Calothecanigromaculata species-group from sub-Saharan Africa with descriptions of two new species from KwaZulu-Natal (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

Paola D'Alessandro; Mattia Iannella; Elizabeth Grobbelaar; Maurizio Biondi

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1084.73175

Calothecanigromaculata species-group from sub-Saharan Africa with descriptions of two new species from KwaZulu-Natal (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

Zookeys. 2022 Jan 28:1084:119-137. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1084.73175. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Paola D'Alessandro¹, Mattia Iannella¹, Elizabeth Grobbelaar², Maurizio Biondi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, I-67100 L'Aquila, Italy University of L'Aquila L'Aquila Italy.
² Biosystematics Division, ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Private Bag X134, Queenswood, Pretoria 0121, South Africa ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute Pretoria South Africa.

Abstract

Calotheca Heyden is a flea beetle genus with a largely sub-Saharan distribution and currently comprising 34 species. The examination of new material is revealing an increase in species richness and intraspecific variability. Calothecacarolineae sp. nov. and C.wanati sp. nov., both from KwaZulu-Natal in the Republic of South Africa, are here described and attributed to the C.nigromaculata (Jacoby) species group, mainly based on genitalic characters. Photographs of the main diagnostic characters are provided, including the habitus, median lobe of the aedeagus, and spermatheca. Information on the geographic distribution and host plants of these species is also provided.

Keywords: Afrotropical region; C.nigromaculata; C.wanati sp. nov.; Calothecacarolineae sp. nov.; Republic of South Africa; flea beetles; leaf beetles.

Paola D'Alessandro, Mattia Iannella, Elizabeth Grobbelaar, Maurizio Biondi.