Paraclytra Medvedev, 1971

Bezděk, Jan & Kantner, František, 2010, Revision of the genus Paraclytra (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae: Clytrini), with description of P. cervenkai sp. nov. from Sultanate of Oman, Zootaxa 2353, pp. 1-33 : 3-6

Paraclytra Medvedev, 1971

Paraclytra Medvedev, 1971b: 655 (original description), feminine

Paraclytra: Seeno & Wilcox, 1982: 32 (catalogue); Medvedev, 1996: 213 (key) Type species. Clythra notata Klug, 1835 (by original designation)

Description (according to Medvedev 1971b, modified). Body cylindrical. Head almost glabrous to pubescent, eyes large, elongate, genae short, about one fourth of the maximal length of the eye. Antennae short, the first antennomere moderately clavate, the second and the third antennomeres small, cylindrical, the fourth small, triangular, the following strongly serrate. Prothorax subquadrangular to transverse, with setae at fore and hind angles; hind angles obtuse, more or less distinct. Propleurae bare, prosternal process invisible between coxes. Elytra confusedly punctured, sometimes with indistinct longitudinal ridges before apex or extreme apex impunctate. Epipleurae with long erect hairs, narrowed and bended inward behind the first quarter, and continued almost to apex. Underside and legs with long erect pubescence. Tarsi short, the shape of tarsomeres variable, from transverse to elongated. Aedeagus short and robust, with charactersitic alae. Spermatheca Cshaped, spermathecal gland long with extended apex, spermathecal duct long and thin, without coils, the junction with bursa copulatrix hook-like and distinctly sclerotized, bursa sometimes with two small sclerites near the junction with spermathecal duct. Rectal sclerites: dorsally 3 sclerites (two lateral, 1 central), ventrally 2 wing-shaped sclerites. Sexual dimorphism poorly determined, in most of the species tarsi are broader in males and slenderer in females. Frons of females sometimes broader than in males.

Diagnosis. In habitus, the Paraclytra species resemble members of the genus Clytra , but have pubescent epipleurae, hind angles of prothorax more or less distinct and propleurae always glabrous. Aedeagus of Paraclytra species is very short, with characteristic alae ( Clytra species have long aedeagus).

Host plants. As in many others clytrines, the host plants seem to be various species of Acacia (Mimosaceae) . Literature sources mentioned Acacia only in two cases: Selman (1963) published Acacia senegal and A. scorpioides for P. notata and Medvedev & Beenen (2005) mentioned Acacia sp. for P. gambiensis . Actually, both records refer partly to P. sennariensis and partly to P. traegaordhi . These data are supported by recent collectors: a large series of P. gambiensis and P. intersecta were collected by one of us (FK) in Benin also on small trees of Acacia sp. and newly described P. cervenkai sp. nov. was collected in Sultanate of Oman flying around Acacia sp. shrubs (Červenka 2009, pers. comm.). Lefèvre (1877) cited also Mimosa sp. for P. n o t a t a (actually P. sennariensis ). One female of P. gambiensis from Guinea bears the label including „on Hymenocardia acida “ ( Euphorbiaceae ). This record is probably erroneous or refers to an accidental occurence on this plant.

Paraclytra cervenkai Bezd ĕ k & Kantner, sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 16 , 27 , 38 )

Paraclytra crocata: Regalin, 2002: 222 ( Sultanate of Oman)

Type locality. Sultanate of Oman, Taqah env.

