D. H. Blake.
Seven New Flea Beetles from the West Indies (Coleoptera-Chrysomelidæ).
Psyche 55:141-150, 1948.

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SEVEN NEW FLEA BEETLES FROM THE WEST
INDIES (COLEOPTERA-CHRYSOMELID^B)l
BY DORIS H, BLAKE
Arlington, Va.
This paper contains descriptions of seven new flea beetles from Jamaica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico in the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cam- bridge. Five of these were collected by P. J. Darlington. Lactica xanthotrachela n. sp.
Fig. 1
From 34 mm. in length, elongate oblong, shining, dark blue or green with yellow head and thorax and deep brown antennae, mouthparts and legs, hind legs usually with metallic lustre.
Head with interocular space over half its width, shin- ing, smoothly rounded over occiput with a large puncture on either side near eye and obsolete small punctures on front, tubercles more or less distinctly marked, the space between antenna1 sockets a little produced and rounded; mouthparts dark. Antennae with slightly paler basal joints, deep broyn otherwise, third joint shorter than fourth, remainder subequal. Prothorax not quite twice as broad as long with almost straight sides and deep and very slightly sinuate basal sulcus; surface shining and finely punctate. Elytra more distinctly punctate than pro- thorax, very shining, green or blue, the humeri well marked by a short intrahumeral sulcus, otherwise the elytra smoothly convex. Epipleura wide but disappear- ing before the apex. Body beneath lustrous, the pale color of thorax extending down to the cox= of the middle legs, rest of undersurface lustrous black or with metallic blue color, and finely pubescent. Legs dark, the hind ones, at least, with metallic lustre. First tarsal joint of hind legs long, claws appendiculate. Length 3.1-4.1 mm. ; width 1.5-2 mm.
1 Published with a grant from the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College.
141
Psii-he 55:141-149 11948). http:ffpsyche.cnlclub.orBf55;55- 14 1 html



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142 Psyche
Type male and 5 paratypes M.C.Z.
1 paratype in U.S.N.M. Cat. No. 58723.
Type localit y.-Mandeville, Jamaica,
Wright.
[ Sept.
Type No. 27797.
collected by A. E.
0 ther lo ca1ities.-Pt. Antonio, Jamaica, collected by A. E. Wright, Dec. 1931 ; "Jamaica," collected by L. G. Per- kins, in the Stuart T. Danforth collection. Remarks.-In coloration this species is similar to a great many others that occur on the continents both of North and South America, but upon careful comparison I have not been able to find any other species that entirely corresponds with this Jamaica species. For instance, L. iris (Oliv.) of North America has pale front and mid- dle legs'; L. elegans Harold of ~olombia has a pale margin on the elvtra. L. semimolacea Jac. and L. mekana Jac. and L. h&ei ~ac. are all much larger.
Lactica darlingtoni n. sp.
Fig. 2
From 3-3.5 mm. in length, elongate oblong, shining, deep blue or blue green with black antennae, leg's and undersurface, the two latter often with a blue or green lustre; very finely punctate.
Head with interocular space more than half its width, very polished over occiput and front with a median line between tubercles extending upwards (in one specimen) to end in a small depression in middle of the front; a large puncture on either side near the eye; frontal carina between antenna1 sockets somewhat produced, rounded. Antennas scarcely reaching the middle of the elytra, 3rd joint shorter than 4th, the basal joints with a met'allic lustre. Prothorax twice as wide as long with slightly curved sides and explanate margin and a well marked basal sulcus, surface polished, very finely punctate. Ely- tra elongate, the humeri small with a short intrahumeral sulcus and slight transverse depression below basal cal- losity; surface polished, very finely but distinctly punc- tate throughout. Epipleura broad, gradually diminish- ing and disappearing before the apex. Body beneath usually with a metallic lustre, very finely pubescent.



