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 kenyana sp. nov. ( Figs 10 , 29 , 46 , 68 ) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0FFDCE28-0A4E-4014-BC78-8187DF2AA5EB Type material . Holotype ♂ : “Kenya, Eastern, Mwingi, Nguni env. ( 1°31'S 37°57'E ), 28.xi.1999 , M. Snízěk leg.” ( BAQ ) . Paratypes . Same data as the holotype , 1 ♂ ( MNHN ) ; KENYA : Eastern , Mwingi env. ( 0°56'S 38°03'E ), 4.xii.1997 , M. Snízěk leg., 1 ♂ ( BMNH ) ; Sagala Hills ( 3°28'S 38°35'E ), xii.1993 , Werner leg., 1 ♂ ( BAQ ) ; Kenya , Eastern , E 729, Sosoma , 202 km E of Thika ( 0°53'S 38°40'E ), 20.xi.2007 , M. Snízěk leg. ( BAQ ) . Diagnosis . Blepharidina kenyana sp. nov. is similar to B. regalini sp. nov. in size, habitus, and color pattern ( Figs 10 , 18 ). However, the new species can be easily distinguished by the: aedeagus, clearly different in size, lateral view, and shape of the dorsal ligula ( Figs 46 , 54 ); more slender antennomeres and more distinctly carinate elytral interstriae ( Figs 29, 33 ). Description of the holotype ( ♂ ). Body elliptical-elongate, rather convex ( Fig. 10 ); LB = 6.50 mm ; maximum pronotal width (WP = 2.44 mm ) in basal third; maximum elytral width (WE = 3.22 mm ) in middle. Head brown, darker medially; antennae yellowish; pronotum yellowish, with brown patches; elytra yellowish, with brown striae and some small irregular brown patches on interstriae; legs brown, with slightly paler tibiae and pale tarsi. Head moderately pubescent, roughly punctate; frontal grooves weakly 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 slightly longer than half body length (LAN = 3.84 mm ; LAN/LB = 0.59); LA: 100:39:67:78:100:89:89:87:81:78:92. Pronotum subrectangular, distinctly transverse (LP = 1.38 mm ; WP/LP = 1.77), with weakly sinuate lateral margin; anterior margin slightly thicker than basal margin, and moderately sinuate laterally; anterior angles slightly prominent laterally ( Fig. 29 ); pronotal surface with lines and groups of differently sized punctures; pronotal base with two lateral, moderately impressed, longitudinal striae. Scutellum brown, subrounded, moderately elongate. Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 4.69 mm ; WE/LE = 0.69; LE/LP = 3.41), subparallel laterally, jointly rounded and entirely covering pygidium posteriorly; punctation distinctly impressed, arranged in 9 (+ 1 scutellar) regular rows; interstriae slightly carinate. First pro- and mesotarsomeres clearly dilated; tarsal claws bifid. Ventral parts brown; last abdominal ventrite without distinctive preapical impressions. Aedeagus (LAED = 3.16 mm ; LE/LAED = 1.49) ( Fig. 46 ) in ventral view moderately slender, distinctly narrowed in apical third, obtusely subtriangular apically, with a small median tooth; ventral sulcus wide, open towards basal part; in lateral view, aedeagus straight, tapered towards subapical part; apical part slightly sinuate; dorsal ligula short, connected to approximately apical fourth of median lobe. Variation . Paratypes (males) very similar in shape, sculpture, color and morphometry to the holotype ; size moderately variable (see Appendix 2). Etymology . The female specific epithet is after Kenya , where the species was collected in several localities. 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 vegetation (belonging to the Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland formation), and Eastern & Southern African Dry Savanna & Woodland (belonging to the Tropical Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland formation).