Batophila tsoui, 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

Batophila tsoui sp. nov.

Figs 21 , 22

Batophila acutangula : Kimoto 1989: 269 (part).

Batophila yangweii : Chûjô 1937: 54 (part).

Type specimens examined (n = 178).

Holotype ♂ ( TARI): Taiwan • Kaohsiung: Chuyunshan logging trail (出雲山林道), 24. III. 2009, leg. C. - F. Lee . Paratypes. 3 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ ( TARI), same data as holotype ; Taiwan • Chiayi: 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( TARI), Arisan (= Alishan , 阿里山), 10. X. 1912, leg. I. Nitobe, both identified as B. yangweii by Chûjô (1937) ; • 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, 2–23. X. 1918, leg. J. Sonan, identified as B. yangweii by Chûjô (1937) ; • 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality, 10. VI. 1940, leg. M. Chujo ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( KMNH), same locality, 9. IV. 1965, leg. Y. Hirashima, the female identified as B. acutangula in 1975 ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( KMNH), same locality, 17. V. 1968, leg. B. - S. Chang, both identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto in 1973 ; • 1 ♀ ( KMNH), same locality, 5. V. 1971, leg. K. Kamiya ; • 1 ♀ ( KMNH), same but with “ 21. V. 1971 ” ; • 3 ♀♀ ( KMNH), same but with “ 26. V. 1971 ”, of which one is identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto in 1971 ; • 1 ♂ ( KMNH), same locality, 22–25. VI. 1974, leg. M. Owada ; • 7 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 5–9. VIII. 1981, leg. L. Y. Chou & S. C. Lin ; • 7 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 17–20. VIII. 1982, leg. K. C. Chou & C. C. Pan ; • 1 ♀ ( NMNS), Fenchifu (奮起湖), 14. XII. 1988, leg. K. W. Huang ; • Kaohsiung: 1 ♀ ( TARI), Erchituan (二集團), 8. III. 2013, leg. B. - X. Guo ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), Shihshan (石山), 30. XII. 2008 – 6. I. 2009, leg. C. - T. Yao ; • 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( KMNH), same locality (= Shyk Shan), 25. IV. 1986, leg. K. Baba, identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto (1989) ; • 3 ♀♀ ( TARI), Shihshan logging trail (石山林道), 24. III. 2009, leg. M. - H. Tsou ; • 10 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( NMNS), Tengchih (藤枝), 7. IX. 1989, leg. K. W. Huang ; • 1 ♀ ( NMNS), same locality, 21–24. XI. 1995, leg. M. L. Chan ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), same locality, 18. II. 2007, leg. S. - F. Yu ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), same locality, 2–5. VI. 2008, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 4 ♀♀ ( TARI), same locality, 9. XI. 2013, leg W. - C. Liao ; • 1 ♀ ( KMNH), Tienchi (天池), 2. VI. 1986, leg. K. Baba, identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto (1989) ; • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀ ( NMNS), Tona forest road (多納林道), 28. IV. 1998, leg. M. L. Chan ; • 1 ♀ ( TARI), same locality (= Tonalintao), 16. II. 2011, leg. J. - C. Chen ; • 2 ♀♀ ( KMNH), Yakou (啞口), 1. VIII. 1986, leg. K. Baba, identified as B. acutangula by Kimoto (1989) ; • Nantou: 10 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀ ( TARI), Hsitou (溪頭), 25. IV. 2025, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), Tatachia (塔塔加), 29. X. 2009, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 1 ♂ ( TARI), same but with “ 9. V. 2011 ” ; • 5 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀ ( TARI), same but with “ 23. IV. 2025 ” ; • Pingtung: 2 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ ( TARI), Peitawushan (北大武山), 13. III. 2025, leg. J. - C. Chen ; • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ ( TARI), same but with “ 20. III. 2025 ” ; • Taitung: 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ ( MHNUK), 14 km W of Chihshang (池上), 23°09'N, 121°04'E, 900 m, 16. XI. 2008, leg. L. Dembický ; • 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀ ( TARI), Hsiangyang (向陽), 1. VII. 2009, leg. M. - H. Tsou ; • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( TARI), Motien (摩天), 23. V. 2011, leg. C. - F. Lee ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( TARI), Liyuan (栗園), 24. I. 2014, leg. W. - C. Huang ; • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ( TARI), same but with “ 14. III. 2014 ” ; • 1 ♀ ( NHMUK), Yakou Country Inn (啞口山莊), 23°16.063'N, 120°58.419'E, 2582 m, 11. VIII. 2008, leg. H. Mendel & M. V. L. Barclay ; • Yunlin: 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ( NMNS), Shihpi (石壁), 20. II. 1991, leg. C. C. Chiang ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♂ ( NMNS), same but with “ 22. II. 1991 ” ; • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ ( NMNS), same locality, 27. X. 1992, leg. W. T. Yang .

Diagnosis.

Adults of B. tsoui sp. nov., B. chungi sp. nov., and B. choui sp. nov. are recognized by their strongly and apically narrowed elytra, and divergent elytral apices, but B. tsoui sp. nov. and B. chungi sp. nov. differ in possessing flattened elytra in males (Fig. 21 C ) but convex elytra in females (Fig. 21 F ) [convex elytra and elytral apex not visible in dorsal views in both sexes of B. choui sp. nov. (Fig. 5 C, F )], and widened apex of aedeagus (Fig. 22 C ) [parallel-sided aedeagus in B. choui sp. nov. (Fig. 6 C )]. Adults of B. tsoui sp. nov. are not separable from those B. chungi sp. nov. by external morphology but the aedeagus of B. tsoui sp. nov. (Fig. 22 C ) is narrower than that of B. chungi sp. nov. (Fig. 8 C ).

