Cassida sparteiformis, Borowiec & Świętojańska, 2022

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 : 148-149

Cassida sparteiformis sp. nov.

( figs. 43 , 224–225)

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:ABB4EBED-9AED-4342-B2A1-F13F97B4893D

Description. L: 5.20 mm, W: 3.95 mm, Lp: 1.75 mm, Wp: 3.30 mm, L/W: 1.32, Wp/Lp: 1.89. Body short–oval (fig. 224).

Dorsum mostly yellow, elevated intervals on disc with very small brown stripes or minute spots (fig. 224). Head, ventrites, legs and antennae yellow.

Pronotum elliptical, with maximum width in the middle, anterior margin regularly convex, sides angulate, no basal corners. Disc indistinctly bordered from explanate margin except short lateral impressions. Surface of disc alutaceous, with fine punctation and slightly irregular wrinkles. Explanate margin broad, impunctate, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure, its surface from slightly alutaceous to slightly shiny.

Base of elytra slightly wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles moderately protruding anterad, subangulate. Disc depressed in profile (fig. 225), with shallow postscutellar and principal impressions, and low and tiny Hshaped elevation, second interval on slope and fourth interval in the middle slightly elevated. Punctation coarse and dense, arranged in completely regular rows, punctures in rows almost touching each other. Marginal row distinct, its punctures slightly smaller than punctures in central rows. Intervals linear, marginal interval narrow, as wide as submarginal interval and submarginal row combined, no humeral or lateral folds or occasionally with indistinct lateral fold. Explanate margin moderately broad, slightly declivous, in the widest part four times narrower than disc, surface shiny with shallow but coarse and dense punctation and irregular wrinkles, appears irregular to rugose, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus moderately broad, only slightly wider than long. Clypeal grooves fine, runs close to margin of eyes, converging in arch, surface of clypeus with shallow median impression, shiny, with several very small, setose punctures. Labrum narrowly emarginate to 1/3 length. Antennae slim, segments 9–10 approximately 1.8 times as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:57:71:75:68:54:61:64:61:64:125. Segment 3 approximately 1.3 times as long as segment 2 and slightly shorter than segment 4.

Prosternum moderately broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa flat, shiny, without special sculpture except several very small, setose punctures, expanded apex slightly convex, shiny, without sculpture, with several fine setose punctures.

Claws with moderately large basal tooth.

Distribution. Angola ( fig. 43 ).

Remarks. A member of the Cassida lacrymosa species–group. Its mostly yellow body, flat dorsum, elytral punctation coarse and very dense with intervals linear, narrower than rows, and explanate margin of elytra very broad, strongly explanate, almost horizontal distinguish this species from most relatives (figs. 224, 225). Cassida spartea has similarly flattened body, coarse and dense elytral punctation and mostly yellow body but differs in the absence of the H–shaped postscutellar elevation and dorsum uniformly yellow, without pattern ( figs. 222, 223 ). The palest form of C. humerosa at first glance appears similar but differs in more rounded pronotal sides and a more convex elytral disc ( figs. 88, 89 ). C. callosicollis has a mostly yellow dorsum and strong elytral punctation but differs in a more rounded pronotal sides and elytral disc and especially in the elytral disc covered with short, sparse adpressed hair ( figs. 214, 215 ).

Type examined. Holotype: [ ANGOLA]: Cuanza Sul Prov., Gabela, 26 XI 1982, 1, R, Günther ( MNHW)

Other specimens examined. ANGOLA: Salazar , III 1980 ( LS) .

Figures

FIGURE 43. Distribution of Cassida sparteiformis (black diamonds) and Cassida sublesta (black circles).

FIGURES 222–223. Cassida spartea. 224–225. Cassida sparteiformis. 222, 224. Dorsal; 223, 225. Lateral.

FIGURES 86–91. Cassida humerosa. 86–87, 89–91. Dorsal; 88. Lateral.

FIGURES 214–217. Cassida callosicollis. 214, 216. Dorsal; 215, 217. Lateral.