphic lifestyle, making Kiskeya completely different from all known Neotropical alticine genera. In worldwide fauna, the only similar genus is the Asian genus Clavicornaltica , which is diagnosed from Kiskeya above.

Figures

Figure 3. Moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera distributed in America. A, Distigmoptera borealis; B, Erinaceialtica janestanleyae; C, Andersonaltica neiba; D, Ulrica eltoro; E, Menudos maricao; F, Kiskeya baorucae; G, Monotalla guadeloupensis; H, Nicaltica selvanegra; I, Stevenaltica normi; J, Borinken elyunque.