Research Article |
Corresponding author: Chi-Feng Lee ( chifeng@tari.gov.tw ) Academic editor: Ron Beenen
© 2017 Chi-Feng Lee.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Lee C-F (2017) The genus Gallerucida Motschulsky in Taiwan (Insecta, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae). ZooKeys 723: 121-151. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.723.21545
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Species within the genus Gallerucida Motschulsky recorded in Taiwan are revised. Gallerucida bifasciata Motschulsky 1861 G. lutea Gressitt & Kimoto 1963 G. sauteri Chûjô 1938 and G. shirozui Kimoto 1969 are redescribed. Sphenoraia chujoi Lee 2014 is proposed as a junior synonym of G. flaviventris (Baly 1861). Gallerucida thoracica (Jacoby 1888) is recorded as new for Taiwan and redescribed. Lectotypes are designated for Gallerucida nigrita Chûjô 1935 G. sauteri Chûjô 1938 and Eustetha thoracica Jacoby 1888. Biological notes are given on all Taiwanese species of Gallerucida.
Host plants, leaf beetles, Polygonaceae , taxonomic revision, Vitaceae
The genus Gallerucida Motschulsky, 1861 is widespread in the Oriental and East Palaearctic regions, with highest species diversity in China. Of 66 valid species that were recognized by
Adults within the genera Gallerucida Motschulsky, 1861 and Laphris Baly, 1864 are easily recognized by their projecting anterior metasterna that cover most of the mesosterna. Gallerucida adults can be separated from those of Laphris by the comparatively shorter antennomeres III (subequal or twice length of antennomeres II; by contrast antennomeres III are four times the lengths of II in Laphris). Adults of the genus Sphenoraia Clark, 1865 also look like those of Gallerucida and Laphris, but they can be distinguished easily by the absence of the projecting anterior process of the metasternum. Gallerucida nigromaculata (Baly, 1861) and G. singularis Harold, 1880 were firstly recorded from Taiwan by
Gallerucida bifasciata Motschulsky is an abundant species that is considered as biological control agent for invasive species of Polygonaceae (
The Taiwan Chrysomelid Research Team (TCRT) was founded in 2005 and is composed of 10 members. All of them are amateurs interested in producing a complete inventory of Chrysomelid species in Taiwan. Members of the genus Gallerucida have been collected and studied, and host plants recorded. Life histories for almost all species were documented by laboratory rearing. The results of these efforts are the subject of the current paper.
For rearing studies, larvae were placed in small glass containers (diameter 142 mm × height 50 mm) with cuttings from their host plants. When mature larvae began searching for pupation sites, they were transferred to smaller plastic containers (diameter 90 mm × height 57 mm) filled with moist soil (about 80% of container volume).
For taxonomic study, the abdomens of adults were separated from the fore body and boiled in 10 % KOH solution, followed by washing in distilled water to prepare genitalia for illustrations. The genitalia were then dissected from the abdomen, mounted on slides in glycerin, and studied and drawn using a Leica M165 stereomicroscope. For detailed examinations a Nikon ECLIPSE 50i microscope was used.
At least three pairs from each species were examined to delimit variability of diagnostic characters. For species collected from more than one locality, at least one pair from each locality was examined. Length was measured from the anterior margin of the eye to the elytral apex, and width at the greatest width of the elytra.
Specimens studied herein are deposited at the following institutes and collections:
BMNH The Natural History Museum, London, UK [Michael Geiser];
JBCB Jan Bezděk collection, Brno, Czech Republic;
MCZC Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA [Philip D. Perkins];
NMNS National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan [Ming-Luen Jeng];
Exact label data are cited for all type specimens of described species; a double slash (//) divides the data on different labels and a single slash (/) divides the data in different rows. Other comments and remarks are in square brackets: [p] – preceding data are printed, [h] – preceding data are handwritten, [w] – white label, [y] – yellow label, [g] – green label, [b] – blue label, and [r] – red label.
Gallerucida
bifasciata
Motschulsky, 1861: 24 (Japan);
Galerucida
[sic!] bifasciata:
Melospila
bifasciata
:
Melospila
nigromaculata
Baly, 1861: 297;
Gallerucida
nigromaculata
: Chûjô & Kimoto 1961: 163 (host plants);
Galerucida
[sic!] nigromaculata:
Gallerucida
bifasciata
nigromaculata
:
Galerucida
[sic!] nigrofasciata Baly, 1879: 453 (should be error for G. nigromaculata Baly because G. nigromaculata is the only one of Baly’s species which is treated by
Melospila
consociata
Baly, 1874: 185;
Galerucida
[sic!] nigrita Chûjô, 1935: 168;
Gallerucida bifasciata. Lectotype ♂ (
Melospila nigromaculata. Lectotype ♂ (BMNH), here designated, labeled: “Galerucida / nigromaculata / Baly / N. China [h, g] // Type [p, w, circular label with red border] // Type [h, w] // Baly Coll. [p, w]”. Number of paralectotypes is uncertain.