Description.

Male. Length 1.86–1.94 mm, width 0.77–0.80 mm. General color metallic dark bronze (Fig. 21 A – C ); legs yellowish but femora of hind legs darkened. Antenna (Fig. 22 A ) filiform and antennomeres VIII – X wide, ratio of length of antennomeres I – XI to length of antennomere I 1.0: 0.7: 0.5: 0.6: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8: 0.7: 0.7: 0.7: 0.9; ratio of length to width of antennomeres I – XI 2.8: 2.5: 2.4: 3.0: 3.3: 2.6: 2.4: 2.3: 2.0: 2.1: 2.5. Pronotum 1.17–1.22 × wider than long; lateral margins slightly rounded, anterolateral angles separated from lateral margins by weak emarginations, slightly narrowed basally, distance between anterolateral angles 1.14–1.22 × wider than basal margin. Elytra 1.48–1.49 × longer than wide; lateral margins rounded, widest at basal 1 / 5, apically and strongly narrowed, apex truncate but divergent; dorsoventrally flattened, apex visible in dorsal view; disc with longitudinal lines of extremely coarse punctures and with distinct longitudinal grooves along punctures, punctures and grooves apically abbreviated from apical 1 / 3. Tarsomeres I of front and middle legs slightly swollen. Aedeagus (Fig. 22 C, D ) elongate, 5.8 × longer than wide; widest at apical 1 / 5, apically narrowed towards apex, apex widely rounded, basally widened near apical 2 / 5, then widened near base; dorsal opening starting from apical 1 / 9–1 / 3, tectum composed of three lobes, median lobe more ventral relative to lateral lobes, apical margin truncate, mostly membranous; slightly curved in lateral view, apex moderately curved; ventral surface with membranous area wider than dorsal opening, starting from apical 1 / 10–3 / 5.

Female (Fig. 21 D – F ). Length 1.99–2.56 mm, width 0.88–1.05 mm. Antennae similar to males, ratio of length of antennomeres I – XI to length of antennomere I (Fig. 22 B ) 1.0: 0.6: 0.6: 0.6: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8: 0.7: 0.7: 0.6: 1.0; ratio of length to width of antennomeres I – XI 2.6: 2.3: 2.7: 3.0: 3.5: 2.6: 2.5: 2.2: 2.0: 1.9: 2.8. Elytra 1.46–1.67 × longer than wide; lateral margins rounded, widest at basal 1 / 5, apex truncate but divergent; dorsoventrally convex, apex not visible in dorsal view; disc with longitudinal lines of extremely coarse punctures and with distinct longitudinal grooves along punctures, punctures and grooves apically abbreviated from apical 1 / 3. Gonocoxae (Fig. 22 F ) slender, connected at basal 1 / 5; each gonocoxa with seven long setae and one tiny seta from apical 1 / 5 to apex, subapically slightly curved. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 22 E ) weakly sclerotized apically, with several short setae at apical area, and some tiny setae at apical margin, spiculum extremely elongate. Spermathecal receptaculum (Fig. 22 G ) 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.

Food plants.

Melastomataceae : Otanthera scaberrima (Hayata) Ohwi (Fig. 9 E, F ); Rosaceae : Rubus formosensis Kuntze , R. morii Hayata, R. croceacanthus H. Lév., R. wallichianus Wight & Arn. (Fig. 9 D ).

Etymology.

This new species is named for Mei-Hua Tsou (曹美華), the first member of TCRT to collect specimens.

Distribution.

This species is widespread in mountainous areas in southern Taiwan (Fig. 7 ).

Figures

Figure 5. Habitus of Batophila choui sp. nov. A. Male, paratype, dorsal view; B. Ditto, ventral view; C. Ditto, lateral view; D. Female, paratype, dorsal view; E. Ditto, ventral view; F. Ditto, lateral view.

Figure 6. Batophila choui sp. nov. A. Antenna, male; B. Antenna, female; C. Aedeagus, dorsal view; D. Aedeagus, lateral view; E. Abdominal ventrite VIII, female; F. Spermatheca; G. Gonocoxae.

Figure 7. Distribution map of Batophila species, solid line: 1000 m a. s. l., broken line: 2000 m a. s. l., black areas: 3000 m a. s. l. Red dots B. tsoui sp. nov. Purple dots B. choui sp. nov. Green dot B. chungi sp. nov.

Figure 8. Batophila chungi sp. nov. A. Antenna, male; B. Antenna, female; C. Aedeagus, dorsal view; D. Aedeagus, lateral view; E. Abdominal ventrite VIII, female; F. Spermatheca; G. Gonocoxae.

Figure 9. Field photographs of Batophila species A. Rubus taitoensis var. aculeatiflorus (Rosaceae); B. Adult of B. chungi sp. nov. on underside of leaf of R. taitoensis var. aculeatiflorus; C. Adult of B. houjayi sp. nov. resting on underside of leaf of Persicaria chinense (Polygonaceae); D. Adults of B. tsoui sp. nov. resting on underside of leaf of R. wallichianus (Rosaceae); E. Otanthera scaberrima (Melastomataceae); F. Adults of B. tsoui sp. nov. feeding on underside of leaf of O. scaberrima

Figure 21. Habitus of Batophila tsoui sp. nov. A. Male, paratype, dorsal view; B. Ditto, ventral view; C. Ditto, lateral view; D. Female, paratype, dorsal view; E. Ditto, ventral view; F. Ditto, lateral view.

Figure 22. Batophila tsoui sp. nov. A. Antenna, male; B. Antenna, female; C. Aedeagus, dorsal view; D. Aedeagus, lateral view; E. Abdominal ventrite VIII, female; F. Spermatheca; G. Gonocoxae.