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19481 Blake-Flea Beetles 143
First joint of hind tarsi long, claws appendiculate. Length 3.1-3.5 mm. ; width 1.5-1.7 mm.
Type male and 3 paratypes M.C.Z. Type No. 27798. 1 paratype in U.S.N.M. Cat. No. 58724.
Type locality .-Whitfield, Blue Mts., Jamaica, elevation 4500 feet, collected in Aug. 1930 by P. J. Darlington. Remarks.-In coloration this is similar to L. violacea Jac. described from Guatemala and Panama. It differs from that species in being a little more elongate and with extremely fine punctation which is the same throughout, not disappearing at the apex as in violacea. The sculp- ture of the head with its distinctly marked frontal tuber- cles also appears different, and the sulcus across the prothorax is not sinuate at all but straight. Lactica porphyrea n. sp.
Fig. 3
From 2.5-3 mm. in length, ovate, shining yellowish or reddish with violet elytra and dark abdomen; only faint traces of a basal sulcus across the prothorax most marked on each side at the limiting ends; elytra distinctly and rather densely punctate.
Head with interocular space over half its width, frontal tubercles and space between the antenna1 sockets some- what elevated with a depressed spot or area above the tubercles, the surface of the occiput and front and frontal carina densely and shallowly punctate and alutaceous ; a large puncture on either side of front near the eye. An- tennae more than half the length of the beetle, third joint shorter than fourth, remainder subequal and rather heavy. Prothorax fully twice as wide as long with arcu- ate sides and narrow explanate margin; surface smooth, polished and fairly alutaceous with sparse punctation; across base an ill marked and, in some specimens, very in- distinct trace of sulcus, the rather faint limiting depres- sions at either end the most distinct part of it. Scutellum usually deep reddish brown. Elytra with small humeri and a slight basal callosity, very shiny deep violet, with dense distinct punctation in basal half becoming smoother near the apex. Epipleura wide, gradually diminishing



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144 Psyche [ Sept.
to end shortly before the apex. Body beneath shining yellowish or reddish with dark brown abdomen, very finely pubescent. Hind tibiae with a short spur, first tarsal joint of hind legs long, claws appendiculate. Length 2.6-2.9 mm. ; width 1.5-1.6 mm.
Type male M.C.Z. Type No. 27799 and four paratypes, 1 in the U.S.N.M. Cat. No. 58725.
Type locality.-Mt. Diego de Ocampo, circa 3-4000 ft. elevation, Dominican Republic, collected in July 1938 by P. J. Darlington.
Remarks.-The extremely indistinct sulcus on the pro- thorax of many of the specimens at first confuses one as to the generic place of this beetle, but Lactica seems to be the genus to which it most closely corresponds. Lactica megaspila n. sp.
Fig. 5
About 3 mm. in length, oblong ovate, shining, yellow brown, antennas with the outer joints dark, elytra with four large dark spots having a greenish lustre, two at base and the other two at the apex of the elytra. Head rather deeper brown on the occiput, possibly with aenous lustre in some specimens, densely and obsoletely punctate with a few larger punctures on inner side near the eye; frontal tubercles well marked with a depression above, the space between the antenna1 socketsa little produced ; lower front rather short ; interocular space over half the width of the head. Antennas extending to the middle of the elytra, third joint shorter than the fourth, remainder subequal, the three basal joints paler. Prothorax not twice as broad as long, moderately convex with a wide explanate margin on sides and a clearly marked basal sulcus deepest at limiting ends; surface finely punctate. Elytra shining yellow brown, each with a basal and larger apical spot, the basal spot extending nearly across the base, the apical spot extending from the middle almost to the apex, in the apical spot an aeneous lustre ; a short intrahumeral sulcus and depression behind the basal callosity ; surface shining, very faintly punctate, a wide explanate margin along the sides. Epipleura



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19481 Blake-Flea Beetles 145
wide, gradually disappearing before the apex. Body beneath pale, shining beneath the short pale pubescence; hind tibiae with small spur, first tarsal joint moderately long, claws appendiculate. Length 3.1 mm; width 1.6 mm.
Type male M.C.Z. Type No. 27800.
Type locality.-Villalba, Puerto Rico, collected by C. M. Matos June 28, 1934, in the Stuart T. Danforth col- lection.
Remarks.-There are two species from Central Amer- ica that have somewhat similar markings,-L. nigromacu- lata Jac. with four small basal spots and a large apical spot but with a pale undersurface and pale femora ; and L. variabilis Jac. which has two basal spots and two apical spots. The second species also has quite differently colored legs.
Pseudoepitrix hottensis n. sp.
Fig. 4
About 2.5 mm. in length, elongate, shining reddish brown, outer joints of antennae and undersurface deeper brown in color; pronotum densely and rather coarsely punctate.
Head with interocular space half its width, occiput rounded, not very shiny but finely alutaceous, a circle of fine punctures in front and over the indistinct tubercles, a sulcus running from antenna1 sockets up to eye; anten- nal sockets situated about midway down front of head, lower front tapering. Antennae extending to the middle of the elytra, third joint shorter than fourth, last five joints darker. Prothorax not twice as wide as long with only slightly curved and nearly straight sides, having a prominent anterior angle under eye ; a well marked and somewhat sinuate basal depression ; surf ace finely alu- taceous, somewhat shiny, moderately coarsely and densely punctate. Elytra with the striate punctures coarser in basal half, becoming fine at apex, basal callosities well marked and a transverse impression below them. Body beneath deeper brown, shining, lightly pubescent, legs yellow brown, tibiae not silicate, first tarsal joint not so



