Multiple origins of moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): molecular phylogeny, overview of genera and a new genus from Africa
Author
Damaška, Albert František
Author
Konstantinov, Alexander
Author
Fikáček, Martin
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2022
2022-02-07
196
647
676
journal article
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab112
eb68c3ad-c51a-4828-8a1f-314ed0ba6454
0024-4082
7196247
1C9A93CC-F5BE-427B-95B4-B2B9A1F51B46
KISKEYA
KONSTANTINOV
& CHAMORRO- LACAYO, 2006
(
FIG. 3
)
Type
species:
Kiskeya baorucae
Konstantinov
et al
., 2006
.
Synonyms:
No generic synonyms.
Phylogenetic position:
We found
Kiskeya
deeply nested inside the ‘Disonychine–Monoplatine’ clade, belonging to the
Disonycha
generic group, where it stands as a sister-lineage to all its remaining members.
Diversity and distribution:
Five species of
Kiskeya
are known to date. The genus is endemic to the West Indies.
Revisions:
New species with keys provided are described in
Konstantinov & Konstantinova (2011)
and Konstantinov
et al
. (2020).
Morphological characteristics:
Body extremely small (
0.8–1.1 mm
), strongly ovate and extremely convex in lateral view. Head hypognathous. Antennae with only nine antennomeres, short, four apical antennomeres strongly widened, forming a compact and rounded antennal club. Pronotum strongly convex, bearing a pair of basal setiferous pores on lateral margin. Elytra extremely convex, round, nearly lacking punctures. Procoxal cavities closed posteriorly. Metaventral process short, triangular, not covering the mesoventrite in the space between the mesocoxae. Metafemora strongly widened, metatibiae slightly curved. The first abdominal ventrite bears a distinct ridge surrounded by deep punctures, with an anterior process reaching the space between metacoxae. Aedeagus simple and parallel-sided, curved in lateral view. Spermatheca subcylindrical, pump wide and relatively long. Spermathecal duct extremely short.
Ecology:
Specimens of
Kiskeya
were collected in cloud forests by sifting or individually from moss cushions. Larvae were also collected in the same moss samples (Konstantinov, unpubl. data).
Remarks:
The morphology of
Kiskeya
represents an extreme specialization for edaphic lifestyle, making
Kiskeya
completely different from all known Neotropical alticine genera. In worldwide fauna, the only similar genus is the Asian genus
Clavicornaltica
, which is diagnosed from
Kiskeya
above.