Review of Taophila, a genus endemic to New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) Author Samuelson, Allan text Zootaxa 2010 2621 45 62 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.198100 6faae17e-8f8c-4987-b1a6-e17b90524f41 1175-5326 198100 Taophila nigrans Jolivet, Verma , and Mille Fig. 1c, 1d, 3c, 4g Taophila nigrans Jolivet et al. (2007) Revue française d’Entomologie (N.S.), 29(1):43–44, fig. 25 (spermatheca). A small to moderate-sized, dark orangish to reddish-castaneous species; described from female. Female: dorsal surfaces dull granulate with pronotal punctures very close and deep; elytron duller on inner disc with moderately deep punctures, discal side and apex with interspaces somewhat smoother; elytron additionally with prominent costae along side and preapex, the side sinuately narrowed to costate apex (in dorsal view). Dorsal vestiture setose and erect. Abdominal ventrite 1 (in oblique ventral view) convexly inclined to metasternum on basal ¾ and rather sharply bent to plane of remaining ventrites on apical ¼. Male (nov.). Unlike female in lacking elytral costae and having a smoother, shinier and more uniform punctate surface; elytral side rather evenly narrowed to rounded preapex. Dorsal coloration orange-fulvous but marked with dark fuscous on inner basal quadrant of elytral disc, this mark appearing as a long triangle over both elytra. Dorsal surfaces lustrous and rather closely and deeply punctate. Abdominal ventrite 1 with surface uniformly and gradually inclined to metasternum. Genitalia: aedeagus extremely long and slender before briefly expanded apex; apex as in Fig. 3c. Measurements: Body length 2.9 mm ; body breadth 1.25 mm ; head breadth 86 cmm; interantennal space 28 cmm; interocular space 50 cmm; eye 26 cmm; gena 14 cmm; pronotal length 92 cmm; pronotal breadth 100 cmm; elytral length 2.2 mm . Variation. Males: about 60% have the dorsum rather evenly orange-fulvous without strong fuscescent markings on the inner basal part of elytral disc. Material examined. NEW CALEDONIA . Females: Col des Roussettes, 600 m , 24.xi.2002 , beating Cyathea , A. Mantilleri & E.-A. Leguin (1 paratype , JOLIVET ); W of Ponerihouen, 550 m , 29–30.vii.1971 , ferns, J.L. Gressitt (1 BPBM ); IAC : Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707 , 945 m , beating, 11/10/06 , C. Mille (9) [incl. 2 with Jolivet det. 2006]; same data but S. Cazeres (16, some with Jolivet det. label); same loc., S 21˚10.944’ E165˚17.355’, 855 m , 12/10/06 , Cazeres (1); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, 2–25/11/05. Cazeres, Mille, Kataoui (1); same loc., 489 m , S21˚ 34.694’ E165˚46.278’, 10/10/06 Kataoui (1). Males: Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707 , 945 m , beating, 11/10/06 , Cazeres (ɗ nov . MNHN ); W of Ponerihouen, 550 m , 29–30.vii.1971 , ferns, J.L. Gressitt (1 BPBM ); IAC : Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707 , 945 m , beating, 11/10/06 , Cazeres (26 IAC ); same data but Mille (19); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, beating, 2–25/11/05 , Cazeres, Mille, Kataoui (1); same loc., 489 m , S21˚34.694’ E165˚46.278’, beating, 04/10/06 , Cazeres (1); same loc., 489 m , S21˚34.694’ E165˚46.278’, beating, 10/10/06 , Kataoui (1); same loc., 609 m , S21˚34.914’ E165˚48.376’, beating, 04/10/06 , Kataoui (1); Ponerihouen/Aoupinie, S21.1038 E165.1707 , 945 m , beating, 11/10/06 , Cazeres (1 Jolivet); same data but Mille (1); Sarramea/Col d’Amieu, 2–25/11/05 , Cazeres, Mille, Kataoui (1); same data, except 2–23/12/05 (1); same loc., 489 m , S21˚ 34.694’ E165˚46.278’, beating, 10/10/06 , Kataoui (1). Parts of longer IAC series for deposit in BPBM , ISNB , JOLIVET , MNHN , NMNH , ONNC , and SMTD . Remarks. This species differs from congeners by having the metafemur sub-clavate to clavate with metatibia correspondingly sinuate. The female is distinctive with the arrangement of elytral costae; the male has a shape resembling T. sagittarii , n. sp. but differs in having heavier, deeper punctures dorsally.