Charaea houjayi Bezdek & Lee, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bezděk, Jan
name: Lee, Chi-Feng
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Charaea
Charaea houjayi

description: Charaea houjayi Bezděk & Lee, sp. nov.
(Figs 50, 85, 101–106, 126)
Calomicrus chujoi: Chûjô (1963): 24 (Taiwan).
Type locality. Taiwan, Nantou County, Hsitou, 23°40′N 120°47′E.
Type material. Holotype: ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Nantou / Hsitou ([Chinese letters]) / 10.VIII.2011, leg. C.-F. Lee [w, p]”. Paratypes: 17 ♂♂ 33 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 24–26.VI.1981 / K. S. Lin & W. S. Tang [o, p]”; 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2130m, Nantou Hsien / 8.VI.1980 / K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen [o, p]”; 4 ♂♂ 9 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 15.VII.1982 / S. C. Lin & C. N. Lin [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. Taiwan: Meifeng / 2130 m. Nantou / Hsien 10. V. / 1979 K. C. Chou [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “C. Taiwan: Meifeng / 2130 m. Nantou / Hsien [p] 10–18.IX. [h] / 19 [p] 79 [w, h]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “C. Taiwan: Meifeng / 2130 m. Nantou / Hsien [p] 17–22.VI [h] / 19 [p] 79 [w, h]”; 2 ♂♂ (TARI), “C. Taiwan: Meifeng / 2130 m. Nantou / Hsien [p] 29.VIII–12.IX. [h] / 19 [p] 79 [w, h]”; 5 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 26.VIII.1980 / K. S. Lin & C. H. Wang [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 28–29.VIII.1980 / L. Y. Chou & S. C. Lin [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 4 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2130m, Nantou Hsien / 2–4.VI.1981 / L. Y. Chou & C. C. Chen [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 4–7.X.1982 / K. C. Chou [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 22.V.1982 / L. Y. Chou [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Meifeng / 2150m, Nantou Hsien / 8–11.V.1984 / K. C. Chou & C. C. Pan [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Nantou (6395) / Meifeng ([Chinese letters]) / 03.VII.2008, leg. M.-H. Tsao [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Nantou / Tatachia ([Chinese letters]) / 20.VII.2009, leg. C.-F. Lee [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Nantou / Tatachia ([Chinese letters]) / 27.IV.2010, leg. C.-F. Lee [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Yu-shih / 1750m, Nantou Hsien / 4.VIII.1981 / T. Lin & W. S. Tang [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tsuifeng / 2300m, Nantou Hsien / 5.VIII.1984 / K. S. Lin [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tsuifeng / 2300m, Nantou Hsien / 15–16.VIII.1984 / K. C. Chou [o, p]”; 3 ♂♂ 8 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tsuifeng / 2300m, Nantou Hsien / 25–27.VI.1981 / T. Lin & W. S. Tang [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tsuifeng / 2300m, Nantou Hsien / 1–3.VIII.1981 / T. Lin & W. S. Tang [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tsuifeng / 2300m, Nantou Hsien / IV.1984 / K. S. Lin & K. C. Chou / Malaise trap [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tayuling / 2560m, Hwalian Hsien / 6–9.IX.1983 / L. Y. Chou & K. C. Chou [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 2 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tayuling / 2560m, Hualien Hsien / 9–16.VI.1980 / K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen [o, p]”; 28 ♂♂ 20 ♀♀ (TARI, 2 ♂♂ in NMPC), “C. TAIWAN: Tungpu, / 1200m, Nantou Hsien / 18–23.XI.1981 / T. Lin & W. S. Tang [o, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tungpu / 1200m, Nantou Hsien / 23–27.VII.1984 / K. C. Chou & C. H. Yang [o, p]”; 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Tungpu, / 1200m, Nantou Hsien / 28.IV.–2.V.1981 / T. Lin & C. J. Lee [o, p]”; 12 ♂♂ 10 ♀♀ (TARI, 2 ♀♀ in NMPC), “C. TAIWAN: Tungpu, / 1200m, Nantou Hsien / 5–8.X.1981 / T. Lin & W. S. Tang [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (JBCB), “ TAIWAN, Nantou county, / Salihsien-shi, near Tungpu, / 23°30´59.8´´N, / 120°54´32.6´´ E, 1750 m, [w, p] // swept, / 23.XI.2002, / L. Ronkay & O. Merkl [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Wushe / 1150m, Nantou Hsien / 6.–11.V.1981 / K. S. Lin & S. C. Lin [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. Taiwan: Wushe / 1150m, Nantou Hs. / 19–23.VI.1979 / K. S. Lin & B. H. Chen [o, p]”; 2 ♂♂ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Sungkang / 2100m, Nantou Hsien / 6.VIII.1984 / K. S. Lin [o, p]”; 2 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ (TARI), “C. TAIWAN: Sungkang / 2100m, Nantou Hsien / 15–17.VIII.1984 / K. C. Chou [o, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Nantou / Hsitou ([Chinese letters]) / 12.IX.2009, leg. C.