Melospila consociata. Lecotype ♀ (BMNH), here designated, labeled: “Hakodate / Mr. Moor [h, w, with pencil written on the back of the label which specimen glue on] // Hakodate [p, w] // Japan. / G. Lewis, / 1910—320. [p, w]”. Number of paralectotypes is uncertain.
Glaerucida nigrita. Lectotype ♂ (
Gallerucida bifasciata adults are easily recognized by their black bodies, with or without yellowish brown stripes, and strongly serrate antennae. Aedeagi of male endophallic sclerite complex is characterized by its short endophallic sclerite complex, and the median sclerite is similar to the lateral sclerite in length. By contrast, the endophallic sclerite complex is comparatively longer, and the median sclerite is much longer than the lateral sclerite in other species.
Length 7.1–11.2 mm, width 4.2–6.0 mm. General color (Fig.
Polygonaceae: Fallopia multiflora var. hypoleucum (Ohwi) Yonek. et H. Ohashi (present study); F. sachaliensis (F. Schmidt) Ronse Decr. (=Polygonum sachaliense and Reynoutria sachalinensis) (Chûjô and Kimoto 1961); Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross (
Gallerucida bifasciata populations are presumably multivoltine. The following life cycle information is based on our (TCRT) observations (Lee and Cheng 2007). Females began to deposit an average of 20 eggs in single egg masses during mid-January. Eggs hatched in 11–14 days. The larvae (Fig.
CHINA. Anhui: 2♂♂, 1♀ (
China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Taiwan.
Eustetha flaviventris Baly, 1861: 296.
Galerucida
[sic!] (Eusthetha) flaviventris:
Galerucida
[sic!] flaviventris:
Gallerucida
flaviventris
:
Sphenoraia chujoi Lee, 2014: 143. syn. n.
Eustetha flaviventris. Lectotype ♀ (BMNH), here designated, labeled: “Type [p, w, circular label with red border] // Baly Coll. [p, w] // Eustetha / flaviventris / Baly / N. China [h, g]”. Number of paralectotypes is uncertain.
Sphenoraia chujoi. Holotype ♂ (
Gallerucida flaviventris adults are similar to those of G. shirozui Chûjô and G. thoracica Jacoby in possessing metallic elytra, but are easily recognized by their metallic pronota (yellow brown pronota with black spots in other species).
See description of Sphenoraia chujoi
Specimens from China are uniformly metallic blue (Fig.
Habitus of Gallerucida species. A G. flaviventris (Baly), male from Taiwan, dorsal view B Ditto, ventral view C G. flaviventris (Baly), female from China, dorsal view D G. singularis Harold, male, dorsal view E Ditto, ventral view F G. singularis Harold, female, dorsal view G G. singularis Harold, posterior view H G. gebieni Weise, posterior view.
Polygonaceae: Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum Ohwi (
Gallerucida flaviventris populations are presumably univoltine. The following life cycle information is based on our (TCRT) observations (
When
CHINA. Anhui: 1♂ (
China, Taiwan.
Galerucida
[sic!] gebieni Weise, 1922: 92; see
Gallerucida gebieni and G. singularis Harold adults are easily recognized by their reddish brown bodies and black spots behind humeral calli and elytral apices, but adults of G. gebieni possess only two black spots on the elytral apices (Fig.
See
Polygonaceae: Polygonum chinense L. (
China, Taiwan (only in Kinmen and Nankan islands).
Gallerucida
lutea
Gressitt & Kimoto, 1963: 124 (China: Guangdong, Hubei);
Holotype ♂ (
Gallerucida lutea adults can be recognized by their yellowish brown bodies. Darker individuals of G. lutea may look like entirely black individuals of G. bifasciata, but the elytra of G. lutea possess extremely coarse punctures and minute punctures between coarse punctures and filiform antenna.
Length 8.4–9.8 mm, width 4.7–5.9 mm. General color (Fig.
Some individuals have black legs and bodies darker than usual (Fig.
Vitaceae: Vitis kelungensis Moriyama (
Gallerucida lutea populations are presumably univoltine. The following life cycle information is based on our (TCRT) observations (
CHINA. 3♂♂, 3♀♀ (BMNH); TAIWAN. Kaoshiang: 1♀ (
China, Korea, Taiwan.
Gallerucida
sauteri
Chûjô, 1938: 141;
Gallerucida
quadraticollis
Takizawa, 1978: 127;
Gallerucida sauteri. Lectotype ♂ (
Gallerucida quadraticollis. Holotype ♂ (
Gallerucida sauteri adults may be recognized by the white elytra possessing black transverse stripes.
Length 5.8–7.8 mm, width 3.3–4.3 mm. General color (Fig.
The typical adult color pattern occurs in southern Taiwan (Fig.
Vitaceae: Tetrastigma formosanum (Hemsl.) Gagnep (Fig.
Gallerucida sauteri populations are presumably multivoltine. The following life cycle information is based on our (TCRT) observations (
TAIWAN. Nantou: 1♀ (NMNS), Lienhuachih [蓮華池], 9.IV.-2.V.2001, leg. C, S, Lin & W. T. Yang; 1♀ (NMNS), same but with “12.VI.-19.VII.2001”; 1♀ (NMNS), same but with “17.X.-14.XI.2001”; 1♀ (NMNS), same but with “1.VIII.-7.IX.2005”; 1♂ (
Endemic to Taiwan.
