: Taxonomic identity of the genus and revision of the megalopoides species-group , and description of two new species from Australia ( Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae : Alticinae )

In this paper some taxonomic observations on the Australian flea beetle genus Pepila Weise, 1923 are reported. The fol­ lowing species are transferred to the genus Pepila and lectotypes for them designated: Chaetocnema carinata Baly, 1877; Plectroscelis crassipennis Blackburn, 1896; Chaetocnema fuscomaculata Baly, 1877; Plectroscelis hypocrita Blackburn, 1896; Chaetocnema laticeps Baly, 1877; Plectroscelis meyricki Blackburn, 1896; Dibolia ochracea Waterhouse, 1838; Plectroscelis pallidior Blackburn, 1896; Diboliapygmaea Waterhouse, 1838; Plectroscelis quadraticollis Blackburn, 1896; Chaetocnema submetallescens Baly, 1877; Plectroscelis tumbyensis Blackburn, 1896; Chaetocnema waterhousei Baly, 1877. The synonymy of Chaetocnema submetallescens Baly, 1877 with Plectroscelis longior Blackburn, 1896 is proposed. In addition, the megalopoides species-group, including P. megalopoides Weise, 1923, P. uptoni n.sp., and P. longifallica n.sp., is analyzed.


INTRODUCTION
The genus Pepila was described by Weise (1923) to accommodate the species Chaetocnema megalopoides Baly, 1877 from Australia.Weise (1923) asserted that "Diese Gattung Pepila ist aufs Nächste mit Chaetocnema verwandt" but did not differentiate the new genus.The most important distinguishing characters identified by Weise (1923) was the presence of a hind globose apical tarsal segment and a head that clearly protrudes from the prothorax.
Based on new characters, we redefine the taxonomic identity of this flea beetle genus.We also transfer to Pepila about forty species, of which 13 were previously included in Chaetocnema Stephens, 1831.The other spe cies are new to science and will be described soon (Biondi & D'Alessandro, in prep.).In this contribution, the taxonomic position of the genus Pepila is discussed, and the megalopoides species-group including P. megalo poides (Baly), P. uptoni n. sp. and P. longifallica n. sp.analyzed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Material consists of preserved dry insects provided by the fol lowing institutions: Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Can berra City, CSIRO, Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC); United Kingdom, London, The Natural History Museum [formerly British Museum (Natural History)] (BMNH); Sweden, Stockholm, Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet (NHRS); Australia, South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia Museum (SAM).The specimens were examined using WILD MZ8 and MZ12.5 binocular microscopes.The scanning elec tron micrographs were taken using a PHILIPS SEM XL30 CP.
Abbreviations.LAED -length of median lobe of aedeagus; LAN -length of antennae; LB -total length of body; LElength of elytra; LP -length of pronotum; LSP -length of spermatheca; WE -width of elytra; WP -width of pronotum.
Diagnosis.Pepila has the following diagnostic charac ters, which separate it from the genus Chaetocnema Ste phens, 1831 (see also Biondi, 2002): a) proximal half of hind tibiae dorsally channelled (Figs 7-8); b) frontal sulci short, or if elongate, very weakly impressed distally and absent around upper margin of eyes; c) pronotum subrec tangular or subtrapezoidal narrower at base, and lacking bevelled anterior angles (in Chaetocnema anterior angles are generally bevelled); d) ungual segment of hind tarsi generally swollen (Figs 9-10); e) vertex of head always distinctly and uniformly punctured (Figs 1-3) (in Chae tocnema vertex is often impunctate); f) labrum generally very short; g) elytral punctation arranged in regular rows; h) third hind tarsomere small, not or very slightly heart shaped (Fig. 9).Metafemoral spring (Fig. 18) attributable to Chaetocnema morpho-group (Furth & Suzuki, 1998: 97); the extended arm of the dorsal lobe is short and depressed, ventral lobe with no recurved flange, dorsal edge straight and strongly angled down apically, and basal edge flat.
Taxonomy.The genus Pepila is part of a natural group of genera including: Chaetocnema Stephens, 1831, wide spread in all the zoogeographical regions with over 300 species; Terpnochlorus Fairmaire, 1904, known from the Afrotropical (2 species) and Neotropical (1 species) regions; Carcharodis Weise, 1910, occurring   genera are discussed by Biondi (2002).In addition to P. megalopoides (Baly), the species listed below are transferred to the genus Pepila Weise.For each of them a lectotype is designated.The Fourth edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 1999) requires (Article 74.7.3) a lectotype desig nation to "contain an express statement of the taxonomic purpose of the designation".The purpose of the lectotype designations in this paper is to assure correct and consis tent application of the names in the future.There is no reason to repeat this statement for each lectotype designa tion.
Legs entirely reddish brown, often with hind femora and sometimes also anterior and middle femora more or less darkened; inner side of hind femora not emarginated (Fig. 11); hind tibiae widely and clearly channelled dor sally, with lateral emargination strongly and acutely prominent (Fig. 7); hind tibial socket wide; hind tibial apical spur short, robust, from reddish to brown, inserted on inner side of tibial apex; first hind tarsomere wider than third, subrectangular (Fig. 9); hind apical tarsal seg ment strongly swollen (Fig. 9); first anterior and middle tarsomere in male clearly more dilated than in female.