-F. Lee [w, p]”; 1 ♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Nantou / Hsitou ([Chinese letters]) / 15.VI.2011, leg. C.-F. Lee [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Chiayi / Alishan ([Chinese letters]) / 27.VI.2010, leg. Uika Ong [w, p]”; 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Kaoshiang ([Chinese letters]) / Shihshan logging trail ([Chinese letters]) / 01.VIII.2008, leg. C.-T. Yao [w, p]”; 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Kaoshiang / Tengchih ([Chinese letters]) / 26.V.2009, leg. C.-F. Lee [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 2 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Kaoshiang 124K / Chungchihkuan ([Chinese letters]) / 12.X.2012, leg. L.-P. Hsu [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Kaoshiang 124–129K / Chungchihkuan ([Chinese letters]) / 10–13.X.2012, leg. L.-P. Hsu [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 6 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Kaoshiang / Chungchihkuan ([Chinese letters]) / N23´16´52.6 E 120´52´34.3 / 12/X-06/ XII.2012, leg. L.-P. Hsu [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Kaoshiang (M10) / Shishan logging trail ([Chinese letters]) / 18.VIII.2008, leg. C.-T. Yao [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Ilan (12449) / Ssuyuan ([Chinese letters]) / 31.VII.2009, leg. H.-J. Chen [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Ilan (11447) / Ssuyuan ([Chinese letters]) / 09.VI.2009, leg. S.-F. Yu [w, p]”; 1 ♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Ilan (11401) / Ssuyuan ([Chinese letters]) / 09.VI.2009, leg. S.-F. Yu [w, p]”; 2 ♂♂ (JBCB, HNHM), “ TAIWAN, Ilan county, / Fu Shan Botanical / Garden, 700 m, / 24°45´47´´N, 121°35´75´´ E, [w, p] // at light, 27XI.1999, / A. Kun, L. Pergovits / & L. Ronkay [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Taoyuan (13358) [13559, 13361 or 13362] / Paling ([Chinese letters]) / 08.XI.2009, leg. M.-H. Tsou [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Taipei (3456) / Wulai / 21.X.2007, leg. H.-C. Chen [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 5 ♀♀ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Pingtung (13150) / Peihulushan ([Chinese letters]) / 04.XI.2009, leg. M.-H. Tsou [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “ Taiwan: Pingtung / Tahanshan ([Chinese letters]) / 26.II.2013, leg. Y.-T. Chung [w, p]”; 2 ♂♂ (JBCB), “ TAIWAN, Hualien Co., 500m, / S corner, Coastal Range SE / of FULI, 23°09′N 121°17′E, / L. Dembický leg., 12.–16.xi.2008 / BMNH 2008–85 [w, p]”; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (TARI), “Domon / 16.xi.1925 / Col. R. Takahashi [w, p]”; 1 ♂ (TARI), “C. Taiwan: Lishan / 1900 m., Taichung / Hs. 26. VI. 1979 / K. S. Lin & L. Y. Chou [w, p]”. The specimens are provided with one additional printed red label: “ HOLOTYPUS, [or PARATYPUS, respectively], / Charaea / houjayi sp. nov., / Bezděk & Lee det., 2014”.
Comparative material examined of Charaea chujoi (Figs 49, 107–112, 125). 28 specimens — JAPAN: Ehime Pref.: 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀, Kumakougen-cho, Ishizuchi-Skyline, 4.ix.2007, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♂, Tobe-cho, Iwayaguchi, 10.vi.2008, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀, Imabarishi Ohmishimacho, Miyaura lake- Tutigadaira, 10.vi.2007, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♀, Tobe-cho, Iwayaguchi, 19.vi.2009, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♀, Matsuyama-shi, Kamenono, 27.v.2007, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♀, Hojo-shi, Takanawa Mt., 22.–23.viii.2009, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♀, Kumakougen-cho, Mt. Ishizuchi, 25.vii.2010, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH). Kagawa Pref.: 2 ♀♀, Mannoucho Nakadouri, Mt. Daisenzan, 29.vii.2007, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH). Okayama Pref.: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Kurashiki-shi, Muko-yama Mt., 15.vi.2003, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Kurashiki-shi, Sakazuhachiman-yama Mt., 23.vii.2005, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀, Maniwa-shi Hiruzen, Orogatawa, 20.vii.2003, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♂, Maniwa-shi Hiruzen, Kamitokuyama, 7.vii.2007, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♂, Souja-shi, Tsuki, 19.viii.2007, H. Suenaga leg. (HTCH); 1 ♂, Tsuyama-shi, Kamocho Kuroki, 1.vii.2007, S. Sejima leg. (HTCH); 2 ♀♀, Kasaoka-shi, Mushima, 8.vii.2007, S. Sejima leg. (HTCH).
Description. Measurements. Males: 3.8–5.2 mm (holotype 4.0 mm), females: 4.3–5.3 mm. Dorsal side oval (Fig. 85), convex, glabrous, with very sparse short setae on apical and lateral elytral slopes. Body, legs and antennae metallic bluish-black, mouthparts black, abdomen yellow.
