Pyrrhalta taiwana Kimoto, 1969

Lee, Chi-Feng & Bezdek, Jan, 2021, Revision of the genera Xanthogaleruca Laboissiere, 1932 and Pyrrhalta Joannis, 1865 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae) of Taiwan, with type designation of Galerucella lineatipes Takei, ZooKeys 1039, pp. 1-108 : 1

Pyrrhalta taiwana Kimoto, 1969 Figs 11A-C , 12 , 13A-D

Pyrrhalta taiwana Kimoto, 1969: 27 (Taiwan); Kimoto and Chu 1996: 57 (catalogue); Kimoto and Takizawa 1997: 300 (key), 374; Beenen 2010: 453 (catalogue); Xue and Yang 2010: 130 (catalogue); Yang et al. 2015: 121 (catalogue).

Pyrrhalta (Pyrrhalta) taiwana : Wilcox, 1971: 90 (catalogue).

Types.

Holotype ♂ (KUEC): "[Formosa] / Hassenzan [= Pahsienshan, 八仙山] ( Taichû-shû) / Kahodai [= Chiaobaotai, 佳保台]-Reimei [= Liming, 黎明] / 12. Vii. 1932 / Teiso Esaki [p, w] // Pyrrhalta / Pyrrhalta taiwana / Kimoto, n. sp. [h, w] // HOLOTYPE [p, r]".

Other material.

Taiwan. Chiayi: 11♂, 7♀ (TARI), Tzuchung (自忠), 5.VI.2011 (reared from larvae), leg. C.-F. Lee ; Kaohsiung: 2♂, 2♀ (TARI), Chungchihkuan (中之關), 3.VII.2009, leg. S.-F. Yu ; 1♂, 2♀ (TARI), same locality, 1.VII.2019, leg. M.-H. Tsou ; 3♂ (TARI), Tengchih (藤枝), 31.VII.2008, leg. C.-T. Yao ; Taichung: 1♂ (TARI), Tahsuehshan (大雪山), 23.VII.2011, leg. J.-C. Chen ; Taitung: 6♂, 7♀ (TARI), Lichia trail (利嘉林道), 15.VII.2014, leg. B.-X. Guo.

Redescription.

Length 5.6-7.0 mm, width 2.6-3.0 mm. Body color (Fig. 11A-C ) yellowish brown; elytra green but with wide yellow stripe along lateral margin; lateral margins of tibiae darkened. Eyes small, interocular space 2.33-2.58 × diameter of eye. Antennae filiform in males (Fig. 12A ), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.6: 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 0.9: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 1.0, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 2.5: 2.3: 3.7: 3.6: 3.6: 3.6: 3.4: 3.2: 3.1: 3.1: 4.9; similar in females (Fig. 12B ), length ratios of antennomeres I-XI 1.0: 0.6: 1.1: 1.0: 0.9: 0.8: 0.9: 0.8: 0.8: 0.7: 0.8, length to width ratios of antennomeres I-XI 2.5: 2.3: 4.0: 3.7: 3.5: 3.6: 3.5: 3.3: 3.1: 3.0: 3.7. Pronotum and elytra convex. Pronotum 2.1-2.2 × wider than long, disc with reticulate microsculpture; with dense, coarse punctures, and short pubescence, with median longitudinal and lateral depressions; lateral margins rounded, widest at middle, apical and basal margin slightly concave; anterior and posterior setiferous punctures strongly erect. Elytra elongate and broad, parallel-sided, 1.6 × longer than wide; disc smooth, with dense, fine punctures, and short pubescence. Apical spur of tibia of middle leg absent and tarsomere I not modified in males. Aedeagus (Fig. 12C, D ) slender in dorsal view, 6.6 × longer than wide, parallel-sided, asymmetric, apically narrowed from apical 1/5, apex acute; ostium large, not covered by a membrane; straight but strongly curved near base in lateral view, slightly curved at middle, apex narrowly rounded; primary endophallic sclerite elongate, 0.4 × as long as aedeagus. Only apices of gonocoxae (Fig. 12F ) sclerotized, elongate, with several short setae near apex, and four long setae in apical area. Ventrite VIII (Fig. 12E ) well sclerotized, strongly broadened near apex, outer sides strongly curved, several short setae along apical margin and bearing cluster of long setae medially, spiculum long. Receptacle of spermatheca (Fig. 12G ) very swollen; pump short and strongly curved; sclerotized proximal spermathecal duct wide and short. Apical margin of abdominal ventrite V slightly concave medially, with deep depression with an indistinct margin medially in males (Fig. 12I ); deep notch in females (Fig. 12H ).

