Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle subgenus Blepharidina s. str. Bechyné (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) Author Iannella, Paola D’Alessandro Mattia Author Biondi, Maurizio text Zootaxa 2019 2019-01-16 4545 1 journal volume 27649 10.11646/zootaxa.4545.1.2 d8036fa9-32eb-4c5f-bdb2-428d22250ea8 1175-5326 2618635 1D2EC333-517D-4FC1-A0AA-61EDD8BE8BEE Blepharidina regalini sp. nov. ( Figs 18 , 33 , 54 , 66 , 68 ) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E35D5006-AAF1-442F-957A-422B48B34647 Type material . Holotype ♂ : “Kenya SE, SW of Voi ( 3°24'S 38°33'E ), 8–12.xii.2009 , M. Snízěk leg.” ( BAQ ) . Paratypes . Same data as the holotype , 2 ♂ ( BAQ ; BMNH ) . KENYA : Voi , S. Foot Sagala ( Sagala Hills 3°28'S 38°35'E ), 19.iv.2008 , M. Snízěk leg., 1 ♂ ( ZMHB ) ; Kiboko env. ( 2°12'S 37°43'E ), 21.xi.1999 , M. Snízěk leg., 1 ♂ ( MNHN ) ; Taveta , Tsavo West N. P. , Lake Jipe ( 3°33'S 37°45'E ), xii.1993 , R. Regalin leg., 1 ♀ ( BAQ ) ; 202 km E Thika , Sosoma ( 0°53'S 38°40'E ), 3.xii.2010 , M. Snízěk leg., 1 ♂ ( BAQ ) . Diagnosis . Blepharidina regalini sp. nov. and B. kenyana sp. nov. share similar size, habitus and color pattern ( Figs 10 , 18 ). However, B. regalini can be easily distinguished for the following characters: aedeagus clearly different in size, lateral view and shape of the dorsal ligula ( Figs 46 , 54 ); slender antennomeres and more distinctly carinate elytral interstriae ( Figs 29, 33 ). Aedeagus of B. regalini sp. nov. is also similar to B. aliquantula sp. nov. and B. kasigauensis sp. nov. , but it is distinguishable because more bent dorsally in lateral view ( Figs 38 , 45 , 54 ). Based on the external characters, B. regalini sp. nov. is also recognizable by: lateral margin of pronotum moderately sinuate (more distinctly sinuate in the other two species), with anterior angles visible in dorsal view ( Figs 26, 28, 33 ); interocular space about as wide as the transverse ocular width (wider in the other two species); elytral color pattern without defined patches (with evident patches in the other two species) ( Figs 1, 9 , 18 ). Description of the holotype ( ♂ ). Body elliptical-elongate, rather convex ( Fig. 18 ); LB = 6.25 mm ; maximum pronotal width (WP = 2.50 mm ) in basal third; maximum elytral width (WE = 3.34 mm ) in middle. Head brown, with paler clypeus and labrum; antennae yellow; pronotum yellow, with brown patches on groups and lines of punctures; elytra yellow, with brown striae and some small, brown patches on interstriae; legs brownish, with yellowish distal part of tibiae, and tarsi. Head distinctly pubescent, roughly punctate; frontal grooves short, moderately impressed; frontal tubercles poorly delimited, flat; interantennal space little wider than length of first antennomere; interocular space about as wide as transverse ocular width; antennae about as long as half body length (LAN = 3.06 mm ; LAN/LB = 0.49); LA: 100:35:65:65:85:71:71:65:59:53:71. Pronotum subrectangular, clearly transverse (LP = 1.31 mm ; WP/LP = 1.90), with moderately sinuate lateral margin ( Fig. 33 ); anterior margin slightly thicker than basal margin, and moderately sinuate laterally; anterior angles moderately prominent laterally; pronotal surface with lines and groups of differently sized punctures; pronotal base with two distinctly impressed lateral and longitudinal striae. Scutellum light brown, subrounded, moderately elongate. Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 4.69 mm ; WE/LE = 0.71; LE/LP = 3.57), subparallel laterally, jointly rounded and entirely covering pygidium posteriorly; punctation distinctly impressed, arranged in 9 (+ 1 scutellar) regular rows; interstriae flat, weakly carinate only laterally and posteriorly. First pro- and mesotarsomeres distinctly dilated; tarsal claws bifid. Ventral parts brown; last abdominal ventrite without distinctive preapical impressions. Aedeagus (LAED = 2.59 mm ; LE/LAED = 1.81) ( Fig. 54 ) slightly sinuate laterally in ventral view, with subtriangular apical part and small median tooth; ventral sulcus wide, open towards basal part; in lateral view, aedeagus straight but gradually and strongly narrowed in subapical part, because of sinuate dorsal side; dorsal ligula short, connected to approximately the apical fourth. Variation . Paratypes rather similar in shape, size and sculpture to the holotype ; some specimens with slightly darker integument. Female distinguishable by the first pro- and mesotarsomeres not dilated, and the shorter antennae (see Morphometry in Appendix 2). Spermatheca ( Fig. 66 ) with globose, elongate basal part; distal part very short, less sclerotized than basal part; ductus thick, but gradually narrowing towards distal part; distal part with a trace of coil. Etymology . The specific epithet is after one of its collectors, Renato Regalin, our friend and colleague, renowned specialist of Clytrini ( Chrysomelidae , Cryptocephalinae), who prematurely passed away in 2016. Distribution . Kenya ( Fig. 68 ). Possibly Northern-Eastern Afrotropical (NEA) chorotype. Ecological notes . Not available. The collection sites fall within the area of Eastern African Xeric Scrub (belonging to the Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland formation), and Afromontane Moist Forest (belonging to the Tropical Montane Humid Forest formation).