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Psyche
long as the remaining joints together, claws appendicu- late.
Length 2.5 mm. ; width 1.2 mm.
Type male M.C.Z.
Type No. 27801.
Type localit y.-Desbarriere, Mt. LaHotte, Haiti, about 4000 ft. elevation, collected Oct. 12-14, 1934, by P. J. Darlington.
Remarks.-This is the second species to be described from Hispaniola. P. hispanioice Blake, described from the ~ominican Republic, is more robust with a much more densely and coarsely punctate pronotum, and has a dif- f erently shaped aedeagus.
Pseudoepitrix punctatissima n. sp.
Fig. 7
About 2 mm. in length, elongate oblong, moderately convex, shining, very dark reddish brown, almost piceous, with densely and coarsely punctate pronotum and elytra; legs and antennal joints 3-6 and 10 and 11 pale. Head with interocular space fully half its width ; occiput rounded, distinctly punctate, a deeply impressed line straight across front over frontal tubercles joining with a sulcus about inner and upper side of eye; frontal tuber- cles somewhat elevated ; space between antennal sockets narrow, and lower front to labrum short, labrum long and paler in color. Antennae not reaching the middle of the elytra, joints 3-6 and 10 and 11 pale, outer joints heavier. Prothorax not twice as wide as long, rather convex, with prominent anterior angle under eye and tooth at basal angle, basal margin a little sinuate, a shallow depression along base ; anterior margin a little paler reddish brown; surface shining, densely, deeply and coarsely punctate. Elytra with rounded basal callosity and depression below, convex, very shining dark reddish brown, coarsely striate punctate, the punctures near the suture dense and a little confused and at apex becoming fine, on sides next to mar- gin deeply impressed. Epipleura not reaching apical angle.
Body beneath shining deep reddish brown, with paler legs. Anterior coxal cavities open, hind tibiae not grooved, claws appendiculate. Length 2 mm.; width 1- mm.




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Blake-Flea Beetles
Type female M.C.Z.
Type No. 27802.
Type locality.-Desbarriere, Mt. LaHotte, about 4000 feet elevation, Haiti, collected Oct. 12-14, 1934, by P. J. Darlington.
Remarks.-This species is more convex than the other species of Pseudoepitrix from the West Indies, and it has short antennz and much coarser punctation, which near the suture of the elytra is confused. It may possibly belong to a different genus.
Aphthona fraterna n. sp.
Fig. 6
About 2 mm. in length, ovate, shining reddish brown with yellow antennz having joints 6-9 black; elytra very finely striate punctate.
Head with interocular space a little more than half its width, smoothly rounded over occiput, frontal tubercles indistinct, a narrow carina from between antenna1 sockets down to labrum, a lightly impressed line on either side of forehead running up from short sulcus near eye. Anten- nz scarcely reaching the middle of the elytra, joints 3 and 4 subequal and shorter than 5, joints 6-9 black. Pro- thorax not twice as wide as long with obliquely cut anter- ior angles, only slightly curved, nearly straight sides, and basal margin forming an oblique angle near sides, disk polished, impunctate. Elytra polished, convex, with out depressions, with faintly striate punctation becoming indistinct at apex. Body beneath shining reddish brown, anterior coxal cavities open, hind tibiz sulcate, with a small spur at apex; claws simple. Length 1.8 mm.; width 1.2 mm.
Type female, M.C.Z.
Type No. 27803.
Type locality.-Desbarriere, Mt. LaHotte, Haiti, near 4000 ft., collected Oct. 12-14, 1934, by P. J. Darlington. Remarks.-This species is closely related to A. i~solita Melsh. from North America and A. fulvipevmis Jac. from Guatemala.
All three are reddish brown beetles having the antennz pale with the outer joints in part dark. All have very lightly striate-punctate elytra. A. f ulvipewis from its description appears to resemble A. ifisolita in the



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148 Psyche
[ sept.
sculpture of the head in that the frontal tubercles are elevated. In A. fraterma the tubercles are not even dis- tinctly marked and the lower front is excavated with only a very narrow ridge running down the front between the antenna1 sockets. A. insolita has a quite different face, particularly in the lower front. It has also very fine punctures on the pronotum, the antenn~ are heavier and the entire beetle is more convex than A. fraterna. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 14
Fig. 1.
Lactica xanthotrachela, n. sp.
Fig. 2. Lactka darlingtoni, n. sp.
Fig. 3.
Lactica porphyrea, n. sp.
Fig. 4. Pseudoepitrix hottensis, n. sp.
Fig. 5. Laclica megaspila, n. sp.
Fig. 6.
Aphthonm fraterna, n. sp.
Fig. 7.
Pseudoepitrix punctatissimx, n. sp.




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19481 Blake-Flea Beetles 149
PSYCHE, 1948
VOL. 55, PLATE 14




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