Remarks.

Adults of P. taiwana Kimoto and P. houjayi sp. nov. are characterized by their partly green elytra without longitudinal ridges. Pyrrhalta taiwana can be distinguished from P. houjayi sp. nov. by the entirely green elytra, except lateral margins, and wider elytra (Figs 11A , 13D ), 1.6 × longer than wide (presence of the wide brown band along suture of elytra, and more slender elytra (Figs 5D , 9F ), 1.8 × longer than wide in P. houjayi sp. nov.); broad aedeagus, 6.8 × longer than wide, with tapering apex (Fig. 12C ) (slender aedeagus, 7.4 × longer than wide, with apex curved to right (Fig. 8C ) in P. houjayi sp. nov.); one endophallic sclerite, slender, lacking teeth at apex (Fig. 12C, D ) (two endophallic slerites, primary endophallic sclerite with teeth at apex (Fig. 8C, D ) in P. houjayi sp. nov.).

Host plants.

Larvae and adults feed on leaves of Vaccinium randaiense Hayata (Fig. 13A ); adults feed on leaves of Rhododendron leptosanthum Hayata ( Ericaceae ).

Biology.

Mrs Su-Fang Yu found adults feeding on leaves of Rhododendron leptosanthum July 3, 2009 in Chungchihkung, southern Taiwan. The first author and Mr. Mei-Hua Tsou found a number of larvae feeding tender leaves of Vaccinium randaiense May 9, 2011 in Tzuchung, southern Taiwan. These were reared in the laboratory. They began burrowing into soil May 12 and built underground chambers for pupation. The newly eclosed adults emerged from soil May 25.

Distribution.

This species is widespread at mid-altitudes (1,500-2,500 m) in southern Taiwan.

Figures

Figure 5. Habitus of Pyrrhalta gressitti Kimoto, P. houjayi sp. nov., and P. tahsiangi sp. nov. A P. gressitti, male, dorsal view B ditto, ventral view C ditto, lateral view D P. houjayi sp. nov., male, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view G P. tahsiangi sp. nov., male, dorsal view H ditto, ventral view I ditto, lateral view.

Figure 8. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta houjayi sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G abdominal ventrite V, female H abdominal ventrite V, male I gonocoxae.

Figure 9. Field photographs of Pyrrhalta houjayi sp. nov. on host plant A young larvae feeding on tender shoots B host plant blooming and sprouting at the same time in Tahsuehshan (大雪山) C flower buds with holes caused by larvae D Larva found inside the flower buds E one larva feeding on pedicels F adults.

Figure 11. Habitus of Pyrrhalta taiwana Kimoto and P. viridipennis Kimoto A P. taiwana, male, dorsal view B ditto, ventral view C ditto, lateral view D P. viridipennis, male, dorsal view E ditto, ventral view F ditto, lateral view.

Figure 12. Diagnostic characters of Pyrrhalta houjayi sp. nov. A antenna, male B antenna, female C aedeagus, dorsal view D ditto, lateral view E abdominal ventrite VIII F spermatheca G gonocoxae H abdominal ventrite V, female I abdominal ventrite V, male.

Figure 13. Field photographs of Pyrrhalta taiwana Kimoto and P. viridipennis Kimoto on host plant A host plant for P. tahsiangi, Vaccinium randaiense B mature larva of P. taiwana C pupa of P. taiwana D adult of P. taiwana E Third-instar larva of P. viridipennis F adult of P. viridipennis.