Description of three new species of Benedictus (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini) from China, with comments on their biology and modified ethanol traps for collecting flea beetles

• DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1177.102811
• Publication Date: 2023-08-30T13:19:34Z
• Authors: Yongying Ruan; Alexander S. Kons...; Albert F. Damaška; Lihao Zheng; Jun Chen; Ziye Meng
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Diversity; leaf litter; Insecta; Arthropoda; Chrysomelidae; pan trap; Chrysomeloidea; Alticini; Biota; 01 natural sciences; Coleoptera; taxonomy; Galerucinae; QL1-991; flea beetles; Animalia; pitfall trap; Zoology; Research Article

The diversity and biology of the moss and leaf litter-inhabiting flea beetles are still poorly known. In this study, three new species of Benedictus are described from China: Benedictus fuanensis Ruan & Konstantinov, sp. nov., Benedictus quadrimaculatus Ruan & Konstantinov, sp. nov., and Benedictus wangi Ruan & Konstantinov, sp. nov. Comments on their biology are given. Benedictus quadrimaculatus has a highly unusual morphological feature not reported before in flea beetles: black spots on the abdominal tergites that are visible through the elytra. Traditional and modified ethanol traps were tested and proven useful for collecting leaf litter- and moss-inhabiting flea beetles. Based on our tests, eight traps could collect one specimen each day in the testing sites in Fujian Province; three traps could collect one specimen each day in the testing sites in Guangdong Province.