Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto, 1996) Lee, 2022

Lee, Chi-Feng, 2022, The genus Japonitata Strand (Insecta, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae) in Taiwan: a redefinition of the genus and descriptions of two new species, ZooKeys 1125, pp. 171-192 : 171

Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto, 1996) comb. nov.

Figs 5 , 6 , 7 , 8

Japonitata quadricostata Kimoto, 1996: 34 (Taiwan).

Type examined.

Holotype ♀ (OMNH) (Fig. 5A-C ): "FUNCHIIHU (奮起湖) / TAIWAN / 28.VII.1974 / Y. KIYOYAMA [p, y] // HOLOTYPE [p, r] / Japonitata / Japonitata quadricostata / Kimoto, n. sp. [h] / Det. S. Kimoto, 19 [p, w] // PHOTO [p, r]".

Specimens examined.

Chiayi: 28♂, 11♀ (TARI), Erhwanping (二萬坪), 2000 m, near Alishan (阿里山), 9.VII.2014, leg. C.-F. Lee & T.-H. Lee ; 1♂ (TARI), Alishan (阿里山), 17.VIII.2014, leg. B.-X. Guo ; Ilan : 1♂ (TARI), Chiuchihtse (鳩之澤), 520 m, 2.V.2007, leg. M.-H. Tsou ; 1♂ (TARI), Eboshiyama (= Tulishan 獨立山), 1900 m, 17-21.V.1933, leg. M. Chujo ; Kaohsiung : 1♂, 1♀ (TARI), Tengchih (藤枝), 1600 m, 24.VIII.2017, leg. B.-X. Guo ; 1♂ (TARI), same but with “4.IX.2017”; 1♀ (TARI), same but with “15.IX.2019”; 3♂ (TARI), same locality, 11.V.2022, leg. Y.-T. Chung ; Nantou : 2♀ (TARI), Fenghuangshan (鳳凰山), 1700 m, near Hsitou (溪頭), 12.VIII.2010, leg. Y.-T. Wang ; 1♂ (TARI), Hsitou (溪頭), 1000 m, 14.VI.2011, leg. C.-F. Lee ; 4♀ (TARI), same locality, 2.VII.2011, leg. M.-H. Tsou ; 1♂, 1♀ (TARI), same but with “9.VIII.2011”; Pingtung: 1♂ (TARI), Peitawushan (北大武山), New Trailhead (新登山口), 1200 m, 28.IX.2017, leg. Y.-T. Chung ; 1♂ (TARI), same but with “10.V.2022”; 1♂ (TARI), Shuangliu (雙流), 500 m, 6.V.2000, leg. H.-T. Shih ; Taichung : 1♀ (TARI), Fengyuan (豐原), 280 m, 22.V.2019, leg. C.-T. Hsu ; 1♂ (TARI), Henglingshan (橫嶺山), Trailhead (登山口), 1200 m, 10.X.2020, leg. Y.-C. Hsu ; Taipei : 1♂ (TARI), Manyuehyuan (滿月圓), 300 m, 7.VI.2010, leg. C.-L. Chiang ; 1♀ (TARI), Wulai (烏來), 150 m, 24.V.2007, leg. H.-J. Chen ; 1♂, 1♀ (TARI), same locality (= Hsinhsien 信賢), 3.V.2014, leg. M.-H. Tsou.

Redescription.

Length 6.1-7.7 mm, width 3.1-4.4 mm. General color (Fig. 5D-F ) black to dark brown; abdomen yellow to dark brown; five apical antennomeres variably paler. Antennomeres II-XI filiform in males (Fig. 6A ), ratios of lengths of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.3: 0.7: 0.9: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.9; ratios of length to width from antennomeres I-XI 2.8: 1.6: 2.8: 3.8: 4.0: 4.2: 4.5: 4.9: 4.9: 4.8: 6.3; more slender in females (Fig. 6B ), ratios of lengths of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.3: 0.6: 0.9: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8: 0.8; ratios of length to width from antennomeres I-XI 3.4: 1.6: 2.9: 4.1: 4.1: 4.9: 5.2: 5.5: 6.1: 6.0: 6.5. Pronotum 1.8-2.0 times wider than long; disc with scarce fine punctures at sides, reduced medially, with transverse groove near base, medially abbreviated, laterally connected with short longitudinal groove on basal margin; lateral margins slightly rounded, widest behind apices; apical margin slightly concave and basal margin slightly convex. Elytra narrower, 1.3-1.4 times longer than wide; disc with confused, sparse, reduced punctures; with one small tubercle behind scutellum; with one longitudinal ridge behind tubercle, indistinct, close to suture; with one additional longitudinal ridge outside tubercle, indistinct; with one additional distinct ridge from humeral calli, parallel with lateral margin, abbreviated subapically; another additional ridge also from humeral calli, indistinct, directed medially; lateral margins moderately rounded, widest at apical third, apices convergent. Aedeagus (Fig. 6C, D ) slender, 5.9 × longer than wide; lateral margins straight, widest at apical 1/10, gradually narrowed toward basal 1/3; strongly narrowed subapically, apex acute; moderately curved in lateral view; tectum membranous; one endophallic sclerite longitudinally oriented and slender, 0.6 × as long as aedeagus, base deeply bifurcate, lateral margins with clustered short setae at apical 1/3. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V in males with distinct median lobe (Fig. 6K ), narrow, apical margin slightly recurved, with median internal ridge from apex to middle; basal margin normal. Gonocoxae (Fig. 6G ) longitudinal and connected basally, with wide furrow between gonocoxae; each gonocoxa narrowed subapically, apex truncate, with eight long apical setae; base weakly sclerotized. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 6E ) in females with apex weakly sclerotized, dense short apical setae, reduced medially; spiculum extremely elongate. Spermathecal receptaculum (Fig. 6H ) slender, as wide as pump, not separated from pump; pump long and curved, with one short, apical process; sclerotized spermathecal duct short, not separated from receptaculum.

