Abstract
The flea beetle genus Lankaphthona Medvedev, 2001 is redescribed and a new species L.yunnantarsellasp. nov. Ruan, Konstantinov & Prathapan is described. Longitarsella Medvedev, 2009, syn. nov. and Philotarsa Medvedev, 2009, syn. nov. are newly synonymized with Lankaphthona. Philotarsalaosica Medvedev, 2009, syn. nov. is synonymized with Lankaphthonaphuketensis (Gruev, 1989). The following new combinations are proposed: Lankaphthonabinotata (Baly, 1876), comb. nov.; Lankaphthonacostata (Medvedev, 2016), comb. nov.; Lankaphthonacyanipennis (Medvedev, 2017), comb. nov.; Lankaphthonanigronotata (Jacoby, 1896), comb. nov.; Lankaphthonanotatipennis (Medvedev, 2009), comb. nov.; and Lankaphthonaphuketensis (Gruev, 1989), comb. nov., status restored. A highly specialized spoon-shaped ‘appendage’ is discovered on the first abdominal ventrite of males of Lankaphthonabinotata. Aedeagus of the same species has aberrant sheath-shaped phallobase encircling the median lobe. Morphology and possible function of these structures are discussed. Menispermaceae are newly reported as the host plants of the genus.
Highlights
Lankaphthona, established by Medvedev (2001) for three new species from Sri Lanka, belongs to a hypothetically monophyletic group of Oriental genera, characterized by a pair of subparallel longitudinal ridges on the first abdominal ventrite
Longitarsella was proposed by Medvedev (2009) as a subgenus of Trachyaphthona Heikertinger (Konstantinov and Prathapan (2008) synonymized Trachyaphthona with Trachytetra Sharp) for two species with elongate first metatarsomere: L. notatipennis Medvedev, 2009 and Thyamis binotata Baly, 1876, with the latter designated as the type species of the subgenus (Medvedev 2009)
Upon specimen examination it became clear that what Medvedev (2009) identified as L. binotata (Baly) is a case of misidentification and, exactly the same species that Medvedev described as Philopona (Philotarsa) laosica Medvedev, 2009, which he designated as the type species of Philotarsa
Summary
Lankaphthona, established by Medvedev (2001) for three new species from Sri Lanka, belongs to a hypothetically monophyletic group of Oriental genera, characterized by a pair of subparallel longitudinal ridges on the first abdominal ventrite. In addition to Lankaphthona, this generic group includes Philogeus Jacoby, 1887, Tegyrius Jacoby, 1887, Lanka Maulik, 1926, Bikasha Maulik, 1931, Parategyrius Kimoto & Gressitt, 1966, Neorthana Medvedev, 1996, Lankanella Kimoto, 2000, Longitarsella Medvedev, 2009, Philotarsa Medvedev, 2009 and Lesagealtica Döberl, 2009. These genera share the following character states: small to moderate size, body oblong and convex in lateral view, procoxal cavities open, metatibia with distal end outwardly curved and dorsal surface almost flat. Philotarsa is dramatically different from Philopona Weise and Longitarsella is very different from Trachytetra Sharp, so that discussion on Philopona and Trachytetra is a separate topic in flea beetle taxonomy and nomenclature
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