Cassida litigiosa Boheman, 1854

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 : 102-105

Cassida litigiosa Boheman, 1854

( figs. 26 , 295–297 )

Cassida litigiosa Boheman, 1854: 481 ; 1856: 145; 1862: 348; Gemminger & Harold, 1876: 3655; Borowiec, 1985: 241, 1995: 371, 1999: 262; Heron & Borowiec, 1997: 631.

Odontionycha litigiosa: Weise, 1904 b: 173 .

Cassida (Odontionycha) litigiosa: Spaeth, 1914 b: 93 ; Shaw, 1956: 271.

Cassida tenera Boheman, 1854: 483 ; 1856: 145; 1862: 349; Gemminger & Harold, 1876: 3659; Spaeth, 1939: 19 (as syn. of litigiosa ).

Cassida (Odontionycha) tenera: Spaeth, 1914 b: 93 .

Cassida aridella Weise, 1908: 151 ; Borowiec, 1999: 262 (as syn. of litigiosa ).

Cassida (Cassida) aridella: Spaeth, 1914 b: 118 .

Cassida porracea Chevrol. : Gemminger & Harold, 1876: 3655 (nomen nudum).

Description. L: 3.60–4.80, W: 2.30–3.20 mm, Lp: 1.40–1.60 mm, Wp: 2.20–2.50 mm, L/W: 1.46–1.65, Wp/Lp: 1.56–1.57. Body elongate–oval, distinctly converging posterad ( figs. 295, 296 ).

Uniformly yellow or yellowish green, including ventrites, legs and antennae ( figs. 295–297 ).

Pronotum elliptical, with maximum width before the middle, sides rounded. Disc not bordered from explanate margin. Surface of disc finely, very shallowly punctate, punctures much finer than those of elytral disc, hardly visible. Distance between punctures on sides from as wide as to twice wider than puncture diameter, on top of disc punctation very sparse, in area above head mostly impunctate, in many specimens pronotum appears impunctate. Surface of disc regular. Explanate margin of pronotum impunctate, surface regular.

Base of elytra not or only slightly wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles moderately protruding anterad, angulate. Disc moderately, regularly convex in profile ( fig. 297 ), without impressions or with shallow elongate impression in anterior part of sides and behind the middle, without elevations. Punctation coarse and dense, punctures almost touching each other, surface appears irregular. In many specimens, in sutural half of disc, there are one or two elevated longitudinal lines. Explanate margin narrow, in the widest part six times narrower than disc, strongly declivous, almost perpendicular to surface, with very shallow punctation, thus surface appears rather irregular than punctate.

Eyes very large, gena very short, distance between under margin of eye and lateral angle of labrum more than twice shorter than half eye length. Clypeus broad, 1.3–1.4 times as wide as long, clypeal grooves fine, converging in triangle, between grooves and margin of eye row of hairy punctures, clypeal plate flat or shallowly impressed, shiny with several small hairy punctures. Labrum shallowly emarginate. Antennae stout, especially in specimens from western part of distribution area, segments 9–10 slightly transverse. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100: 62:72:68:66:53:68:50:64–68:60–62:100. Segment 3 approximately 1.2 times longer than 2 and approximately and slightly shorter than 4.

Prosternum narrow in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa shallowly impressed, shiny, with few setose punctures, expanded apex slightly convex in the middle, surface shiny, with few small setose punctures.

Claws with small basal tooth.

Host plants. Aizoaceae : Tetagonia tetragonioides (Pall.) Kuntze (H. Heron pers. comm., new family host for the subfamily Cassidinae and the genus Cassida L. ); Amaranthaceae : Amaranthus dubius Mart. ex Thell. (H. Heron pers. comm.), Amaranthus hybridus L., A. viridis L. ( Heron & Borowiec, 1997); Chenopodiaceae : Chenopodium album L. ( Heron & Borowiec, 1997, Borowiec 1999, Borowiec & Świętojańska 2001, Heron 2008); Chenopodium murale L. (H. Heron pers. comm.); Exomis microphylla (Thunberg) Allen ( Borowiec & Świętojańska 2001) ; Rhagodia parabolica R. Brown ( Heron & Borowiec, 1997, Borowiec 1999, Borowiec & Świętojańska 2001); Rhagodia sp. (Addington type) (H. Heron pers. comm.); Salvadoraceae : Salvadora persica L.—adults only ( Heron & Borowiec 1997, Borowiec 1999, Borowiec & Świętojańska 2001); Polygonaceae : Emex australis Steinh. —adults only ( Heron & Borowiec, 1997, Borowiec 1999, Borowiec & Świętojańska 2001). Record from Atriplex nummularia Lindley ( Heron & Borowiec, 1997) now concerns Cassida reticulipennis Borowiec & Świętojańska, 2001 .

