Batophila houjayi, Lee, 2025

Lee, Chi-Feng, 2025, The genus Batophila Foudras, 1860 (Coleoptera, Chrysomeliae, Galerucinae, Alticitae) in Taiwan, with descriptions of 11 new species, ZooKeys 1258, pp. 73-118 : 73-118

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1258.163900
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A66B00C6-E6E2-4FDD-A824-474A280E740F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17517409
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D2119E9C-F283-50E2-8205-3CAEC537D261
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Batophila houjayi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Batophila houjayi sp. nov.

Figs 10 View Figure 10 , 11 View Figure 11 , 12 View Figure 12 , 13 View Figure 13

Batophila acutangula : Kimoto 1989: 269 (part).

Batophila yangweii : Chûjô 1937: 54 (part).

Type specimens examined (n = 868).

Holotype ♂ ( TARI). Taiwan • Nantou: Tatachia (塔塔加), 21. IX. 2009, leg. C. - F. Lee . Paratypes • 4 ♀♀ ( TARI), same data as holotype ; Taiwan • Chiayi: 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀ ( KMNH), Alishan (阿里山), 21. V. 1971, leg. K. Kamiya ; • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( KMNH), same but with “ 25. V. 1971 " ; • 1 ♀ ( KMNH), same but with “ 26. V. 1971 " ; • 1 ♀ ( KMNH), same locality, 22–25. VI. 1974, leg. M. Owada ; • 45 ♂♂, 30 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 5–9. VIII. 1981, leg. L. Y. Chou & S. C. Lin ; • 129 ♂♂, 56 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 17–20. VIII. 1982, leg. K. C. Chou & C. C. Pan ; • 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, 25. IV. 2009, leg. H. - J. Chen ; • 3 ♂♂ ( NMNS), same locality, 4. X. 1988, leg. K. S. Huang ; • 28 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀ ( KMNH), same locality, 6. VIII. 1990, leg. S. Kimoto, of which one male identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto in 1990 ; • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, 12. V. 2011, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 8 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( NHMUK), SE of Alishan , 23°28'20"N, 120°51'E, 2300 m, 6–8. XI. 2008, leg. L. Dembický GoogleMaps ; • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ( TARI), Tzuchung (自忠), 21. IX. 2009, leg. M. - H. Tsou ; • 2 ♂♂ ( TARI), same locality, 22. II. 2016, leg. Y. - T. Wang ; • Hualien: 16 ♂♂, 17 ♀♀ ( TARI), Tayuling (大禹嶺), 9–16. VI. 1980, leg. K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen ; • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality and collectors, 10–16. VI. 1980, Malaise trap ; • 4 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 12–15. IX. 1980, leg. K. S. Lin & C. H. Wang ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( NHMUK), SW above Tayuling , 24°10'N, 121°17'30E, 2950 m, 31. X. 2008, leg. L. Dembický GoogleMaps ; • Ilan: 1 ♀ ( TARI), Sikikun (= Sunchitsun , 四季村), 11. VII. 1933, leg. M. Chujo, identified as B. yangweii by Chûjô (1937) ; • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality (= Ssuchi ), 7. VII. 2009, leg. H. - J. Chen ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), same but with “ 19. V. 2010 " ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), Taiheizan (= Taipingshan , 太平山), 9. VII. 1933, leg. M. Chujo, identified as B. yangweii by Chûjô (1937) ; • 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 7. VII. 1940, leg. R. Matuda ; • Kaohsiung: 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( KMNH), Tienchi (天池), 2. V. 1986, leg. K. Baba, identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto (1989) ; • Nantou: 1 ♀ ( TARI), Huakang (華崗), 14. IX. 2010, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( NMNS), Kahoershan (卡賀爾山), 7. V. 1992. leg. W. T. Yang ; • 1 ♂ ( NMNS), Lienhuachih (蓮華池), 9. IV. – 19. V. 1998, leg. C. S. Lin & W. T. Yang ; • 1 ♂ ( KMNH), Lushan Wenchuan (廬山溫泉), 6. VI. 1976, leg. H. Makihara ; • 7 ♂♂, 16 ♀♀ ( NMNS), Nanhuashan (南華山), 6. V. 1992, leg. Yang & Huang ; • 1 ♂ ( NHMUK), (near Sungkang , 松崗) sheep farm, 24°03.121'N, 121°09.643'E, 1916 m, 7. VIII. 2008, leg. M. V. L. Barclay & Mendel GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ ( TARI), Tatachia (塔塔加), 29. X. 2009, leg. H. Lee ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), same locality, 17. XI. 2009, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, 18. XI. 2009, leg. H. Lee ; • 3 ♂♂, 14 ♀♀ ( TARI), Tsuifeng (翠峰), 21. VI. 1979, leg. K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen ; • 8 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 3. VI. 1980, leg. L. Y. Chou & C. C. Chen ; • 4 ♂♂, 35 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 25–27. VI. 1981, leg. K. S. Lin & W. S. Tang ; • 32 ♂♂, 90 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 1–3. VIII. 1981, leg. T. Lin & W. S. Tang ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, 8. XI. 1981, leg. S. C. Lin & W. S. Tang ; • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 23. V. 1982, leg. L. Y. Chou ; • 33 ♂♂, 66 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 1–3. IX. 1982, leg. L. Y. Chou & K. C. Chou ; • 3 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 20. IV. 1983, leg. K. C. Chou & S. P. Huang ; • 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, IV. 1984, Malaise trap, leg. K. S. Lin & K. C. Chou ; • 6 ♂♂, 17 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 9. V. 1984, leg. K. C. Chou & C. C. Pan ; • 6 ♂♂, 29 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 5. VIII. 1984, leg. K. S. Lin ; • 13 ♂♂, 26 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 12–14. IX. 1984, leg. K. S. Lin & S. C. Lin ; • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ( NMNS), Yuanfeng (鳶峰), 9. III. – 9. IV. 1998, leg. C. S. Lin & W. T. Yang, Malaise trap ; • 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 12. III. – 9. IV. 2002 " ; • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 9. IV. – 7. V. 2002 " ; • 2 ♀♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 11. VI. – 9. VII. 2002 " ; • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 17. IV. – 7. V. 2003 " ; • 1 ♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 11. VI. – 8. VII. 2003 " ; • 3 ♀♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 11. V. – 13. VII. 2004 " ; • 1 ♀ ( NMNS), same but with “ 13. III. – 10. IV. 2007 " ; • 6 ♀♀ ( NMNS), Yunhaipaohsienso (雲海保線所), 4. V. 1992, leg. W. T. Yang ; • 1 ♀ ( KMNH), Yushan (玉山), 19. V. 1981, leg. N. Ito, identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto in 1987 .

