Serraphula mpumalangaensis Biondi & D'Alessandro, 2010, sp. n.
Creators: name: Biondi, Maurizio
name: D'Alessandro, Paola
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Serraphula
Serraphula mpumalangaensis

description: Serraphula mpumalangaensis sp. n. (Figs 12, 22, 50, 74)
TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype 3, South Africa, Houtenbek Farm, NW of Dullstroom, Macabelel Lodge, 25°18’S 30°03’E, 1980 m, 02-03.xii.2002, adults collected from Vernonia hirsuta (Asteraceae), E. Grobbelaar leg. (SANC). Paratypes: same locality, date, host plant and collector of the holotype, 1 3 and 2 Ƥ (BAQ; SANC).
DIAGNOSIS. For the diagnosis of this new species we refer to that reported for S. alticola sp. n.
DESCRIPTION. Holotype 3. Dorsal integument blackish, with evident blueish metallic reflection.
Body shape elliptical (LB = 1.80 mm), little convex. Maximum pronotal width at distal third (WP = 0.71 mm); maximum elytral width at basal third (WE = 0.88 mm).
Frons and vertex with finely punctulate; a large setigerous pore and some setigerous punctures near each upper ocular margin; frontal dimples moderately impressed; frontal grooves distally finely impressed along upper ocular margin; frontal tubercles dorsally distinctly delimited; frontal carina weakly raised, apically rounded; labrum sub-trapezoidal, blackish; palpi blackish; eyes sub-elliptical, normally sized; antennae shorter than body length (LAN = 1.64 mm; LAN/LB = 0.91), with segments 1–4 pale, segment 5 slightly darkened, segments 6–11 clearly darkened; length of each antennomere proportional to numerical sequence 20:9:9:11:14:14:15:15:15:16:20 (right antenna).
Pronotum sub-trapezoidal, slightly larger anteriorly, moderately transverse (LP = 0.55 mm; WP/LP = 1.30), laterally weakly rounded; basal and lateral margin finely bordered; punctation densely and uniformly distributed with small but strongly impressed punctures; surface finely and irregularly microreticulate and wrinkled, sparsely punctulate. Scutellum sub-triangular, apically widely rounded, with microreticulate surface.
Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 1.24 mm; LE/LP = 2.25), covering entirely pygidium, laterally clearly rounded, apically obtuse-rounded; punctation arranged in 9 (+ 1 very short scutellar) regular rows, with medium-sized and strongly impressed punctures; elytral interstriae clearly keeled, with sub-opaque and finely punctulate surface; humeral calli absent; sub-apterous metathoracic wings.
Legs with pale tibiae, tarsi and anterior and middle femora; hind femora dorsally darkened; hind tibiae weakly externally bent. Apical spur of hind tibiae long about as half of hind tibial length (LHT/LHTS = 1.93), apically internally curved; dorsal furrow proximally narrow and gradually and clearly open towards distal part; denture dense and partially irregular, generally formed by large teeth. First anterior and middle tarsomeres distinctly dilated, with adhesive structures on ventral side (cf. Figs 77,79, 81–82).
Ventral surface brown; apical margin of last abdominal sternite medially weakly hollow, without pubescence.
Median lobe of aedeagus (LAED = 0.71 mm; LE/LAED = 1.74), in ventral view sub-parallel, clearly narrowed in apical fifth, apically moderately rounded, with thin median small tooth; ventral sulcus apically visible; in lateral view, median lobe clearly and regularly curved, apically weakly sinuous; dorsal sulcus visible in apical 2/5s, basally strongly narrowed and V-shaped; dorsal ligula apically rounded.
VARIATION. 3 (n = 2; mean and standard deviation): LE = 1.24 ± 0.01 mm; WE = 0.86 ± 0.03 mm; LP = 0.55 ± 0.01 mm; WP = 0.71 ± 0.01 mm; LAN = 1.64 ± 0.01 mm; LAED = 0.71 ± 0.01 mm; LB = 1.81 ± 0.01 mm; LE/LP = 2.26 ± 0.02; WE/WP = 1.21 ± 0.02; WP/LP = 1.28 ± 0.02; LE/LAED = 1.76 ± 0.03; LAN/ (LE+LP) = 0.92 ± 0.01; LHT/LHTS = 2.08 ± 0.21. Ƥ (n = 2): LE = 1.42 ± 0.04 mm; WE = 0.93 ± 0.03 mm; LP = 0.62 ± 0.01 mm; WP = 0.78 ± 0.01 mm; LAN = 1.56 ± 0.04 mm; LSP = 0.12 ± 0.01 mm; LB = 2.11 ± 0.05 mm; LE/LP = 2.29 ± 0.04; WE/WP = 1.20 ± 0.03; WP/LP = 1.25 ± 0.02; LE/LSP = 11.99 ± 1.26; LAN/ (LE+LP) = 0.76 ± 0.01; LHT/LHTS = 2.15 ± 0.01.
Paratypes. Paratypes very similar in shape, sculpture and color to the holotype. Female bigger than male (2.08 ≤ LB ≤ 2.15 mm) with shorter antennae (0.73 ≤ LAN/LB ≤ 0.74). Spermatheca with sub-globose basal part; distal part medially bent with collum not separated from apex, distally narrowed; small appendix present; ductus short and weakly arcuate, sub-ventrally inserted.
ETYMOLOGY. This new species is named after Mpumalanga, north-eastern province of Republic of South Africa.
DISTRIBUTION. Republic of South Africa (Mpumalanga). Southern-Eastern African chorotype (SEA) (cf. Biondi & D’Alessandro, 2006).
ECOLOGICAL NOTES. This new species was collected on Vernonia hirsuta (DC.) Sch.Bip. ex Walp. (Asteraceae). Biome: Grassland (cf. Rutherford & Westfall, 1994). Veld type: North-Eastern Sandy Highveld (cf. Acocks, 1988).
description: Published as part of Biondi, Maurizio & D'Alessandro, Paola, 2010, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle genus Serraphula Jacoby and description of Bechynella, a new genus from Western and Central Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), pp. 1-44 in Zootaxa 2444 on pages 19-20, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.195007