Types of Cuyabasa Bechyné, Palmaraltica Bechyné and Rhynchasphaera Bechyné (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini: Oedionychina) of the Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, with keys to species and descriptions of genitalia, and new combinations for species transferred to the oedionychine
Author
Roie, Martijn Van
Department of Biology, Ecosphere Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Author
D’Hont, Anouk
Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation npo (BINCO), Walmersumstraat 44, 3380 Glabbeek, Belgium.
Author
Konstantinov, Alexander
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, c / o Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Author
Furth, David
0000-0001-6559-1209
Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. furthd @ si. edu; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 6559 - 1209
furthd@si.edu
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-07-18
5318
1
67
82
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5318.1.3
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.5318.1.3
1175-5326
8158253
4818603A-4CB6-4A6E-9D4D-85C408A0FCC6
Palmaraltica tomentosa
(
Jacoby, 1880
)
,
comb. nov.
(
Figure 5
)
Asphaera tomentosa
Jacoby 1880:601
(
Eastern
Ecuador
,
syntype
sex unknown).
Measurements.
LB =
8.62–9.46 mm
; WB =
4.78–5.43 mm
(N=2)
Distribution.
Ecuador
.
Type examined.
Syntype
:
Ecuad. Buckley.
, 1st
Jacoby Coll.
,
Type. Sp.
figured.,
Type
19071 (
MCZC
, https:// mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/MCZ:Ent:19071)
.
Additional material examined.
42201, Buckley,
Equador
Macas,
Fry
coll. 1905.100 (
1 female
BMNH
)
.
Literature records.
No specific locality was given in original description, but all of the species described in
Jacoby (1880)
are from eastern
Ecuador
.
Description of genitalia.
Spermatheca (
Figure 5D
) coil-shaped, 4–5 times as long as wide. Spermathecal pump rounded, about one-fifth as long as receptacle, bent, with apex directed downwards. Division between receptacle and pump faint. Apex of pump flattened, blunt, short. Receptacle widest at base. Canal attached at base of receptacle. Vaginal palpi (
Figure 5E
) conical, arched, shaped nearly as boomerang; apex blunt with long setae. Male genitalia not available for study.
Diagnosis.
Palmaraltica tomentosa
can be separated from
P. yepezi
by general coloration and habitus (
Figure 5
), together with having simple front tarsal claws; it differs from
P. heteronycha
by narrower shoulders, straighter pronotal edges and dark coloration of the elytra on the basal two-thirds but not at the apex. The female genitalia of both species seem to be different as well, with strongly arched vaginal palpi and a downward facing spermathecal pump in
P. tomentosa
(
Figure 5D&E
).
Remarks.
Examination of pictures of the
syntype
on the MCZ type repository (https://mczbase.mcz.harvard. edu/MediaSearch.cfm?action=search&media_id=1375700,1388858,1378374,1388867,1381004), and study of
two specimens
from the BMNH, revealed that this species is congeneric with other species of
Palmaraltica
, based on the following characters: pro- and mesotarsal claws bifid; metatarsal claws simple; body covered in dense pubescence. The second BMNH specimen, from the Baly collection (not listed in additional material), was very dark in coloration and seemed to lack the yellow apical coloration of the elytra. We could not determine if this was due to poor preservation, or if the specimen demonstrated intraspecific variation, or if the specimen belongs to an undescribed species of
Palmaraltica
. More study is required with additional material.