Variations.

Some distinct variation occurs in female genitalic characters among different populations. Pumps of spermathecae are larger in those of Wulai (烏來) (Fig. 6I ); much slender and lacking apical process in those of Erhwanping (二萬坪) (Fig. 6J ). Apices of ventrite VIII are wider and setae not reduced medially in those of Wulai (烏來). Hindwings are normal in northern and central Taiwan and low-elevations of southern Taiwan (Fig. 7A ), but they are reduced in different degrees between different populations of mid-elevations of southern Taiwan. Degree of reduction of hind wings is similar between individuals of both sexes of the same populations. Those in Tengchih (藤枝) are less reduced, ~ 57% with normal hind wings (Fig. 7B ). Those in Hsito (溪頭) are reduced moderately, ~ 50% with normal hind wings (Fig. 7D ). Those in Peitawushan (北大武山) have the same length of hind wings as those in Hsito but wider (Fig. 7E ). Those in Erhwanping (二萬坪) are reduced strongly, ~ 40% with normal hind wings (Fig. 7C ).

Diagnosis.

Adults of Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto, 1996), comb. nov. and S. caerulea (Kimoto, 1996), comb. nov. are characterized by normal elytra and functional hindwings (shortened elytra and reduced hindwings in other Shairella ; Lee and Beenen 2017) although individuals in some populations of S. quadricostata have more or less reduced hindwings. Shairella quadricostata is distinguished from S. caerulea by possessing black elytra with three pairs of weak longitudinal ridges (Fig. 5A-F ) (bluish black elytra without longitudinal ridges besides lateral ridge in S. caerulea ; Fig. 9 ); median internal ridge of abdominal ventrite V in males expanded from apex, abbreviated before base (Fig. 6K ) (median internal ridge of abdominal ventrite in males expanded from apex to base in S. caerulea ; Fig. 10G ); apically narrowed apex of aedeagus (Fig. 6C ) (bifurcate apex of aedeagus in S. caerulea ; Fig. 10C ); apex of spermatheca rounded with or without small process (Fig. 6H-J ) (apex of spermatheca swollen, bifurcate in frontal view in S. caerulea ; Fig. 10H, I ).

Host plant.

Hemiboea bicornuta (Hayata) Ohwi ( Gesneriaceae ).

Biology.

Adults of Shairella quadricostata were observed active at night and feeding on leaves of Hemiboea bicornuta . However, adults were hard to find with the exception of a single event. Three adults were collected on 11 May 2022 in Tengchih (藤枝) (Fig. 5G ). We collected 39 adults on 9 July 2014 in Erhwanping (二萬坪). Many host plants were growing on a steep slope and numerous adults were feeding on leaves (Fig. 5H ).

Distribution.

The flighted populations are widespread in low-elevations of Taiwan and mid-elevations of northern and central Taiwan, and flightless populations are restricted to mid-elevations of southern Taiwan (Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Figure 5. Habitus and field photographs of Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto) A holotype, female, dorsal view B ditto, lateral view C labels on the holotypes D nontype, male, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view G two adults collected at Tengchih (藤枝) and feeding on leaves of Hemiboea bicornuta H adult resting on leaves of Hemiboea bicornuta in Erhwanping (二萬坪).

Figure 6. Diagnostic characters of Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto) A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII, from Erhwanping (二萬坪) F same, from Wulai (烏來) G gonocoxae H spermatheca, from Tengchih (藤枝) I same from Wulai (烏來) J same from Erhwanping (二萬坪) K abdominal ventrite IV-V, male.

Figure 7. Hindwings of Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto) A female, from Wulai (烏來) B female, from Tengchih (藤枝) C female, from Erhwanping (二萬坪) D female, from Hsito (溪頭) E male, from Peitawushan (北大武山).

Figure 8. Distribution map of Shairella quadricostata (Kimoto) and brachelytrous Shairella species, solid line: 1000 m, broken line: 2000 m. Key: green squares - brachelytrous species, blue circles - adults of S. quadricostata with normal hindwings, red circles- adults of S. quadricostata with reduced hindwings.

Figure 9. Habitus of Shairella caerulea (Kimoto) A holotype, male, dorsal view B ditto, lateral view C labels on the holotypes D nontype, male, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view.

Figure 10. Diagnostic characters of Shairella caerulea (Kimoto) A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F gonocoxae G abdominal ventrite IV-V, male H spermatheca I apex of spermatheca, front view.