Serraphula oberprieleri 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 oberprieleri

description: Serraphula oberprieleri sp. n. (Figs 14, 21, 39, 49, 65)
TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype 3, ZIMBABWE, Vumba Mts, Bunga Forest, 19°07’S 32°46’E, 1800 m, 18.i.1992, R. Oberprieler leg. (SANC). Paratypes: same locality, date and collector of the holotype, 1 3 and 1 Ƥ (BAQ; SANC).
DIAGNOSIS. Considering the peculiar morphology of its spermatheca, S. oberprieleri occupies a clearly isolated taxonomical position within the genus. It is also easily distinguishable from other Serraphula species for the association of the following morphological characters: large body size; greenish dorsal integuments, with evident metallic reflection; very densely and strongly impressed pronotal punctuation; characteristic shape of the median lobe of aedeagus.
DESCRIPTION. Holotype 3. Dorsal integument greenish, with evident metallic reflection. Body shape elliptical-elongate (LB = 2.18 mm), moderately convex. Maximum pronotal width at apical third (WP = 0.70 mm); maximum elytral width at middle (WE = 0.95 mm).
Frons and vertex with shagreened surface; a large setigerous pore with some small setigerous punctures gathered near each upper ocular margin; frontal dimples moderately impressed; frontal grooves distally finely impressed around upper ocular margin; frontal tubercles dorsally not delimited; frontal carina scarcely raised; labrum sub-trapezoidal, brownish; palpi brown; eyes sub-elliptical, normally sized; antennae slightly shorter than body length (LAN = 2.09 mm; LAN/LB = 0.96), with segments 1–6 yellowish, segments 7–11 gradually darkened; length of each antennomere proportional to numerical sequence 22:14:14:18:21:19:20:19:19:19:26 (right antenna).
Pronotum sub-trapezoidal, weakly transverse (LP = 0.58 mm; WP/LP = 1.22), laterally scarcely rounded; basal and lateral margin finely bordered; punctation densely and uniformly distributed, with rather large clearly impressed punctures on shagreened surface. Scutellum sub-triangular, apically sub-rounded, with microreticulate surface.
Elytra moderately elongate (LE = 1.48 mm; LE/LP = 2.57), covering almost entirely pygidium; laterally clearly rounded, apically obtuse; punctation arranged in 9 (+ 1 little visible scutellar) regular rows, with large and strongly impressed punctures; elytral interstriae clearly keeled, with strongly punctulate and finely wrinkled surface; humeral calli absent; sub-apterous metathoracic wings.
Legs yellowish but with partially darkened hind femora; hind tibiae straight. Apical spur of hind tibiae slightly shorter than hind tibial length (LHT/LHTS = 1.08), straight; dorsal furrow very narrow in proximal third, then gradually but strongly enlarged; denture regularly and densely formed by clearly distinct teeth. First anterior and middle tarsomeres moderately dilated, with adhesive structures on ventral side (cf. Figs 77,79, 81–82).
Ventral integument dark-brown; apical margin of last abdominal sternite medially hollow.
Median lobe of aedeagus (LAED = 1.01 mm; LE/LAED = 1.46) in ventral view laterally sub-parallel, apically rounded, with a little median small tooth; ventral sulcus visible in apical half; in lateral view, median lobe regularly and slightly curved; dorsal sulcus visible in apical 2/3s; dorsal ligula apically rounded.
VARIATION. 3 (n = 2; mean and standard deviation): LE = 1.60 ± 0.18 mm; WE = 1.01 ± 0.08 mm; LP = 0.63 ± 0.07 mm; WP = 0.75 ± 0.07 mm; LAN = 2.14 ± 0.07 mm; LAED = 1.07 ± 0.08 mm; LB = 2.24 ± 0.09 mm; LE/LP = 2.56 ± 0.01; WE/WP = 1.34 ± 0.02; WP/LP = 1.20 ± 0.02; LE/LAED = 1.50 ± 0.05; LAN/ (LE+LP) = 0.96 ± 0.08; LHT/LHTS = 1.08 ± 0.01. Ƥ (n = 1): LE = 1.89 mm; WE = 1.28 mm; LP = 0.75 mm; WP = 0.85 mm; LAN = 2.29 mm; LSP = 0.18 mm; LB = 2.50 mm; LE/LP = 2.52; WE/WP = 1.50; WP/LP = 1.13; LE/LSP = 10.79; LAN/(LE+LP) = 0.87; LHT/LHTS = 1.08.
Paratypes. Paratypes in shape, color and sculpture similar to the holotype but they show more clearly delimited frontal tubercles and reddish legs. Female bigger than male (LB = 2.50 mm).
Spermatheca very large (LSP = 0.18 mm; LE/LSP = 10.79) with reniform basal part; distal part hookshaped; appendix absent; ductus long and clearly curved, apically inserted.
ETYMOLOGY. This new species is named after its collector R. Oberprieler (SANC). DISTRIBUTION. Zimbabwe. Southern-Eastern African chorotype (SEA) (cf. Biondi & D’Alessandro, 2006).
ECOLOGICAL NOTES. No ecological information is available for this species.
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 22-23, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.195007