Mniophila transcaucasica, Nadein, 2009

Nadein, Konstantin S., 2009, Revision of the genus Mniophila S, 1831 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 59 (1), pp. 103-131 : 125-128

Mniophila transcaucasica sp. n.

( Figs 7 , 10 )

Type material:

Holotype: Armenia: Kaukasus Dshelal ogly, male ( ZIN) . – Paratypes: Georgia: Kaukas Leder / M. muscorum Koch. Coll. Reitter , 2 males ( HNHM) .

Caucasus. Mniophila muscorum Caucas / k. Rybakova, male ( ZIN).

Etymology:

The specific epithet refers to geographical distribution of the new species that is distributed in Transcaucasus.

Distribution:

Armenia, Georgia.

Description:

Body brown to dark-brown with weak bronze luster or without one; legs reddish-brownish. Body nearly elongated to clearly rounded. Head large, short; vertex covered with well developed, large shagrination; frontal calli almost not convex; supracallinal sulci poorly visible; frontal ridge short, weakly convex; eyes flattened. Antennae with segments short and thick. Pronotum short, widely transversal, with very widely rounded base, its surface usually covered with well developed, large shagrination; punctures large, sparse, poorly visible. Elytra impunctate to well developed, dense punctation, punctures not large; striae partly confused, secondary punctation well developed. Notch between metathoracic cavities straight ( Fig. 7C ). Legs not very thick, tibiae moderately curved; metafemora wide; first protarsomere of male wide and thick. Aedeagus ( Fig. 7J, K ) ventrally with apical third gradually narrowed to apex; apex obtuse with well developed denticle; from lateral view nearly gradually curved from basal third, weakly and gradually narrowed toward apex.

Body length – 1.34-1.47 mm, width – 0.91-1.05 mm.

Differential diagnosis:

From M. caucasica sp. n. differs: in structure of aedeagus ( Fig. 7J, K ), ventrally with apical third gradually narrowed to apex; apex obtuse instead of aedeagus ventrally with apical 1/4 more or less sharply narrowed to apex, the latter rather wide, straight; hind tibiae distinctly curved ( Fig. 7F ), first tarsomeres of male shorter and thicker ( Fig. 7H, I ); eyes more flattened; ocular sulci and frontal calli less developed ( Fig. 7E ); apical antennal segments shorter and thicker ( Fig. 7D ), differs in pronotum shape ( Fig. 7B ); notch between metathoracic cavities straight ( Fig. 7C ); last metatarsomere thinner ( Fig. 7H ). From M. taurica sp. n. differs: in structure of aedeagus, ventrally with apical third gradually narrowed to apex; apex obtuse with well developed denticle instead of aedeagus ventrally toward apex parallel-sided, wide, apical 1/4 with straight, narrowing sides and with distinct and straight apex with rather short, wide denticle or poorly developed; head shorter, frontal calli less developed, shagrination of head more developed; pronotum shorter with less elongated base; hind femora thicker; tibiae thicker and more curved; notch between metathoracic cavities straight; first protarsomere of male wider. From M. turcica differs: in structure of aedeagus, apex obtuse instead of apex almost straight; head shorter, frontal ridge less convex, antennal grooves shallower; notch between metathoracic cavities straight; eyes more flattened; tibiae thinner; punctation of pronotum well developed; first metatarsomere shorter and wider.

Remarks:

The materal labelled “Kaukas Leder” possibly orignates from Georgia according to LEDER (1878).

Figures

Fig. 7: Mniophila transcaucasica sp. n.: A – body outline, male; B – pronotum outline; C – metasternum; D – antenna; E – head; F – hind tibia of male; G – fore tibia of male; H – hind tarsus of male; I – fore tarsus of male; J – aedeagus, ventral view; K – aedeagus, lateral view. Scale bar: A – 1 mm, B-K – 0.5 mm.

Fig. 10: Distribution of the Mniophila species.Rhomb – Mniophila taurica sp. n.; circle – Mniophila caucasica sp. n.; triangle – Mniophila transcaucasica sp. n.; square – Mniophila turcica L. MEDVEDEV.