Distribution. Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe ( fig. 26 ).

Remarks. Populations from the northwestern part of the range, especially from Namibia, usually have shorter antennae than populations from the eastern part of the range, also the size of the basal tooth of the claws varies and in some populations the claws appear untoothed.

A member of the Cassida litigiosa species–group. It belongs to the complex of species with a more or less elongate body, elytra distinctly converging posterad and with strongly declivous explanate margin of elytra ( figs. 300–302 ). The complex comprises also C. lycii , C. melanophthalma and C. reticulipennis . The first two species distinctly differ in the coarse punctation of the pronotum while in C. litigiosa the punctation of the pronotum is fine, shallow, punctures much finer than those of the elytral disc, hardly visible. Cassida reticulipennis is very similar but differs in a slightly stouter body (L/W 1.38–1.45, in C. litigiosa usually 1.46–1.65) and a slightly coarser but sparser elytral punctation (figs. 298, 299). Cassida oxylepiformis has the body also elongate but almost parallel sided, with an extremely declivous explanate margin of elytra, cylindrical (fig. 293).

Types examined. Holotype of Cassida litigiosa Boheman, 1854 : [ SOUTH AFRICA]: Cap. B. Sp. (NRS); holotype of Cassida tenera Boheman, 1854 : [ SOUTH AFRICA]: Cap, Krebs; syntype of Cassida aridella Weise, 1908 : [ SOUTH AFRICA]: Transvaal, 1, K. Hartmann (ZMHU).

Other specimens e xamined. BOTSWANA: Botswana , 14 IX 1974, 2, R. McBee ( MSU) ; Central Kalahari , Deception Valley, 21°30’S, 23°30’E, 24 III 1996, 1, J. Jakubec ( LS) ; Gaberones , II 1915, 4, R. Ellenberger ( MNHN) ; Maun , Island Safari Lodge env., 2–15 I 1994, 1, M. Snižek ( MS) ; Serowe , 11 IX 1984, 2, P. Farchhammer ( NIC) .

NAMIBIA: Aranos , 15 IV 1987, 3, D. Barnard ( NIC) ; Bushmanland, Gautsche Pan , 19.48 S 20.35 E, 9–13 VI 1971, 1 ( WM) ; Bushmanland, Klein Dobe , 19–21 II 1992, 3, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Bushmanland , 18 km W of Tsotsana, 19.04 S 20.37 E, 14–19 VI 1971, 1 ( WM) ; Caprivi Zipfel, Katima Mulilo , 3–8 III 1992, 1, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) , 15–24 I 1995, 5, M. Snižek ( MS, MNHW) , 15–24 I 1995, 2, F. Kantner ( FK) ; Damaraland, Abachaus , I 1947, 1, G. Hobohm ( TM) , VI 1951, 1, C. Koch ( TM) ; Damaraland , 6 km N Arandis, 22.22 S 14.59 E, 15 I 1985, 1, E. Griffin ( WM) ; Diamond Area, Uri–Hauchab Mt. , 25.22 S 15.11 E, 24–26 V 1983, 1, J. Irish ( WM) ; Ella West, Rehoboth , 4 IX 1972, 2 ( WM) ; Etosha Nat. Park, Ekuma Riv. , 18.34 S 15.59 E, 30 III 1987, 5, E. Marais & J. Irish ( WM) ; Etosha Nat. Park, Tobiroen , 18.58 S 14.57 E, 15 V 1987, 1, E. Griffin ( WM) ; Gobabais, Farm Boxagen , 1–3 X 1991, 8, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Grootfontein, Farm Hurisib , 8–9 X 1991, 2, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Grootfontein, Klein Nosib , IV 1989, 2, J. Irish ( ZMHU) ; Hereroland East, W of Theronsvallei, Eiseb River , 20.36 S 20.27 E, 1, E. Marais ( WM) ; Kaokoland, Ondorusu Falls , 23–26 VIII 1973, 43 ( WM) ; Kaokoland, Ruacana waterfall, 17°24’23.8’’S 14°13’02.6’’E, 780 m, 26, R. Dobosz & G. Kopij ( MNHW, USMB) ; Kavango, Andara , 20–25 VIII 1971, 6 ( WM) ; Kavango, Kaudom–Camp , 22–25 II 1992, 1, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Kavango, Mahango Game Res. , 28 II 1992, 1, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Kavango, Popa Falls , 26–31 VIII 1971, 4 ( MW) , 26 II–3 III 1992, 1, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Kavango, Takwasa , 14–19 I 1971, 7 ( WM) ; Namaland, Mukorob , 12–14 IV 1974, 1 ( WM) , 27 III 1988, 5, E. Marais & J. Irish ( WM) ; Okahandja , II 1978, 1, S.J. van Tonder ( NIC) , 28–30 XI 2004, 1, M. Klícha ( LS) ; Omaruru, Farm Otjna , 5–7 X 1991, 3, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Osona n. Okahandja , III–IV 1989, 9, J. Irish ( ZMHU) ; Otavi , II 1978, 1, S.J. van Tonder ( NIC) ; 35 km E Otavi, Kombat , 1640 m, 1, Wiesner & Worm ( SMNS) ; Otjiwarongo Distr., Abachaus , XII 1957, 5, G. Hobohm ( MM) ; SW Kalahari, Stamprietfontein , XI 1948, Koch & van Son ( MNHW) ; Swakopmund, Rössing Mine , 22.28 S 15.02 E, 20 XI 1984, 1, E. Griffin ( WM) ; Swakopmund, Upper Panner Gorge , 22.29 S 15.01 E, 20 XI 1984, 1, E. Griffin ( WM) ; Swartbooidrift , 24 VIII 1959, 4, F. Gaerdes ( ZSM) ; Windhoek , 1–6 I 1974, 2 ( WM) , 7–13 I 1974, 2 ( WM) , 14–23 I 1974, 4 ( WM) , 4–11 II 1974, 5 ( WM, MNHW) , 11–17 II 1974, 8 ( WM) , 18–24 II 1974, 4 ( WM) , 25 II–5 III 1974, 6 ( WM) , 18–31 III 1974, 2 ( WM) , 1–12 IV 1974, 2 ( WM) , 1–31 X 1974, 1 ( WM) , 1–11 XI 1974, 1 ( WM) , 26 V 1984, 1 ( NIC) , 4–5 XI 1991, 2, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) ; Windhoek, Regenstein , 12 XII 1973, 1 ( WM) ; Windhoek, Rieselfelder , 30 IX 1991, 1, U. Göllner ( ZMHU) .

SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Addo , approximately 100 m, 1, Grobbelaar et al. ( NIC) ; Eastern Cape, Roadside 22 km WNW Alexandria, approximately 200 m, 29 V 1996, 3, Grobbelaar et al. ( NIC) ; Eastern Cape, Aliwal North , 15–17 X 1968, 1, J.H. Potgieter ( TM) , III 1979, 1, C.D. Eardley et al. ( NIC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Burnt Kraal, Grahamstown , 33°17’S, 26°29’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape, n. Craddock , 25 VII 1985, 3, on Emex australis, J. Scott & M. Way (NIC) ; Eastern Cape, 9 km NW Engoobo , 1300 m, 31.38 S 27.59 E, 4 XII 1995, 1, M. Biondi ( DS) ; Eastern Cape, near Grahamstown , 15 VI 1983, 1, VI 1983, 2 on Exomis microphylla, G.H. Walter (NIC) ; Eastern Cape, Middelburg , 1974, 2, J. Möhr ( NIC) , 28 VI 1976, 1, E.V. Cloete ( NIC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Steytlerville , 33°20’S, 24°16’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Free State, Lancaster Quarry , 32 km SW of Harrismith, 28°26’S, 28°53’E, 1 ( HH) ; Free State, Tuseen die Rivier Resreve, near Bethulie , 30°30’S, 26°12’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Limpopo Prov., D’Nyala Nat. Res., Ellisras district , 23°45’S, 27°49’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Limpopo Prov., Letaba, Kryger Nat. Park , 23°51’S, 31°34’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Limpopo Prov., Warmbaths , 24°51’S, 28°19’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Northern Cape Prov., Bladgrond, 60 km from Pofadder , 28°53’S, 19°55’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Northern Cape, Bynes Krans , 30.20 S 17.32 E, 17 IX 1982, 1, M.–L. Penrith ( WM) ; Northern Cape, Groblershoop , 9 X 1986, 7, C.G. Moolman ( NIC, MNHW) ; Northern Cape, Kimberley , 29 I 1971, 1, H. van Schalkwyk & A. Pienaar ( NIC) ; Northern Cape Prov., Orange River valley , 4 km NE of Kakamas, 28°44’S, 20°41’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Western Cape, Cape Flats , I 1941, 2, C.J. Joubert ( NIC) ; Western Cape, Clanwilliam , 10 III 1985, 1 on Tribulus terrestris, R. Sheperd (NIC) ; Western Cape, Lamberts Bay , 20 XI 1975, 1, S. EndrödyYounga ( TM) ; Western Cape, Namaqua, 1 ( MM) ; Western Cape, Stellenbosch , II 1978, 2, S. Neser ( NIC) ; Western Cape Prov., Storms River Mouth, Tsitsikamma, 1 ( ARC) ; Western Cape, Swartbg., Meiringspoort , 23 IX 1985, 2, S. Endrödy – Younga ( TM) ; Free State, W of Bothaville, Vaal river , 24 XII 2008, 4, M. Snižek ( MS) ; Kalahari Gemsbok Nat. Park , 16–24 V 1966, 1, H.K. Munro ( NIC) ; KZN, Roadside W Mooi River , 1500 m, 22 IV 1998, 1, Neser et al. ( NIC) ; Mossel Bay , Cape province, 25 XI 1938, 9, R. E. Turner ( BMNH, LS) ; Natal, Addington, Durban , 29°51’S, 31°20’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Brighton Beach, Bluff , Durban , 29°53’29’’S, 