Cassida pernix Spaeth, 1917

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 : 126

Cassida pernix Spaeth, 1917

( figs. 28 , 105–106)

Cassida pernix Spaeth, 1917: 433 ; Shaw, 1961: 31; Borowiec, 1999 a: 272.

Description. L: 5.10–5.15 mm, W: 4.20 mm, Lp: 1.90 mm, Wp: 3.50–3.55 mm, L/W: 1.21–1.23, Wp/Lp: 1.84– 1.87. Body almost circular (fig. 105).

Pronotum reddish yellow to reddish, disc on sides with two darker reddish spots of diffused borders. Scutellum yellow reddish, elytral disc reddish, often top of disc paler reddish yellow and sides darker reddish. Explanate margin yellow reddish with broad, reddish humeral and posterolateral spots, humeral spot not extending to humeral angle (figs. 105, 106). Head, thorax, abdomen and legs yellow Antennal segments 1–7 yellow, segments 8–10 black, last segment black dorsally, ventral sides in basal half black, in apical half yellow.

Pronotum elliptical, with maximum in the middle, anterior margin regularly convex, sides angulate, no basal corners. Disc indistinctly bordered from explanate margin, without lateral lobes. Surface of disc shiny, with fine to moderately coarse, moderately dense punctation. Distance between punctures from as wide as to thrice times wider than puncture diameter, interspaces regular. Explanate margin broad, shiny, impunctate, regular, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra not or only slightly wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles moderately protruding anterad, subangulate. Disc regularly convex in profile (fig. 106), with distinct postscutellar and principal impressions, and thin H–shaped elevation. Punctation moderately coarse, arranged in regular rows, dense, distance between punctures mostly narrower than puncture diameter and interspaces slightly convex but surface appears regular. Marginal row distinct, its punctures as coarse as punctures in central rows. Intervals mostly linear except slightly convex second interval which is twice narrower than rows, marginal interval distinct, as wide as submarginal interval and two submarginal rows combined, with more or less distinct humeral and distinct lateral folds. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part 4 times narrower than disc, surface with shallow and dense punctation and numerous wrinkles, appears irregular, on pale parts transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus moderately, approximately as wide as long. Clypeal grooves fine but well marked, run close to margin of eyes then converging in angle, surface of clypeus flat or very shallowly impressed, its surface shiny with few very small, setose punctures. Labrum broadly emarginate to 1/4 length. Antennae moderately stout, segments 9–10 approximately as long as wid. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100: 55:87:74:74:52:61:61:68:71:129. Segment 3 approximately 1.6 times as long as segment 2 and approximately 1.2 times as long as segment 4.

Prosternum moderately broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa impressed, without special sculpture, expanded apex with several elongate punctures, surface appears irregular.

Claws simple.

Distribution. Eastern and southern Democratic Republic of Congo ( fig. 28 ).

Remarks. A distinct species, its predominantly reddish colour of elytral disc and red humeral and posterolateral spots on explanate margin are unique. Only Cassida elgonensis and C. ghesquieri from the C. lacrymosa speciesgroup have similar colour but C. elgonensis differs in a more elongate and parallel sided body, mostly black ventrites, higher H–shaped postscutellar elevation and a more elevated second interval; C. ghesquieri differs in length below 5 mm and mostly black ventrites.

Types examined. Three syntypes: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE): Kapiri, IX 1912, Miss. Agric. ( MRAC); four syntypes : DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE): Elisabethville, IX 1911, Miss. Agric. ( MM, MRAC, MNHW) .

Other specimens examined. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE): Katanga, La Kasepa, 23 IX 1923, 1, Ch. Seydel ( MNHW); Upemba Nat. Park , Lusinga, galerie riv. Lusinga, 24 V 1945, 1, de Witte ( MRAC) .

Figures

FIGURE 28. Distribution of Cassida mashonensis (black diamonds), Cassida minutissima (black square) and Cassida pernix (black circles).