Cassida ghesquieri Spaeth, 1943

Borowiec, Lech & Świętojańska, Jolanta, 2022, A monograph of the Afrotropical Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Part 6. Revision of the tribe Cassidini 3, the genus Cassida L., Zootaxa 5171 (1), pp. 1-250 : 72

Cassida ghesquieri Spaeth, 1943

( figs. 19 , 329–330)

Cassida ghesquieri Spaeth, 1943: 60 ; Borowiec, 1999 a: 253.

Description. L: 4.60–4.70 mm, W: 3.90–4.20 mm, Lp: 1.70 mm, Wp: 3.60–3.75 mm, L/W: 1.12–1.18, Wp/Lp ratio: 2.12–2.20. Body almost circular (fig. 329)

Pronotum yellow. Elytra yellow to reddish, explanate margin with reddish humeral and posterolateral spots (figs. 329, 330). Humeral spot runs slightly in distance from anterior margin of elytra. Elytral disc with small, brown spot on postscutellar elevation, two small, brown, elongate spots on second interval, first spot in 1/3, second in 2/3 length of the interval, and small elongate brown spot approximately in half length of fourth interval, sometimes disc only with spot on postscutellar elevation. Antennae yellow, last four segments infuscate. Clypeus at sides infuscate, in the middle yellowish. Thorax black, abdomen mostly black only margins yellow. Coxa and trochanters brownish black, femora yellow, only narrow ring at base brownish, tibiae and tarsi yellow.

Pronotum broad, approximately 2.1 times as wide as long, with maximum width distinctly behind the middle, sides angulate. Pronotal disc regularly convex, distinctly, finely punctate, distance between punctures from as wide as to twice wider than puncture diameter. Interspaces smooth, shiny. Explanate margin subhorizontal, at base distinctly but sparsely punctate than on disc, in anterior half punctation very shallow and distinctly sparser than at base, interspaces smooth and shiny, surface transparent with honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra as wide as pronotum thus body outline without cleft between pronotal and humeral angles, humeral angles moderately protruding anterad, subangulate. Disc irregularly convex in profile (fig. 330), with distinct postscutellar and principal impressions, with well marked H–shaped elevation forming low tubercle, interval 2 on entire length and interval 4 in the middle slightly convex. Punctation coarse and dense, arranged in completely regular rows, punctures in rows almost touching each other. Marginal row distinct, its punctures as coarse as in central rows. Intervals mostly linear, elevated second and partly fourth intervals from as wide as to slightly narrower than rows, marginal interval as wide as submarginal row and interval combined, humeral fold usually absent, lateral fold short but distinct. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part four times narrower than disc, surface from slightly alutaceous to shiny, yellow parts of surface transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus moderately broad, slightly wider than long. Clypeal grooves fine but well marked, runs close to margin of eye, on top converging in angle, surface of clypeus flat, shiny with few very small, setose punctures. Labrum emarginate to 1/4 length. Antennae stout, segments 9–10 approximately as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:50:78:75:63:50:59:50:53:56:125. Segment 3 approximately 1.6 times as long as segment 2 and only slightly longer than segment 4.

Prosternum moderately in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa convex, shiny, along size with few coarse punctures, central part often with oblique, short grooves, expanded apex in the middle strongly convex, shiny with few moderately coarse, setose punctures, sides deeply impressed, with coarse, dense, setose punctures, surface appears irregular.

Claws simple.

Distribution. Democratic Republic of Congo ( fig. 19 ).

Remarks. A member of the Cassida lacrymosa species–group. In body shape it looks very similar to C. troglodytes but differs in the presence of humeral and posterolateral spots on explanate margin (fig. 329) while in C. troglodytes the explanate margin of elytra is without spots, from yellow to dark red ( figs. 229–231 ). Pronotal punctation in C. ghesquieri is slightly coarser and the pronotum slightly wider than in specimens of C. troglodytes . Maybe it is only a colour aberration of the variable and polymorphic C. troglodytes . In dorsal colour it is also similar to Cassida elgonensis and C. pernix but the first species differs in a more elongate and parallel sided body and lower postscutellar H–shaped elevation and the second species differs in size above 5 mm, lower postscutellar H–shaped elevation and yellow ventrites.

Type examined. Holotype: [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE)]: Rutshuru, IV 1937, J. Ghesquière ( MRAC).

Other specimens examined. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE): Kivu, Mulungu, 1939, 1 ( MNHW).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Distribution of Cassida granulicollis (black circles), Cassida ghesquieri (black diamonds) and Cassida garambana (black square).

FIGURES 226–231. Cassida troglodytes. 226–227, 229–231. Dorsal; 228. Lateral.