Cassida schoutedeni Spaeth, 1932

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 : 140-142

Cassida schoutedeni Spaeth, 1932

( figs. 41 , 80–82 )

Cassida schoutedeni Spaeth, 1932: 233 ; Shaw, 1955: 237; Nummelin & Borowiec, 1991: 14; Borowiec, 1999 a: 282.

Description. L: 3.90–4.80 mm, W: 3.35–3.90 mm, Lp: 1.40–1.70 mm, Wp: 2.50–3.10 mm, L/W: 1.16–1.24, Wp/ Lp: 1.76–1.88. Body from almost circular to short–oval, males distinctly stouter than females ( figs. 80, 81 ).

In typically coloured specimens pronotum yellow, disc black sometimes with indistinct dark brown patches of diffused borders at top ( figs. 80, 81 ), sometimes black occupies only central part of disc without lateral lobes and area above head, occasionally disc mostly yellow with brown to black V–shaped figure in front of the scutellum. Scutellum yellowish to yellowish brown, elytral disc in typically coloured specimens black except yellow marginal interval, in some specimens elevated sculpture of disc mostly or partly yellowish to yellowish brown. Explanate margin always yellow. Head yellow, usually with black basal corners, thorax black, abdomen mostly black more or less surrounded by yellow. Coxa black, rest of legs yellow. Antennae yellow, apical segments sometimes partly infuscate.

Pronotum elliptical, with maximum width behind the middle, anterior margin regularly convex, sides rounded, no basal corners. Disc on sides bordered from explanate margin by deep sulcus, lateral lobes more or less distinct. Surface of disc more or less alutaceous, often slightly irregular, microreticulate, with fine to moderate punctation. Distance between punctures varies from twice to five times wider than puncture diameter, specimens with black disc more dense punctured than specimens with mostly yellow disc. Explanate margin broad, impunctate, shiny, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra moderately to much wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles moderately protruding anterad, subangulate to rounded. Disc slightly depressed in profile ( fig. 82 ), with deep postscutellar and principal impressions and high H–shaped elevation, also second interval on entire length and fourth interval in the middle elevated, sides of disc and slope with irregular folds and wrinkles. Punctation coarse and dense, tends to form regular rows, but regularity of rows interrupted by elytral relief, punctures in rows almost touching each other. Marginal row distinct, its punctures as coarse as punctures in central rows. Intervals except elevated parts of second and fourth interval linear, marginal interval narrow, as wide as submarginal row, with short humeral and lateral folds. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part four times narrower than disc, surface shiny with shallow but coarse and dense punctation, appears irregular, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus moderately broad, approximately as wide as long. Clypeal grooves fine but well marked, converging in triangle, surface of clypeus flat with small apical impression, its surface shiny with several very small, setose punctures. Labrum broadly emarginate to 1/5 length. Antennae stout, segments 9–10 slightly transverse. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:57:75:75:54:57:50:46:50:54:143. Segment 3 approximately 1.3 times as long as segment 2 and approximately as long as segment 4.

Prosternum broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa in the middle flat, along sides with row of coarse, setose punctures, central part shiny several small, setose punctures, expanded apex mostly flat, only slightly impressed on sides, central area shiny with few moderately coarse, setose punctures and some short grooves, impressed sides with dense, coarse, setose punctures.

Claws with moderate basal tooth.

Distribution. Mountain regions of Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo ( fig. 41 ).

Remarks. A member of the Cassida lacrymosa species–group. Its almost compltetely black pronotal and elytral disc and immaculate explanate margins places this species close to similarly coloured forms of C. humerosa and C. depicta . The first of these two species distinctly differs in a yellow scutellum and usually completely yellow antennae ( fig. 92 ). Cassida depicta is very similar and differs in the surface of the pronotal disc between punctures less distinctly microreticulate, appearing shiny and dark, elytral disc deep black, without small reddish spots ( fig. 132 ) while in C. schoutedeni surface of the pronotal disc between the punctures is distinctly microreticulate, appearing more or less alutaceous and elytral disc is not deep black, at least with reddish diffused borders, often on the dorsal surface and elytral relief with small reddish spots with diffused borders ( figs. 80, 81 ).

Type examined. Lectotype and two paralectotypes, present designation: [ RWANDA]: Kissenyi , 21 XII 1925, H. Schouteden ( MRAC); paralectotype, present designation: [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE)]: Kivu, Lulenga, 14 XI 1925, Schouteden ( MRAC) ; paralectotype, present designation: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE): Kivu, Burunga, 7 XII 1925, H. Schouteden ( MRAC) ; paralectotype, present designation: [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (ZAIRE)]: Kivu, Tschibinda, XI 1932, 2, L. Burgeon ( MM) .

Other specimens examined. Kivu, Butembe, vall. de la Musosa , V 1967, 1, Leieune ( MRAC) ; Kivu, Goma , X 1932, 1, L. Burgeon ( MRAC) ; Kivu, Loashi , VIII 1937, 1, J. Ghesquière ( MRAC) ; Kivu, Lulenga , 14 XI 1925, 2, Schouteden ( MM, MRAC, MNHW) ; Kivu, Tschibinda , XI 1932, 2, L. Burgeon ( MNHW) ; W Ruwenzori, Beni , II 1908, 1, Herzog Exp. ( ZMHU) .

KENYA: Kakamega Forest, Isiukhu River , IX 2001, 1, Freud, Wagner et al. ( TW) ; Kakamega Forest, Kaimosi , IX 2001, 1, T. Wagner et al. ( TW) ; Kikuyu Escp., Kijabe to Limoru , 6–10 III 1911, 1, S.A. Neave ( MNHW) ; Mt. Elgon Nat. Park, near Chepnyalil Cave , dry evergreen montane forest, 2500 m, 24–28 I 1992, 1, O. Merkl and G. Várkonyi ( HNHM) ; Mt. Elgon, E side of Kaptega River , 2050 m, 4 I 1965, 4, A. Holm ( NRS) ; Mt. Elgon, Koitoboss , 2050 m, 22 I 1938, 1, A. Holm ( MNHW) .

RWANDA: Kayove , 2000 m, terr. Kisenyi, 14 II 1953, 1, P. Basilevsky ( MRAC); Kigali, 28–31 I 1976, 1, J. Decelle ( MRAC) .

UGANDA: env. Entebbe , 8–13 XII 1994, 3, M. Snižek ( MS, MNHW) ; Fort Portal , 15 km E Sebitoli, 1400 m, 23 XI–5 XII 1994, 1, M. Snižek ( MS) ; Kabarole, Kibale Forest N.P., Kanyawara , 0°33’N, 30°21’E, 1200–1400 m, VIII 1997, 1, Chr. Häuser leg. ( SMNS) ; Rwenzori Mt., Nyakalengija , 31 I 2006, 1, P. Machacek ( MS) .

Figures

FIGURE 41. Distribution of Cassida schoutedeni.

FIGURES 80–82. Cassida schoutedeni. FIGURES 83–85. Cassida tarda. 80–81, 83–84. Dorsal; 82, 85. Lateral.

FIGURES 92–94. Cassida humerosa. FIGURES 95–96. Cassida camerunensis. 92–95. Dorsal; 96. Lateral.

FIGURES 128–132. Cassida depicta. 128–129, 131–132. Dorsal; 130. Lateral.