Cassida senegalensis, 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 : 142-143

Cassida senegalensis sp. nov.

( figs. 40 , 289–290)

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8E0721E6-5A50-452F-93FE-682E7EE51A46

Etymology. Named after its terra typica.

Description. L: 4.00–4.30 mm, W: 3.20–3.40 mm, Lp: 1.60–1.70 mm, Wp: 2.70–2.95 mm, L/W: 1.23–1.27, Wp/Lp: 1.67–1.74. Body almost circular (fig. 289).

Body uniformly yellow, sometimes apex of last antennal segment infuscate (figs. 289, 290).

Pronotum semicircular, with maximum width at base, sides angulate. Disc moderately convex, indistinctly separated from explanate margin. Surface of disc shiny, impunctate. Explanate margin smooth, shiny, 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 strongly convex, angulate in profile (fig. 290), with well marked scutellar and principal impressions, and low and obtuse H–shaped elevation, in front not surrounding postscutellar impressions, and with short posterior branches. Punctation fine, regular, distance between punctures in rows from as wide as to thrice wider than puncture diameter. Marginal row distinct, with moderately dense punctures, distinctly coarser than punctures in lateral rows. Intervals on top of disc four times on sides twice wider than rows, flat, microreticulate but shiny. Marginal interval well marked on entire length, broad, in anterior half almost twice wider than lateral intervals, without or with indistinct humeral and distinct lateral folds. Explanate margin moderately declivous, moderately broad, in the widest part four times narrower than disc. Surface of explanate margin, shiny, impunctate, transparent with well marked honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus moderately broad, approximately 1.2 times as long as wide, frontal grooves fine, at basal 2/3 length runs close to margin of eye, on top converging in angulation, with a row of long hair. Surface of clypeal plate flat or slightly convex, shiny, impunctate. Labrum narrow, distinctly emarginate to 1/4 length. Antennae stout, segments 9–10 wider than long. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:58:79:75:54:46:50: 54:54:63:112. Segment 3 approximately 1.4 times as long as segment 2 and only slightly longer than segment 4.

Prosternal process moderately broad, moderately expanded apically, area between coxa flat, shiny, impunctate, central part of rhomboidal apex slightly convex, surface shiny, smooth with few small setose punctures.

Claws with large basal tooth.

Distribution. Senegal ( fig. 40 ).

Remarks. A distinct species with no close relatives among African members of the genus Cassida . Its almost circular body, subangulate pronotal sides, elytral disc with hump and elytral punctation completely regular (fig. 289) are unique characters. At first glance the most similar species are only C. capensis , C. garambana and the pale form of C. luxuriosa . The last two species distinctly differ in elytral disc regularly convex in profile ( figs. 283 , 286) and pronotal sides more or less rounded, both have the base of the elytra slightly to moderately wider than the pronotum ( figs. 282 , 284). Cassida capensis has a similar pronotal shape with angulate sides ( fig. 287 ) but differs in a larger size with length 4.95–5.30 mm (in C. senegalensis L= 4.00–4.30 mm) and in having simple claws.

Types examined. Holotype: [ SENEGAL]: SENEGAL / Bambey / 22.X.1943 / J. Risbec / on Cabbage / 1234 // IMP. INST. ENT. / COLL NO. 10711 ( BMNH); paratype: the same data as holotype ( MNHW); paratype: SENEGAL / Bambey / 23.X.1943 / J. Risbec / on Cucurbita / 565 // Pres. by / Comm. Inst. Ent. / B.M. 1981–315 ( BMNH); paratype: [ SENEGAL]: SENEGAL / Bambey / 22.X.1943 / J. Risbec / 565 // Pres. by / Comm. Inst. Ent. / B.M. 1981–315 ( BMNH); four paratypes: [ SENEGAL]: SENEGAL / Bambey / 1945 / J. Risbec // Pres. by / Com. Inst. Ent. / B.M. 1948–143 ( BMNH, MNHW); paratype: [ SENEGAL]: SENEGAL: / Guede / 24.ii.1946. // Pres. by / Com. Inst. Ent. / B.M. 1948–525 ( BMNH); paratype: [ SENEGAL]: Senegal // 67.56 ( MNHW); paratype: [ SENEGAL]: SENEGAL, Petite Cote, Nianing, 15 X 2008, a la lumiere, leg. Alain Coache ( AC); SENEGAL, Thiès, 09 XI 2010, forêt classée de Bandia, battage, leg. Alain Coache ( AC).

Figures

FIGURE 40. Distribution of Cassida rothschildi (black circles), Cassida satanas (black diamond) and Cassida senegalensis (black squares).

FIGURES 282–283. Cassida garambana. 284–286. Cassida luxuriosa. 282, 284–285. Dorsal; 283, 286. Lateral.

FIGURES 287–288. Cassida capensis. 289–290. Cassida senegalensis. 287, 289. Dorsal; 288, 290. Lateral.