Type material. 45 specimens — Holotype 3 ( NMPC), labelled: “ OMAN mer. / Taqah env., 0-100 m, / 17.- 23.9.2003, / R. Červenka leg. [w, p] // Collection / Jan Bezdĕk / Brno / Czech Republic [w, p]”. Paratypes: 433 3ƤƤ ( JBCB, 1Ƥ in NMPC), same labels as in holotype; 833 3ƤƤ ( FKCC, 13 in LMCM), labelled: „ OMAN mer. / Taqah env., 0-100m, / 17.-23.9 2003 / R. Červenka lgt. [w, p]”; 233 2ƤƤ ( FKCC), labelled: „ Sultanate of Oman / Dhofar prov. 1.ix.2007 / TAGAH / leg. J. Horák [w, p] // coll. F. Kantner / Lipí – Czech Republic [w, p]”; 2ƤƤ ( FKCC), labelled: „ Sultanate of Oman / Dhofar prov. 29-31.viii. / Wadi Al Mughsayi / leg. J. Horák 2007 [w, p] // coll. F. Kantner / Lipí – Czech Republic [w, p]”; 333 1Ƥ ( FKCC), labelled: „ Sultanate of Oman / Dhofar prov. 1- 3.ix. / Wadi Nashib / leg. J. Horák 2007 [w, p] // coll. F. Kantner / Lipí – Czech Republic [w, p]”; 2ƤƤ ( FKCC), labelled: „ OMAN mer. 2005 / Al Mughsayi env. / 0-50 m, / 21.-23.10 / R. Červenka lgt. [w, p]”; 3ƤƤ ( JBCB), labelled: “ OMAN mer. 2003, / Taqah-Nashib rd., / ca. 150-500m, 26.-28.9. / R. Červenka leg. [w, p] // Collection / Jan Bezdĕk / Brno / Czech Republic [w, p]”; 233 ( JBCB), labelled: “ OMAN mer., ca 0-50m, / Al Mughsayi env., / 21.-23.x.2005, / R. Červenka leg. [w, p] // Collection / Jan Bezdĕk / Brno / Czech Republic [w, p]”; 13 ( CIUC), labelled: „Dhofar ( OMAN) / Wadi Darbat / 17°04´50´´N, 54°25´80´´E / 04.IX.2000 / leg. GIANASSO D. [w, p]”; 13 ( CIUC), labelled: „Dhofar ( OMAN) / Hayrun dint. / 08.IX.2000 / leg. GIANASSO D. [w, p]”; 233 on the same pin ( CIUC), labelled: „Ain Sahanawt / 17°08´60N 54°10´87E / 0 1.10.2001 [w, p] // Oman / Dhofar region / Dellacasa M. leg. [w, p]”; 13 2ƤƤ on the same pin ( CIUC), labelled: „Dhofar ( OMAN) / Wadi Darbat / 17°04´50´´N, 54°25´80´´E / 09.IX.2000 / leg. GIANASSO D. [w, p] // Paraclytra / crocata / (Lacordaire) [h] / R. Regalin det. 200 [p] 1 [w, h]”; 233 ( NHMB, LMCM), labelled: „ Oman Dhofar / Ain Rzat (Salalah) [w, p] // 17.II.1989 / W. Wittmer [w, p] // Paraclytra / signata Lac. / sennariensis [h] / det. L. Medvedev [w, p]”. The specimens are provided with one additional printed red label: „ HOLOTYPUS [or PARATYPUS, resp.], / Paraclytra / cervenkai sp. nov., / Bezdĕk & Kantner 2008“.

Description. Head orange. Tips of mandibles, maxillary and labial palpes darkened. Antennomeres 1 to 4 and the bases of antennomeres 5 to 7 orange, rest black. Pronotum and scutellum orange. Elytra orange, each elytron with 2 black markings: one small round spot at one third of elytra near suture, one elongate and slightly oblique band not touching suture and lateral side at two thirds of elytral length. Coxae, trochanters and femora black (trochanters and femoral apices often brownish), tibiae and tarsi orange, hind tibiae often darkened on the outer side (very rarely also the outer sides of fore and mid tibiae). Prosternum orange with a black base behind procoxae. Meso-, metasternum and abdomen black.

Measurements. Males: 6.10–7.90 mm (holotype: 7.10 mm); females: 7.35–8.75 mm.

Male ( Fig. 1 ). Labrum short, transverse, anterior margin widely shallowly incised. Head with very fine, almost invisible punctures, lustrous, nearly glabrous, pale hairs visible only around the eyes. Frons relatively narrow, 1.2 times as wide as the diameter of the eye, with subtriangular shallow impression in the middle. Antennomere 4 small, triangular, antennae distinctly serrated from segment 5.

Prothorax transverse, 1.65 times as wide as long, widest at two thirds, moderately convex, almost impuctate, with several distinct punctures in the middle of posterior margin along scutellar thickening, lustrous. Lateral margins slightly rounded, more convergent anteriad than posteriad, anterior margin moderately concave, posterior margin nearly straight and distinctly thickened in the scutellar area. Anterior angles rectangular with shortly rounded tip, posterior ones obtuse, more widely rounded. Lateral margins thinly bordered, anterior margin bordered only laterally, in the middle part the border disappears, the border of posterior margin sinuate before the scutellar thickening, broader at the scutellar thickening than in the lateral parts. Scutellum subtriangular with rounded apex, lustrous, impunctate.