Male. Anterior part of head impunctate, glabrous (except short setae below antennal insertions). Interantennal space 1.15 times as wide as transverse diameter of antennal socket. Interocular space 2.60 times as wide as transverse diameter of eye. Antennae filiform, 0.70 times as long as body, length ratio of antennomeres equals 13- 6-7-12- 12-12-12-12 -12-12-18.
Pronotum lustrous, 1.30 times as broad as long, widest in anterior third, covered with fine punctures. Anterior margin slightly concave, lateral margins rounded, posterior margin widely rounded with middle part straight. Anterior margin very finely bordered, lateral and posterior margins moderately bordered. Anterior angles rectangular, swollen, with setigerous pore in posterior half of swelling, posterior angles obtusangulate, with small pointed tip with setigerous pore. All pores bearing long pale seta, additional short setae visible on lateral margins of pronotum.
Elytra 1.50 times as long as wide and 0.72 times as long as body.
Length ratio of protarsomeres I, II, III and V equals 10-6-5-10, of metatarsomeres I, II, III and V equals 14-7- 5-10.
Prosternal proces elevated and thinly visible between procoxae. Posterior margin of last ventrite with shallow indistinct incisions (Fig. 104).
Aedeagus symmetrical, parallel, with widely rounded apex, in lateral view almost straight. Ventral side with very shallow circular impression apically and shallow longitudinal furrow in middle part (Fig. 101). Internal sac as in Fig. 126.
Female. Last ventrite transverse with posterior margin widely rounded (Fig. 106). Pygidium subtriangular with widely rounded apex (Fig. 105). Sternite VIII small, pentagonal, tignum slender, three times longer than sternite VIII (Fig. 103). Spermatheca: nodulus wider, gradually continuing to cornu, cornu C-shaped, proximal spermathecal duct gradually narrowing to base (Fig. 102).
Distribution. Taiwan.
Biology. Part of the specimens were collected on the flowers of Miscanthus floridulus (Labill.) Warb. ex K. Schum. & Lauterb (Poaceae) and Rhamnus formosana Matsum. (Rhamnaceae).
Etymology. The new species name honors Mr. Hou-Jay Chen, one of the discoverers of this interesting new species.
Comments. Chûjô (1963) published Calomicrus chujoi from Taiwan and indicated a slightly different aedeagal structure from typical Japanese C. chujoi. Although we did not examine Chûjô´s specimens we have no doubts they belong to Charaea houjayi sp. nov.
Differential diagnosis. Charaea houjayi sp. nov. is similar to Ch. chujoi from Japan. Males of both species differ by the structures of the aedeagi: the dorsal opening covers about two thirds of length of the aedeagus, impressions on the ventral side are shallow, the middle of the apical margin lacks the small tip directed downwards and the aedeagus in lateral view is almost straight in Ch. houjayi sp. nov. In Ch. chujoi, the dorsal opening covers only the apical third of the aedeagus and the impressions on the ventral side are deeper (particularly in the apical part). Also, the middle of the apical margin ends in a small apex directed downwards and the aedeagus is sinuate in lateral view (Figs 101, 107). The internal sac of the aedeagi differs as follows: lateral margins of flat sclerites rounded in Ch. chujoi but angulate in Ch. houjayi sp. nov.; dorsal brush of setae shorter in Ch. chujoi and longer in Ch. houjayi sp. nov. (Figs 125, 126). Females differ as follows: sternite VIII small and pentagonal in Ch. houjayi sp. nov., rhombic with anterior margin incised in Ch. chujoi (Figs 103, 109); spermatheca with cornu C-shaped in Ch. houjayi sp. nov. and almost rectangular in Ch. chujoi (Figs 102, 108).
Among Taiwanese species Ch. houjayi sp. nov. is similar to Ch. sasajii and Ch. maxbarclayi sp. nov. Males of Ch. houjayi sp. nov. have the bodies more oval and larger (3.8–5.4 mm), and males of Ch. sasajii are smaller (2.7–3.7 mm) and subparallel. Females of Ch. sasajii are almost indistinguishable from smaller females of Ch. houjayi sp. nov. based on external characters. Differencies can be found in the shapes of the spermathecae and sternite VIII (Figs 65, 66, 102, 103).
The males of Ch. maxbarclayi sp. nov. can be distinguished by the wider interocular space (2.60 times as wide as transverse diameter of eye, compared to 2.1 times in Ch. houjayi sp. nov.). Both species also can be separated by the structure of aedeagus, which is widely rounded apically in Ch. houjayi sp. nov. and distinctly pointed in Ch. maxbarclayi sp. nov. (Figs 101, 113). The females of Ch. maxbarclayi sp. nov. and Ch. houjayi sp. nov. differ in the shapes of the pygidia (with semicircular incision in Ch. maxbarclayi sp. nov., widely rounded in Ch. houjayi sp. nov.).
description: Published as part of Bezděk, Jan & Lee, Chi-Feng, 2014, Revision of Charaea (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) from Taiwan, pp. 1-39 in Zootaxa 3861 (1) on pages 35-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3861.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/287074