Diagnosis.

Adults of B. houjayi sp. nov. are not separable from those of B. wusheensis sp. nov., B. yuae sp. nov., B. jungchani sp. nov., and B. huangi sp. nov. that are characterized by truncate elytral apices based on external morphology except for the aedeagus (see below). However, these species can be recognized by their allopatric distributions [ B. houjayi sp. nov. inhabits high mountains in Chiayi, Ilan, Hualien, and Nantou counties, B. wusheensis sp. nov. in lowlands of Nantou County, B. yuae sp. nov. in lowlands of Taipei and New Taipei Cities, and Ilan County, B. jungchani sp. nov. in high mountains of Taichung and Miaoli counties, B. huangi sp. nov. in lowlands of Miaoli County and high mountains in Hsinchu and Taoyuan counties (Fig. 13 View Figure 13 )]. Aedeagal shapes are diagnostic [widely rounded apex of aedeagus in B. houjayi sp. nov. (Fig. 11 C View Figure 11 ), apically tapering aedeagus from apical 1 / 5 in B. wusheensis sp. nov. (Fig. 23 C View Figure 23 ), rounded apex of aedeagus with truncate process at middle of apical margin in B. yuae sp. nov. (Fig. 26 C View Figure 26 ), subapically tapering apex of aedeagus in B. jungchani sp. nov. (Fig. 15 C View Figure 15 ), and rounded apex of aedeagus with small, rounded process at middle of apical margin in B. huangi sp. nov. (Fig. 14 C View Figure 14 )].