Elytra cylindrical, 1.55–1.65 times as long as wide at humeral part, glabrous, lustrous, densely covered with small fine confused punctures dissappearing in elytral apices.

Tarsi relatively slender, not broader than in females. First protarsomere elongated, subparallel, 1.5 times as long as broad, 0.65 times as long as the two following tarsomeres combined.

Abdomen flattened, last ventrite broad with a large shallowly impression. Aedeagus ( Fig. 16 ) with widely triangular apex. Alae divided in the midlength.

Female. Frons broader, 1.8 times as wide as the diameter of the eye. Abdomen robust, convex, last ventrite with a small round impression in the middle. Spermatheca and rectal sclerites as in Figs. 27 , 38 .

Differential diagnosis. Paraclytra cervenkai sp. nov. is very similar to paler forms of P. crocata and P. sennariensis . The structure of aedeagus is the most useful character to separate the mentioned species ( Figs. 16–17 , 22–24 ). Paraclytra sennariensis differs from P. cervenkai sp. nov. also by its broader tarsi. P. c ro c a t a has postscutellar spot only rarely. Moreover, the first protarsomere is 1.25 times as long as broad in male of P. crocata while 1.5 times as long as broad in P. cervenkai sp. nov. The shape and the size of the black markings on elytra in P. cervenkai sp. nov. are surprisingly constant (all specimens with one black spot and a black band on each elytron) contrary to usually very variable elytral pattern of most of Paraclytra species.

Distribution. Sultanate of Oman.

Collection circumstancies. A large part of the type series was collected flying around Acacia sp. shrubs by sweeping net (Červenka 2009, pers. comm.).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to our friend Radek Červenka ( Czech Republic, Prague), specialist in Scarabaeidae : Aphodiinae , who collected the main part of the type series.

Comments. Regalin (2002) published P. crocata as new for Sultanate of Oman. The part of specimens deposited in CIUC was re-examined and proved to be P. cervenkai sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Habitus of Paraclytra, males. 1 — P. cervenkai sp. nov. (paratype, Sultanate of Oman: Taqah, 7.85 mm); 2 — P. crocata (Saudi Arabia: Fifa, 7.70 mm); 3 — P. crocata (Saudi Arabia: Taif, 7.95 mm); 4 — P. crocata (Yemen: Hammam Ali, 7.05 mm); 5 — P. elegans (paratype, Namibia: Namuskluft, 7.25 mm); 6 — P. gambiensis (neotype, Senegal: Toubakouta-Ziguinchor, 7.85 mm).

FIGURES 16 – 19. Aedeagus of Paraclytra (a—dorsal view, b—lateral view, c—ventral view). 16 — P. cervenkai sp. nov.; 17 — P. c ro c a t a; 18 — P. elegans; 19 — P. gambiensis. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 27 – 29. Spermatheca of Paraclytra. 27 — P. cervenkai sp. nov.; 28 — P. crocata (holotype, „ Arabie “); 29 — P. crocata (Yemen: Jebel Jihaf). Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 38 – 40. Rectal sclerites of Paraclytra (a—dorsal view, b—ventral view). 38 — P. cervenkai sp. nov.; 39 — P. crocata (holotype, „ Arabie “); 40 — P. crocata (Yemen: Jebel Jihaf).

FIGURES 20 – 23. Aedeagus of Paraclytra (a—dorsal view, b—lateral view, c—ventral view). 20 — P. intersecta; 21 — P. minuta; 22 — P. sennariensis (lectotype, Sudan: Sennar); 23 — P. sennariensis (paralectotype of P. rufitarsis, „ Arabie “). Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 24 – 26. Aedeagus of Paraclytra (a—dorsal view, b—lateral view, c—ventral view). 24 — P. sennariensis (paratype of P. signata ssp. aethiopica, Eritrea: Cheren); 25 — P. signata (lectotype of P. notata, Senegal); 26 — P. traegaordhi. Scale bar 1 mm.