Chiridopsis tessellata ( Spaeth, 1917 )

Świ, Jolanta, 2017, A monograph of the Afrotropical Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Part 4. Revision of the genus Chiridopsis Spaeth, Zootaxa 4316 (1), pp. 1-85 : 61-63

Chiridopsis tessellata ( Spaeth, 1917)

( figs 6 , 23 , 100, 101 )

Chirida tessellata Spaeth, 1917: 439 .

Chiridopsis tessellata: Spaeth, 1924: 347, 1933 a: 356 ; Borowiec, 1999: 304.

Description. Le: 5.3–6.3 mm, Wi: 4.0– 4.5 mm, Lp: 2.1–2.4 mm, Wp: 3.2–3.7 mm, Le/Wi: 1.35–1.47, Wp/Lp: 1.46–1.54.

Pronotum yellow ( figs 100, 101 ), disc with four black spots: one elongate in front of scutellum, sometimes with deep, yellow anterior cleft, one round to elongate on each side and one more or less cordiform anteriorly, occasionally the front spot reduced to two or three small black points or completely obsolete. Scutellum black, sometimes with small yellow spot centrally or yellow apex. Elytra yellow, disc with black pattern: 3–5 spots on each side of suture but suture mostly yellow at most with short black stripe behind scutellum and in 2/3 length, 5–6 spots along sides, first two sometimes partly joined together, one spot in the middle of each base of elytron and one or two spots along middle of elytron, first always present placed in anterior 1/5 length of elytron, second slightly behind the middle, often obsolete or more or less joined together with fifth lateral spot. Clypeus dark brown to black, thorax black, abdomen black with narrowly yellow sides. Coxae black, trochanters from yellowish-brown to almost black like rest of legs. Antennae uniformly yellow or apex of last segment infuscate.

Pronotum regularly ellipsoidal ( fig. 100 ), with maximum width in the middle, sides broadly rounded, no basal corners. Surface of disc microreticulate with very fine and moderately dense pricks, from slightly alutaceous to shiny. Explanate margin smooth, from slightly alutaceous to shiny, impunctate, transparent with honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra moderately wider than base of pronotum ( fig. 100 ), humeral angles distinctly protruding anterad, subrounded. Disc moderately, regularly convex in profile, without impressions ( fig. 101 ). Punctation fine, regular, moderately dense to dense, distance between punctures in rows from as wide as to twice wider puncture diameter, on sides denser than on top of disc. Punctures in rows gradually coarser from sutural to marginal rows, in submarginal row punctures approximately three times coarser than in sutural row. Intervals flat, on top of disc 5–6 times, on sides 2–3 times wider than rows, marginal interval twice wider than submarginal one. Surface of intervals smooth, from slightly alutaceous to shiny. Explanate margin narrow, strongly declivous, in the widest part 6.5–7.0 times narrower than disc, with well marked narrow marginal border. Surface of explanate margin distinctly shallowly punctate, interspaces shiny.

Clypeus moderately broad ( fig. 23 ), 1.3 times as wide as long, almost flat. Clypeal grooves distinct, run mostly close to margin of eye, then converging in arch. Surface of clypeal plate microreticulate, with few small punctures and often with short median line. Labrum shallowly emarginate to 1/6 length. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:44:81:67:64:53:56:53:50:56:111, segment 3 approximately 1.8 times as long as segment 2 and 1.2 times as long as segment 4.

Prosternal collar prominent, with soft lateral angle. Prosternal process broad, moderately expanded apically, area between coxae impressed along sides but flat centrally, usually with median line and few oblique striae and along sides with row of punctures, explanate apex flat, lateral lobes bordered from central part by deep impression, surface mostly shiny with few small punctures.

Claws with small basal tooth, last segment of tarsi with distally projecting flanks thus claws appear distinctly denatate.

Distribution. S Republic of Congo ( Zaire) and Zambia ( fig. 6 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis tessellata belongs to the group of species with black pattern composed of numerous black spots on pronotal and elytral disc ( figs 100, 101 ). Three species in the group have a pair of black spots behind scutellum and one or two pairs of black spots close to suture: Ch. nigrostillata , Ch. tanganikana and Ch. tessellata ( figs 83, 84 , 96–101 ). Chiridopsis nigrostillata differs in presence of 6 black spots on pronotal disc and stouter body with length/width ratio 1.26, while in Ch. tanganikana and Ch. tessellata pronotal disc has only 4 spots and body is slimmer with length/width ratio 1.32–1.4. Chiridopsis nigrostillata has a row of 5 black spots along middle of elytron while in Ch. tanganikana and Ch. tessellata occur only two spots in anterior third of mid intervals. Chiridopsis tanganikana differs in prosternal collar distinctly angulate on sides while in Ch. tessellata prosternal collar is not angulate on sides. Lectotype of Chirida tessellata Spaeth, 1917 has been designated to avoid confusion with other similar maculate taxa.

Types examined. Lectotype and 3 paralectotypes (present designation): [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE)] Kapiri, IX 1912, Miss. Agric. (lectotype and 1 paralectotype in MRAC, 2 paralectotypes in MM); paralectotype: [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE)] Mufungwa, Sampwe , Bequaert ( MRAC).

Other specimens examined. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE): Elisabethville , XI 1911, 1, Miss. Agric. ( MRAC) ; Kapiri , IX 1912, 2, Miss. Agric. ( MRAC) ; Kap Plato, 1, Bovie (NMP); Katanga, Kasinga , X 1925, 1, Ch. Seydel ( MRAC) ; Katanga, Lukafu , 6–22 XII 1930, 1, de Witte ( MRAC) ; Lomami, Kamina, 1930, 1, 1931, 1, R. Massart (MRAC, DBET)

ZAMBIA: North-central Province, road Chingola-Solwezi , 2 XII 2004, 1, Snížek & Tichý ( DBET) ; Northwestern Province, NW Kasempa, E of Mutumbva , 5 XI 2008, 1, M. Snížek ( LSC) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Chiridopsis flavipennis (white circles), Chiridopsis tessellata (black circles) and Chiridopsis tschoffeni (black square).

FIGURES 20 – 23. Head. 20. Chiridopsis observabilis — species with flat clypeus; 21. Chiridopsis aubei — species with convex clypeus; 22. Chiridopsis tanganikana — species with long and angulate prosternal collar; 23. Chiridopsis tessellata – species with short and not angulate prosternal collar.

FIGURES 94 – 101. Chiridopsis picturata. 94. Dorsal, 95. Lateral, 96 – 99. Chiridopsis tanganikana. 96. Male dorsal, 97. Male lateral, 98. Female dorsal, 99. Female lateral; 100 – 101. Chiridopsis tessellata. 100. Dorsal, 101. Lateral.

FIGURES 80 – 86. Chiridopsis nigrosepta. Variation of dorsal pattern; 83 – 84. Chiridopsis nigrostillata. 83. Dorsal, 84. Lateral; 85 – 86. Chiridopsis klapperichi. 85. Dorsal, 86. Lateral.