Ventral surface reddish brown generally with darker metasternum.Last sternite laterally with weak and sparse punctation, medially not punctured with smooth surface; apical margin in male with evident wide subrectangular or semicircular prominence, absent in female.
k: median lobe of aedeagus elongate (Fig. 13), with very finely shagreened surface; in ventral view, tapered from base to apical fourth and distally lanceolate; apex acute with evident median subtruncate small tooth; ven tral sulcus wide and apical half medially impressed, and basal half strongly narrowed; dorsal sulcus visible api cally; dorsal ligula narrow, laterally parallel, apically raised; in lateral view, basal quarter of median lobe clearly bent, then more or less straight towards base; apex strongly curved in dorsal direction.l : spermatheca (Fig. 16) with basal part elongate, sub cylindrical; apical part not globose or distinct from col lum, with evident elongate appendix; ductus with two narrow half-coils.
Distribution.Australia: Queensland, New South Wales.
Host plants.This species was collected on plants of the genera Casuarina (fam.Casuarinaceae) and Angophora (fam.Myrtaceae).
Legs with tibiae and tarsi pale; anterior and middle femora more or less obscured; hind femora blackened with metallic gilt reflection; ventral margin of hind femora not emarginated; hind tibiae dorsally widely and distinctly channelled with lateral emargination strongly prominent; hind tibial socket wide; hind apical tibial spur short, robust, reddish, inserted on inner side of tibial apex; first hind tarsomere wider than third, subrectangular; hind ungual segment clearly swollen; first anterior and middle tarsomere dilated, subtriangular.
Ventral surface reddish brown with blackened metaster num.Last sternite laterally very weakly and less densely punctured; medially with almost smooth surface, not punctured; apically with an evident median and wide semicircular prominence.
Median lobe of aedeagus elongate (LAED = 0.82 mm; LE/LAED = 1.82) (Fig. 15), with almost smooth surface; in ventral view clearly lanceolate with apical third nar rowed; apex rounded with median small tooth clearly prominent; ventral sulcus wide and distinctly impressed on apical 2/3; dorsal sulcus present on apical half; dorsal ligula apically widely rounded and raised; apical third of median lobe bent in lateral view and with an evident hump on inner side; apex clearly curved in dorsal direc tion.
Spermatheca with basal part elongate (Fig. 17), subcy lindrical; apical part not globose, not distinct from collum and with evident elongate appendix; ductus with two narrow half-coils.
Etymology.This species is named after Murray Scott Upton (Australia, Brisbane), its collector.
Host plants.There is no information on its host plants.
Legs entirely pale but with darkened hind femora par tially with gilt metallic reflection; ventral margin of hind femora with evident emargination on apical third (Fig. 12); hind tibiae dorsally widely and deeply channelled, with clearly and acutely prominent lateral emargination (Fig. 8); hind tibial socket wide; hind apical spur short, robust, reddish, inserted on inner side of tibial apex; first hind tarsomere wider than third, subrectangular; hind apical tarsal segment strongly swollen (Fig. 10); first anterior and middle tarsomere clearly dilated.
Ventral surface reddish brown with darkened metaster num.Last sternite laterally with weak and sparse puncta tion; medially not punctured, with smooth surface; apical margin with evident wide subrectangular prominence in middle (Fig. 4).
Median lobe of aedeagus elongate (LAED = 1.12 mm; LE/LAED = 1.49) (Fig. 14), with almost smooth surface; in ventral view, laterally narrowed in middle; distal part elongate, apically subrhomboidal; ventral sulcus not visi ble; apical half o f dorsal sulcus widely and deeply impressed; dorsal ligula narrow, distal margin apically clearly raised and medially weakly incised; in lateral view, median lobe apically strongly curved in dorsal direction and basally almost straight.
Diagnosis.P. longifallica n.sp. is the m ost distinct spe cies within this group.The male (the female is unknown) is easily distinguished on the basis o f the following char acteristics: head with very rare and weakly impressed punctation (Fig. 3); apical third o f hind femora with evi dent emargination on ventral margin (Fig. 12); lateral emargination o f hind tibiae less strongly prominent (Fig. 8); fourth antennal segment about 11/2 length o f third (Fig. 6); distal part o f median lobe o f aedeagus in ventral view elongate and apically subrhomboidal (Fig. 14).
Etymology.The name of this species refers to the median lobe of the aedeagus, which is comparatively longer than in other species ofthis group.
Host plants.There is no information on its host plants.
in the Afrotropical region with at least four species; Collartaltica Bechyne, 1959, occurring in the Afrotropical region with at least three species; Biodontocnema Biondi, 2000, known from the South-West Africa with only one species; Seychellaltica Biondi, 2002, endemic to the Sey- comb.n.