Discovery of the first leaf litter inhabiting flea beetles in Brazil (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) with description of two new genera and three new species

Abstract

Two new genera of flea beetles are described and illustrated: Brasilplatus Oliveira, Linzmeier & Konstantinov new genus, monotypic, type species B. bahianus Oliveira, Linzmeier & Konstantinov new species, and Tupiniquim Linzmeier, Oliveira & Konstantinov new genus, containing two species, T. pronotalis Linzmeier, Oliveira & Konstantinov new species and T. confusa Linzmeier, Oliveira & Konstantinov new species and type species of the genus. These are the first described genera of flea beetles inhabiting leaf litter in Brazil. Brasilplatus belongs to the subtribe Monoplatina and is compared to other Monoplatina genera known to occur in leaf litter or moss cushions: Andersonaltica Linzmeier & Konstantinov, 2012, Apleuraltica Bechyné, 1956 and Ulrica Scherer, 1962. Tupiniquim is unique among New World flea beetles, it allies cannot be immediately identified. Here it is compared to several New World and Old World genera.