31°00’14’’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Canelands area, near Verulam , North Coast , 29°37’S, 31°31’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, „Eden Lassie”, near Ingomankulu, Camperdown district , 29°47’S, 30°29’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Malvern , 1 II 1950, 3, A. Capener ( ZSM) ; Natal, Richmond , XII 1954, 1 ( MRAC) ; Natal, Umbilo, Durban , 29°36’S, 30°23’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Winkelspruit, Kingsburgh , 30°05’S, 30°51’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Winterton , 28°46’S, 29°35’E, 1 ( HH) ; North West Prov., Bothaville, Vaal riv., 27 XI 2002, 1, M. Snižek ( MS) ; North West Prov., 20 km W Bothaville, Klerksdorp , 31 I 2001, 1, M. Snižek ( MS) ; North West Prov., 25 km NW of Setlagole , 26°05’S, 24°58’E, 1–2 II 2003, 1, R. + H. Fouquè leg. ( LS) ; Pieter Maritzburg , 1919, 1, Schwarze leg. ( LS) ; Oranje F. State, Adullam Farm n. Clarens , 20–26 II 1980, 1, J. van Tonder ( NIC) ; Oranje F. State, Bethulie, Game Farm , 29 XI–3 XII 1982, 1 ( BM) ; Oranje F. State, Bothaville , 28 I 1971, 1, H. van Schalkwyk & A. Pienaar ( NIC) ; Oranje F. State, Fouriesburg , 20–26 II 1980, 1, C. Kok ( NIC) ; Oranje F. State, Harrismith , 4 XII 1984, 1, P. Reavell ( NIC) ; Oranje F. State, Jacobsdal , 16–18 XI 1981, 1, Louw et al. ( BM) ; Oranje F. State, Vrede , 9–15 II 1979, 1, A. Strydom ( BM) ; Pietermaritzburg, Natal , 22 IX 1904, 1 ( LS) ; Rooiberg , XI 1934, 1, P. T. Parker ( BMNH) ; Transvaal, Kruger Nat. Park , Nwanedesi Firebreak, 1, A.C. Kemp ( TM) ; Transvaal, Letaba , 15 I 1965, 1, A.L. Capener ( NIC) ; Transvaal, Malvern , 1 II 1957, 1, A.L. Capener ( MNHW) ; Transvaal, Nelspruit , IV 1920, 1 ( NIC) ; Transvaal , Njelele R., farm “Joan”, IX 1939, 2, H.K. Munro ( NIC) ; Transvaal, Nylsvley Nature Res. , 1095 m, V 1978, 1, G. Ferreria ( NIC) ; Transvaal, Potgietersrus, Hulpfontein , 5 III 1963, 1, H. van Schalkwyk ( NIC) ; Transvaal, Platrivier , I–II 1903, 2, v. Jutrzencka ( TM) ; Transvaal, Pretoria , 1, G. van Son ( TM) ; Transvaal, Rooiberg , XI 1934, 4, P.T. Parker ( NIC) ; Transvaal, Soutpansberg , 17 III 1973, 1 S. Endrödy – Younga ( TM) ; Transvaal, Waterberg , 1898–1899, 1, v. Jutrzencka ( TM) ; Warmbath , 22 XII 1964, 1, A.L. Capener ( NIC) ; Weenen, Natal , XI 1928 – III 1929, 1, H. P. Thomaset ( BMNH) .

ZAMBIA: Livigstone , 28 VIII 1941, 2, W. Eichler ( IZPAS) .

ZIMBABWE: 20 km SE Birchennough Bridge , 24 XII 1998, 6, M. Snižek ( MS), 24 I 1998, 1, F. Kantner ( FK) .

Figures

FIGURE 26. Distribution of Cassida litigiosa (black circles), Cassida nigeriana (black square) and Cassida oberlaenderi (black diamonds).

FIGURES 295–297. Cassida litigiosa. 298–299. Cassida reticulipennis. 295–296, 298. Dorsal; 297, 299. Lateral.

FIGURES 300–302. Cassida melanophthalma. 303–304. Cassida praetimida. 300–301, 303. Dorsal; 302, 304. Lateral.