Contributions to the knowledge of Albanian Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera), with the redescription of Luperus flaviceps Apfelbeck, 1912

The Balkan region is among the least-studied areas in Europe with respect to Chrysomelidae, particularly over the last decades. This study aims to contribute new data to the knowledge of the Albanian chrysomelid fauna. Specifically, it aims to: (i) provide new information on the distribution of chrysomelid species within the country; (ii) develop a reference library of DNA barcode sequences for the molecular identification of Albanian Chrysomelidae; and (iii) redescribe Luperus flaviceps Apfelbeck, 1912, a rare chrysomelid found in Albania whose original description is brief and lacks some key diagnostic characters.

Chrysomelidae were collected from multiple localities in central and southern Albania. As a result, 12 species are reported from Albania for the first time, together with three additional taxa that likely represent species new to science. Furthermore, updated distributional data for 81 species within the country are provided.

A total of 71 DNA barcode sequences representing 57 species were generated; they constitute the only publicly available barcode sequences for Albanian Chrysomelidae, and eight of them represent new taxon records for public reference databases. The redescription of L. flaviceps is provided, including high-quality photographs of both males and females, as well as a detailed description and illustration of the aedeagus morphology, which was previously unknown.

The results presented here emphasize the need for further investigations on Albanian Chrysomelidae to improve our understanding of their diversity within the country.