The members of the subgenus Semenowia Weise, 1889 of the genus Chrysolina Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

Species of the subgenus Semenowia of the genus Chrysolina differ from each other in a number of diagnostic characters, so it is not a natural group. Only the type species, Ch. (S.) chalcea should be regarded as a member of this subgenus. Subgenus Ch. (Semenowia) is close to the subgenus Ch. (Pezocrosita Jacobson, 1901) and differs from the latter in the presence of seven rows of punctures on elytron. Ch.(S.)freyensis belongs to the species group Ch. (obovata) of the subgenus Ch. (Pezocrosita). It has the following characters of this group: shape of aedeagus (medial lobe is drawn out and curved upwards), narrow lateral furrow at pronotal base, and puncturation of elytron (fine punctures forming rows are connected with fine longitudinal wrincles). Other species occupy uncertain position within the genus. Ch. nagaja and Ch. daccordii represent a natural group, which is close to the subgenus Ch. (Timarcholina) and differs from the latter in smaller body and absence of the denticles on the fourth tarsomere. Ch. mirabilis forms a natural group with Ch. davidiani, Ch. luyoui and Ch. sicieni. The distinctive features of this group are dorsal colour (shining, green with purple stripes), broad pronotal lateral impressions, elytra with irregular rows of very fine, obsolete punctures, and enlarged protarsomere 1 in male.

Keywords

• Coleoptera
• Chrysomelidae
• Chrysolina
• Semenowia
• systematics