Chaetocnema stephens and related genera (coleoptera, chrysomelidae, alticinae): A systematic revision, with description of a new genus from the indian ocean (seychelles)

Abstract

Chaetocnema Stephens and its related flea beetle genera Terpno-chlorus Fairmaire, Carcharodis Weise, Pepila Weise, Collartaltica Bechyné, Biodontocnema Biondi, and Seychellaltica n. gen. are considered for a taxonomic analysis. Scanning electron micro graphs of particular morphological aspects of these genera are in cluded. The new genus Seychellaltica from Seychelles is de scribed. The following species are attributed to it: Seychellaltica mahensis (Maulik) (type species), S. krishna Maulik, and two new species S. gardineri sp. n. and S. praslinensis sp. n. Line drawings of male and female genitalia of the Seychellaltica species are illus trated. A cladistic analysis of this taxonomic group using a parsi mony method is presented. Chaetocnema shows most affinity with the Afrotropical genera Carcharodis, Collartaltica and Biodontocnema, while Pepila, the new genus Seychellaltica, and above all Terpnochlorus, appear to have originated in earlier times. © 2002 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.