(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae)
Apteropeda Chevrolat
Apteropeda orbiculata |
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Apteropeda orbiculata |
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Distribution: Europe, northern Africa.
Statistics: 4 species.
Host Plants: Satureja
vulgaris, Rhinanthus sp. (Kaszab, 1962), Ajuga, Aster,
Cirsium, Galeopsis, Linaria, Plantago, Primula, Rhinanthus,
Scrophularia, Stachys, Verbascum, Veronica (Mohr,
1966).
Comments: The name Apteropeda has been used for
this genus for nearly 150 years. However, an inappropriate
designation of Haltica globosa as the type species of
Sphaeroderma Stephans (Westwood 1840), would place
Apteropeda as a junior subjective synonym of
Sphaeroderma (see discussion under the later genus for
detail). In order to preserve nomenclatoral stability, we are
preparing an application to the International Commission on
Zoological Nomenclature for preservation of the name
Apteropeda. Chevrolat did not propose a type
species for Apteropeda in 1836, but properly designated
Haltica ciliata Olivier as the type eight years later.
Chûjô (1936) unnecessarily designated Apteropeda
globosa Illiger as the type of the same genus.
Diagnosis: Body small to medium sized, broadly
elliptical, convex from lateral view. Color dark brown or
black with or without metallic lustre.
Head pro-hypognathous, more or less flat from lateral
view. Frontal ridge wide to narrow, forming angular T-shaped
structure with apical margin of head capsule. Antennal calli
ovoid, broadly connected, not raised, but delineated from vertex
by deep furrows. Orbital line present. Antenna 11-segmented
filiform.
Pronotum wide and short, lateral margin narrowly
explanate. Procoxal cavity open behind. Intercoxal prosternal
process wide and long, parallelsided. Meso- and metasternum wide
and very short.
Elytra oval, convex, without humeral calli. Punctures
arranged in striae; interspaces usually flat. Epipleuron more or
less narrow, subvertical.
Metafemur usual. Metatibia with dorsal flat area
extending beyond apical 1/2, lateral side of dorsal surface with
dense denticles. Metatibial spine inserted medially. First
metatarsal segment as long as following two combined.
