Argopistes laterosinuatus Biondi & Iannella & D'Alessandro 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Biondi, Maurizio
name: Iannella, Mattia
name: D'Alessandro, Paola
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Argopistes
Argopistes laterosinuatus

description: Argopistes laterosinuatus sp. nov.
Figs 5, 8 A
Type material.
Holotype ♀: “ Coll. Mus. Congo / Madagascar: Antakotako / 15. i. 1939, J. Vadon ” [printed and handwritten on white card] [15 ° 12.53 ' S; 49 ° 47.61 ' E] (RMCA).
Diagnosis.
Argopistes laterosinuatus sp. nov. is easily recognizable among the Afrotropical Argopistes species due to its subovate outline in dorsal view (Fig. 5 A) and sinuate sides in lateral view (Fig. 5 C). Spermatheca is also diagnostic, due to the combination of pyriform basal part, with a distinct protrusion close to the collum, apical part clearly narrowing towards the apex, and ductus ventrally inserted, thickset, uncoiled (Fig. 5 D).
Description of the holotype
(♀). Body largely subovate in dorsal view (Fig. 5 A), very convex in lateral view (Fig. 5 C); total length of body (LB) = 3.18 mm; maximum pronotal width at the base (WP = 1.80 mm); maximum width of elytra at the basal third (WE = 2.72 mm); WE / WP = 1.51. Dorsal integuments (Fig. 5 A) reddish brown with weak metallic reflections; ventral parts (Fig. 5 B) light brown; head light brown; frons and mouthparts light brown; antennae (Fig. 5 B) with segments 1–5 yellowish, 6 dark brown, 7–10 black, 11 black but distally lighter; legs entirely light brown (Fig. 5 B). Head entirely hidden by the pronotum; vertex with small, irregular punctation, and a pair of large setiferous pores; frontal calli joined, moderately raised, with V-shaped posterior delimitation; frons moderately elongate, flat, roughly microreticulate; frontal ridge short; frontogenal sutures distinctly raised; eyes large, elongate, slightly kidney-shaped; interantennal space clearly narrower than antennal sockets. Antennae (Fig. 5 B) clavate, slightly shorter than 1 / 2 the body length (LAN = 1.36 mm; LAN / LB = 0.43); LA = 100: 36: 53: 47: 48: 52: 44: 46: 49: 52: 79. Pronotum (Fig. 5 A) strongly transverse (LP = 0.80 mm; WP / LP = 2.25); lateral margins strongly convergent anteriorly and slightly folded ventrally, weakly curved, weakly expanded, not visible in dorsal view; basal margin arcuate and distinctly sinuate; surface finely microreticulate, with very small and dense punctation; surface weakly raised near the lateral margins; a large setiferous pore at the anterior angles. Scutellum small, subtriangular. Elytra (LE = 2.92 mm; LE / LP = 3.65) slightly longer than wide (WE / LE = 0.93), strongly curved laterally in dorsal view (Fig. 5 A) and distinctly sinuate in lateral view (Fig. 5 C), jointly rounded apically; lateral margins finely bordered, visible in dorsal view; surface subsmooth, with very small and moderately dense, mostly confused punctation; slightly larger punctures are arranged in 9 (+ 1 sutural) regular rows. Humeral calli moderately raised. Macropterous. Prosternum with posteriorly open procoxal cavities and large intercoxal prosternal process. Mesosternum very short. First abdominal sternite approx. as long as fifth (Fig. 5 B); its central area bordered by ridges is wide, rounded anteriorly, laterally subparallel. Anterior and middle legs without modifications. Posterior femora greatly swollen (WF / LF = 0.61), elongate-subtriangular; posterior tibiae thick, distinctly shorter than femora, apically widened and prolonged into a spur-like process on inner side; outer side of hind tibia apically toothed; apical spur of hind tibiae simple, lanceolate. Basal part of the spermatheca pyriform, with a distinct ventral protrusion close to the distal part (Fig. 5 D); collum short, apical part short, narrowing towards the apex; ductus ventrally inserted, thickset, moderately elongate, uncoiled; LSPC = 0.32 mm; LE / LSPC = 9.13.
Variability.
Only the female holotype of the new species is known so far.
Etymology.
The specific epithet refers to the sinuate lateral margin of each elytra, a character absent in all other Argopistes species known to date for Madagascar.
Distribution.
North-eastern Madagascar (Toamasina province) (Fig. 8 A). Malagasy chorotype.
Ecological notes.
Host plant unknown. The only known occurrence locality falls within an area characterized by the vegetation division ‘ Malagasy Evergreen & Semi-Evergreen Forest’.
description: Published as part of Biondi, Maurizio, Iannella, Mattia & D'Alessandro, Paola, 2024, Argopistes Motschulsky from Madagascar with descriptions of six new species (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini), pp. 303-327 in ZooKeys 1202 on pages 303-327, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1202.122977