Alexander S. Konstantinov

Comparative Morphology of the Female Genitalia and some Abdominal Structures of Neotropical Cryptocephalini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae)

Abstract The female genitalia of New World Cryptocephalini was studied and illustrated based on representatives of 11 of the 13 genera of the tribe. It was found that female genitalia contain pleurites IX, a rare and apparently primitive feature among leaf beetles. In other features cryptocephaline female genitalia are simpler than genitalia of other leaf beetles in having a poorly sclerotized sternite VIII and lacking the tignum. It is also hypothesized that the vagina is formed by sternites IX (dorsally) and VIII (ventrally), and that sclerotized plate of sternite IX can be homologized with vaginal palpi of flea beetles. A set of characters of diagnostic and of possible phylogenetic value was found. In general, Cryptocephalina and Monachulina bear the greatest affinity in overall morphology of the female genitalia, with Pachybrachina possessing a different set of unique morphological states. Of particular diagnostic and phylogenetic value at the subtribal level, as revealed by this study, are the shape and degree of sclerotization of tergite VIII, tergite IX, and sternite VIII.

The First Nearctic Leaf Litter Flea Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Abstract A leaf litter flea beetle was collected for the first time in North America as a result of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This flea beetle is identified as Psylliodes appalachianus new species and is described and illustrated. The history of leaf litter collecting of flea beetles is briefly outlined.

Cachiporrini, a remarkable new tribe of Lamprosomatinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from South America

Abstract A new genus and species of Lamprosomatinae, Cachiporra extremaglobosa Chamorro & Konstantinov, is described from Brazil. A new tribe, Cachiporrini, is proposed. The first phylogenetic analysis of Lamprosomatinae based on adult morphological caharacters is conducted. Comparisons are made among lamprosomatine tribes and genera. A key to tribes is provided.

New genus and species of flea beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini) from Puerto Rico, with comments on flea beetle diversity in the West Indies and a key to the West Indian Monoplatini genera.

Abstract A new genus (Borinken) and five new species (Borinken elyunque, Distigmoptera chamorrae, Kiskeya elyunque, Ulrica eltoro, and Ulrica iviei) from Puerto Rico are described and illustrated. A keyto all West Indian Monoplatini genera is provided, as are keys to all speciesof Kiskeya and to the speciesof Ulrica from Puerto Rico. A list of the flea beetle genera, along with the number of species and some of the faunal features is presented and discussed for the West Indies.

Moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) with description of a new genus from Cangshan, China

The world diversity of moss cushion-inhabiting and moss-feeding flea beetles is documented and discussed. A new genus (Cangshanaltica) with a single new species (Cangshanaltica nigra sp. nov.) from Yunnan Province in China is described and illustrated. It is similar to Benedictus Scherer, Ivalia Jacoby, Minota Weise, Paraminota Scherer, and Phaelota Jacoby. An identification key for all flea beetle genera known to occur in mosses in the eastern hemisphere is provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6341724E-BA3F-4979-B226-108D0CA64B92

Review of the continental Oriental species of Lilioceris Reitter (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Criocerinae) closely related to Lilioceris impressa (F.)

Abstract Criocerine leaf beetles found in Nepal feeding on Dioscorea bulbifera (L.), an invasive weed of Asian origin, were identified as Lilioceris cheni Gressitt and Kimoto based on a synopsis of the Oriental Lilioceris species and review of the Lilioceris impressa species group. All the continental, Oriental species included in the group are diagnosed and illustrated, and a key for their identification is provided. Species status of Lilioceris thibetana Pic, 1916 is resurrected. The following new synonyms are proposed: Lilioceris coomani (Pic, 1928) = Lilioceris egena (Weise, 1922), and Lilioceris subcostata (Pic, 1921a), Lilioceris laticornis (Gressit, 1942), Lilioceris inflaticornis Gressit & Kimoto, 1961, and Lilioceris maai Gressit & Kimoto, 1961 = Lilioceris impressa (Fabricius, 1787). Lectotypes of the following species are designated: Lilioceris coomani Pic, 1928; Lilioceris impressa (Fabricius, 1787); Lilioceris laosensis (Pic, 1916); Lilioceris malabarica (Jacoby, 1904); Lilioceris ruficornis (Pic, 1921b); Lilioceris subcostata (Pic, 1921a); Lilioceris thibetana (Pic, 1916); and Lilioceris unicolor (Hope, 1831).

A New Genus of Moss-Inhabiting Flea Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Nicaragua

Nicaltica new genus and new species (N. selvanegra Konstantinov, Chamorro-Lacayo and Savini) from moss habitat in Nicaragua are described and illustrated. Nicaltica is compared to Kiskeya Konstantinov and Chamorro-Lacayo, Monotalla Bechyné, and Normaltica Konstantinov.

Revision of Mandarella Duvivier from Taiwan, with a new species, new synonymies and identities of highly variable species (Insecta, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini).

Abstract Taiwanese species of Mandarella Duvivier are compared on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence. Only three of eleven morphospecies are considered to be valid. Mandarella uenoi (Kimoto, 1969) is transferred from the genus Luperus Geoffroy. Stenoluperus taiwanus Kimoto, 1991 and Stenoluperus kimotoi Döberl, 2001 are synonymized with Mandarella uenoi. Taiwanese records of Stenoluperus tibialis Chen, 1942, Stenoluperus nipponensis Laboissière, 1913, and Stenoluperus potanini (Weise, 1889) were based on misidentifications and represent Mandarella uenoi. The Taiwanese population previously erroneously identified as Stenoluperus pallipes Gressitt and Kimoto, 1963 is here described as a new species, Mandarella tsoui sp. n., Stenoluperus esakii Kimoto, 1969, Stenoluperus matsumurai Takizawa, 1978, and Mandarella taiwanensis Medvedev, 2012 are synonymized with Mandarella flaviventris (Chen, 1942).

A New Genus of Flea Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from the South of Brazil

Abstract Deciplatus, a new genus of Monoplatina with two new species (D. jundiaiensis and D. nigritus), from the south of Brazil is described and illustrated. Deciplatus is compared to Ulrica Scherer and Laselva Furth. Use of the name Monoplatina is clarified.

A new species of Cangshanaltica Konstantinov et al., a moss-inhabiting flea beetle from Thailand (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini).

Moss cushions represent an interesting, but poorly understood habitat, which hosts many species of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini). However, the diversity of moss-inhabiting flea beetles is not well studied, and collecting in tropical and subtropical locations that were not sampled in the past led to the discovery of many new species (Konstantinov et al. 2013). Here, a new species of a moss-inhabiting flea beetle from the genus Cangshanaltica Konstantinov et al. 2013 is described and illustrated. This genus is one of the recently described moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera and before this study, only one species was known (Konstantinov et al., 2013). This publication raises the number of flea beetle species that are known to occur in moss cushions around the world to 30, distributed among 15 genera.