Gallerucida
shirozui
Kimoto, 1969: 67 (Taiwan);
Holotype ♂ (
Gallerucida shirozui and G. thoracica Jacoby adults are easily recognized by their metallic elytra and reddish or yellowish brown pronota. Adults of Gallerucida shirozui differ from those of G. thoracica by possessing only one pair of black spots on the pronotum (two pairs in G. thoracica) and longer and more serrate antennae (shorter and filiform antennae in G. thoracica).
Length 7.2–8.2 mm, width 3.8–5.2 mm. General color (Fig.
Females from southern Taiwan possess narrower antennae (length to width ratios of antennomeres I–IX 3.4 : 1.4 : 1.7 : 3.3 : 3.1 : 2.3 : 1.9 : 2.0 : 2.0 : 2.0 : 2.7) and reduced punctures on the pronota.
Vitaceae: Vitis flexuosa Thunb. (present study).
Two mature larvae were collected on leaves of Vitis flexuosa in Meifeng during late June 2012. They burrowed into the soil shortly after collection and built underground chambers for pupation. Duration of the pupal stage was 25–28 days. Newly emerged adults were entirely yellow, and required three weeks to change color.
TAIWAN. Kaoshiung: 1♂ (
Endemic to Taiwan.
Galerucida
[sic!] singularis Harold, 1880: 146; see
Gallerucida gebieni and G. singularis Harold adults are easily recognized by their reddish brown bodies and black spots behind the humeral calli and at the elytral apices (Fig.
See
Polygonaceae: Polygonum chinense L. and Fallopia multiflora var. hypoleucum (Ohwi) Yonek. et H. Ohashi (
Gallerucida singularis populations are presumably multivoltine. Adults are found throughout the year. The natural history was described by
China, Taiwan (only in Kinmen and Nankan islands).
Eustetha
thoracica
Jacoby, 1888: 348 (China: Jiangxi);
Galerucida
[sic!] (Eusthetha) thoracica:
Galerucida
[sic!] thoracica:
Gallerucida
thoracica
:
Lectotype ♂ (MCZC), here designated, labeled: “Kiukiang / China [h, w] // 1st Jacoby / Coll. [p, w] // Eustetha / thoracica / Jac. [h, b] // Type [p] / 18241 [h, r]”. Number of paralectotypes is uncertain.
See diagnosis of G. shirozui.
Length 7.0–8.9 mm, width 3.8–5.0 mm. General color (Figs
Chinese specimens possess metallic blue meso- and metathoracic ventrites and legs, and the punctures on the elytra are confused.
Larvae and adults (Fig.
CHINA. 1♂ (
China, southern Taiwan (new record).
1 | Elytra metallic blue, green or purple | 2 |
– | Elytra black, yellowish or reddish brown, or white, sometimes with irregular transverse bands | 4 |
2 | Pronotum entirely metallic blue, green, or purple (Fig. |
G. flaviventris |
– | Pronotum yellowish brown, with one or two pairs of black spots | 3 |
3 | Pronotum with one pair of black spots (Fig. |
G. shirozui |
– | Pronotum with two pairs of black spots (Fig. |
G. thoracica |
4 | Elytra reddish brown, with black spots behind humeral calli and at apices | 5 |
– | Elytra black, yellowish brown, or white; sometime with transverse stripes | 6 |
5 | Two pairs of black spots at elytral apices (Fig. |
G. gebieni |
– | Three pairs of black spots at elytral apices (Fig. |
G. singularis |
6 | General color yellowish brown, elytra with extremely coarse punctures (Fig. |
G. lutea |
– | General color black or white, with transverse stripes; elytra with moderately coarse punctures | 7 |
7 | Elytra black, with three transverse orange stripes, sometimes extremely well developed or completely reduced (Fig. |
G. bifasciata |
– | Elytra white, with two transverse black stripes (Fig. |
G. sauteri |
I am grateful to the Taiwan Chrysomelid Research Team (TCRT) for assistance in collecting material, including Jung-Chang Chen, Yi-Ting Chung, Bo-Xin Guo, Hsueh Lee, Wen-Chuan Liao, Mei-Hua Tsou, and Su-Fang Yu. I especially thank Ta-Hsiang Lee, Chi-Lung Lee, and Hsing-Tzung Cheng for photos of specimens, Hou-Jay Chen, Hsint-Tgzung Cheng, Hsueh Lee, Ta-Hsiang Lee, Wen-Chuan Liao, Wei-Ting, Liu, Mei-Hua Tsou, and Su-Fang Yu for their field photography, Jung-Chang Chen for discovering the host plant for Gallerucida flaviventris, Mei-Hua Tsou for discovering the host plant for G. lutea and G. sauteri, Yi-Xuan Hsieh for discovering the host plant for G. thoracica, and Chih-Kai Yang for identification of host plants. This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology MOST 104-2313-B-055-001. I am grateful to Prof. Christopher Carlton (Louisiana State Arthropod Museum, USA) for reviewing the manuscript.