Description.

Male. Length 1.63–1.92 mm, width 0.82–0.94 mm. General color metallic dark bronze (Fig. 10 A – C View Figure 10 ); antennae yellowish brown but six apical antennomeres darker; legs yellowish but femora of hind legs darkened. Antenna (Fig. 11 A View Figure 11 ) filiform and antennomeres VIII – X wide, ratio of length of antennomeres I – XI to length of antennomere I 1.0: 0.6: 0.5: 0.5: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.8; ratio of length to width of antennomeres I – XI 2.6: 2.1: 2.2: 2.3: 2.6: 2.2: 2.0: 1.8: 1.7: 1.6: 2.3. Pronotum 1.22–1.30 × wider than long; lateral margins slightly rounded, anterolateral angles separated from lateral margins by weak emarginations, slightly narrowed basally, distance between anterolateral angles 1.10–1.17 × wider than basal margin. Elytra 1.28–1.34 × longer than wide; lateral margins rounded, widest at basal 1 / 5, apex truncate; dorsoventrally flattened, apex visible in dorsal view; disc with longitudinal lines of coarse punctures, and distinct longitudinal grooves along punctures apically abbreviated, ridges present between longitudinal grooves and apically abbreviated from basal 1 / 3. Tarsomeres I of front and middle legs slightly swollen. Aedeagus (Fig. 11 C, D View Figure 11 ) elongate, 5.7 × longer than wide; lateral margins subapically parallel, then slightly widened basally, widest at basal 1 / 3, apex widely rounded; dorsal opening starting from apical 1 / 10–2 / 5, tectum membranous; moderately curved in lateral view; ventral surface with membranous area narrower than dorsal opening, starting from apical 1 / 20–1 / 3.

Females (Fig. 10 D – F View Figure 10 ). Length 1.79–2.21 mm, width 0.96–1.10 mm. Antennae similar to males, ratio of length of antennomeres I – XI to length of antennomere I (Fig. 11 B View Figure 11 ) 1.0: 0.6: 0.5: 0.5: 0.6: 0.5: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.8; ratio of length to width of antennomeres I – XI 2.9: 2.2: 2.5: 2.2: 3.0: 2.3: 2.2: 1.8: 1.8: 1.7: 2.4. Elytra 1.26–1.38 × longer than wide; lateral margins rounded, widest at basal 1 / 5, apex truncate; dorsoventrally convex, elytral apex not visible in dorsal view; disc with longitudinal lines of fine punctures, and distinct longitudinal grooves along punctures apically abbreviated from apical 1 / 3, ridges present between 2 nd and 3 rd, 4 th and 5 th longitudinal grooves and apically abbreviated from basal 1 / 3. Gonocoxae (Fig. 11 F View Figure 11 ) slender, connected from basal 1 / 5 to base; each gonocoxa with seven long setae and one tiny seta from apical 1 / 5 to apex, subapically slightly curved. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 11 E View Figure 11 ) weakly sclerotized apically, with several short setae at sides of apex, and some tiny setae at sides of apical margin, spiculum extremely elongate. Spermathecal receptaculum (Fig. 11 G View Figure 11 ) strongly swollen, with transverse wrinkles at basal 1 / 2; pump wide and curved, with transverse wrinkles at apical 2 / 3; sclerotized spermathecal canal moderately long before base of spermathecal gland.

Variation.

Longitudinal ridges on elytra present in most individuals from Alishan (Fig. 12 View Figure 12 ) but absent in specimens from other areas.

Food plants.

Rosaceae : Rubus lambertianus Ser. and R. croceacanthus H. Lév. ; Polygonaceae : Persicaria thunbergia Sieb. et Zucc. and P. chinense L. (Fig. 9 C View Figure 9 ).

Etymology.

This new species is named for Hou-Jay Chen (陳厚潔), the first member of TCRT to collect specimens.

Distribution.

This species is widespread in mountainous areas of south and central Taiwan (Fig. 13 View Figure 13 ).