The genus Japonitata Strand (Insecta, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae) in Taiwan: a redefinition of the genus and descriptions of two new species Author Lee, Chi-Feng https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1996-0557 Applied Zoology Division, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, Taichung 413, Taiwan chifeng@tari.gov.tw text ZooKeys 2022 2022-10-26 1125 171 192 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1125.93703 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1125.93703 1313-2970-1125-171 1828511FA4924A3C83CBE1956E4807B4 5382919A7AE55EB69980E56E77572980 Japonitata Strand, 1935 Japonia Weise, 1922: 70 (Type species: Phyllobrotica nigrita Jacoby, 1885). Japonitata Strand, 1935: 294 (replacement name for Japonia Weise, 1922 nec Gould, 1859). Diagnosis. Japonitata can be separated from Paraplotes by the presence of posteriorly open anterior coxal cavities (closed in Paraplotes ); pronotum longer, 1.5-1.7 x wider than long (pronotum short, 2.4-2.9 x wider than long in Paraplotes ), basal border immarginate (basal border margined in Paraplotes ); disc with lateral depressions (disc with transverse depressions in Paraplotes ); disc of elytra with reduced punctures (disc of elytra with fine or coarse punctures in Paraplotes ), with one more longitudinal ridge in addition to lateral ridge. Other characters proposed by Zhang et al. (2008) are not diagnostic. Antennae are variable among Paraplotes species. For example, ratios of length to width from antennomeres I-XI of males of P. taiwana Chujo , 1963: 3.2: 1.6: 2.4: 2.8: 2.8: 2.1: 2.3: 2.2: 2.9: 3.1: 4.6; antennomeres VI-VIII much shorter than those of J. jungchani sp. nov., but much narrower in those of P. cheni Lee, 2015 (sympatric with P. taiwana ), ratios of length to width from antennomeres I-XI of males 3.3: 1.6: 3.1: 3.3: 3.5: 3.1: 3.4: 3.7: 3.6: 3.9: 5.0. These characters are not diagnostic for either genus. The rugose or pubescent disc of the elytra occurs in some species of Paraplotes . Thus, it is not diagnostic. Appendiculate tarsal claws occur in both genera, with no difference between them. Some genitalic characters are diagnostic. Aedeagi of adults of Japonitata have a well sclerotized, elongate tectum (variable tectum with one pair of apico-lateral sclerites in Paraplotes ), lacking endophallic spicula (with one long median spiculum, and one or two additional pairs of lateral spicula in Paraplotes ); spermathecal receptaculum as wide as pump (spermathecal receptaculum swollen, wider than pump in Paraplotes ). Japonitata species are also similar to those of Shairella with the lateral borders of pronotum marginate but apical and basal borders unmargined. However, Japonitata differs from Shairella by the posteriorly open anterior coxal cavities (closed in Shairella ); robust antennae, antennomeres IV-X less than 3.5 x longer than wide (antenna slender, antennomeres IV-X more than 3.5 x longer than wide in Shairella ), with distinct lateral ridges and an additional longitudinal, distinct ridge on each elytron (with weak lateral ridge and no additional distinct ridge on each elytron in Shairella ). Aedeagi of adults of Japonitata have a well sclerotized, elongate tectum (membranous tectum in Shairella ); lack endophallic spicula (with one slender median speculum in Shairella ); spermathecal receptaculum short, wider than pump (spermathecal receptaculum long, as wide as pump in Shairella ). Diagnostic characters of Japonitata , Paraplotes , and Shairella can be summarized as follows (Table 1 ). Table 1. Diagnostic character states for Japonitata , Paraplotes , and Shairella .
Characters / Genera Japonitata Paraplotes Shairella
Antennae Robust, antennomeres VI-X less than 4.0 x longer than wide Robust, antennomeres VI-X less than 4.0 x longer than wide Slender, antennomeres VI-X less than 4.0 x longer than wide
Anterior coxal cavities Open posteriorly Closed Closed
Basal border of pronotum Unmargined Margined Unmargined
Depression on pronotum Interrupted from middle Continuous Interrupted from middle
Shape of pronotum 1.5-1.7 x wider than long Short, transverse, 2.4-2.9 x wider than long 1.8-2.2 x wider than long
Ridges on elytra Lateral ridge distinct, with one more longitudinal, distinct ridge Lateral ridge distinct, no additional longitudinal ridges Lateral ridge weak, without additional longitudinal ridges
Punctures on elytra Reduced Fine or coarse Reduced or fine
Median internal ridge on abdominal ventrite V in males Starting from base Reduced Starting from apex
Tectum of aedeagus Well sclerotized, elongate Variable, and with one pair of apico-lateral sclerites Membranous
Endophallic sclerites None One median, longitudinal spiculum without clustered short setae, and one or two pairs of lateral sclerites Only one median, longitudinal spiculum with clustered short setae
Spermathecal receptaculum Swollen and short, wider than pump Narrow and short, as wide as pump Narrow and long, as wide as pump
Behavior Diurnal Nocturnal or Diurnal Nocturnal
Remarks. Japonitata quadricostata Kimoto, 1996 and J. caerulea Kimoto, 1996 are transferred to Shairella since both species fit the redefinition of the genus. They are characterized by normal elytra. Shortened elytra and reduced hindwings occur in all other species of Shairella ; however, reduced hindwings also occur in some populations of S. quadricostata . Included species. More than 30 species are distributed in Oriental and Palaearctic regions ( Nie et al. 2017 ) but their taxonomic status should be re-evaluated since two species are transferred to Shairella , and others may also require transfer.