Apophylia nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871

Bezděk, Jan, 2005, Revisional study on African Apophylia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae). Part 4., Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 45, pp. 165-182 : 66-68

Apophylia nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871

( Figs 1-5 )

Apophylia nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871: 83 ;

Apophylia nobilitata: GERSTAECKER (1873) ; GEMMINGER & HAROLD (1876); FAIRMAIRE (1887); ALLARD (1889); WEISE (1909); LABOISSIÈRE (1922a,b, 1924); WEISE (1924); LABOISSIÈRE (1929); WILCOX (1971); ALFIERI (1976).

Type locality. Endara [placed in south-east Kenya].

Type material. Apophylia nobilitata : HOLOTYPE: ♀, ‘56565 [w, p] // Endara. v.d. Dec [= von der Decken] [blue label, h] // nobilitata / Gerst. ♀ [blue label, h]’ ( ZMHB). The holotype is provided with one additional, printed red label : ‘ HOLOTYPUS, / Apophylia / nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871 / det. J. Bezděk 2003’.

Additional material examined (141 spec.). KENYA: Oloitokitok , 30.xii.1965, 2 JJ 9 ♀♀, without collector data ( MCSN) . TANZANIA: Mkata , 1.vi.1909, 1 J, Schoenheit leg. ( ZMHB) ;

Narobi near Tanga, iii.1915, 4 JJ 3 ♀♀, Methner leg. ( ZMHB) ; Tanga, ii.1915, 1 ♀, Methner leg. ( ZMHB) ; Kwakiyembe , v.1916, 2 ♀♀, Methner leg. ( ZMHB) ; Dar-es-Salaam, 1 J, S. Conradt leg. ( ZMHB) ; Mombo , 12.iii.2002, 4 JJ 7 ♀♀, M. Snížek leg. ( JBCB) ; Pande env., SSW of Pangani, 10.iii.2002, 8 JJ 14 ♀♀, M. Snížek leg. ( JBCB) ; Makata plain (Morogoro), 9.iii.2002, 23 JJ 39 ♀♀, M. Snížek leg. ( JBCB) ; Handeni, Makinda env., 14.iii.2002, 1 J 22 ♀♀, M. Snížek leg. ( JBCB). All specimens J. Bezděk det.

Differential diagnosis. Apophylia nobilitata is closely related to A. mila sp. nov. Both species have a similar structure of the aedeagus and the apex of the last ventrite in female ( Figs. 1-3 , 9-11 ). The male metasternum in A. mila sp. nov. lacks teeth while it is bifurcate in A. nobilitata ( Figs. 4, 12 ). Moreover, tarsomere 1 of the hind tarsus is narrower in A. mila sp. nov. than in A. nobilitata ( Figs. 5, 13 ).

Distribution. Kenya and Tanzania. ALFIERI (1976) listed it also from Egypt but this record is doubtful and probably refers to another species of Apophylia .

Comments. GERSTAECKER (1871) did not mention the number of available specimens in the original description of A. nobilitata . Two years later he improved the description and stated that it was based on one specimen ( GERSTAECKER 1873). I had the possibility to study the female holotype, which unfortunately has a slightly damaged apex of the abdomen. However, the rest of the preapical bulge on the last ventrite is visible, so that it is possible to attribute it to a species with a distinctly bifurcate male metasternum in agreement with LABOISSIÈRE (1922a).

Figures

Figs 1-5. Apophylia nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871. 1 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view); 2 – last ventrite of female; 3 – last ventrite and pygidium of female, lateral view; 4 – male metasternum; 5 – male metatarsus. Scale: 1 mm (Figs 1-3 and 5); 2 mm (Fig. 4).

Figs. 9-13. Apophylia mila sp. nov. 9 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view); 10 – last ventrite of female; 11 – last ventrite and pygidium of female (lateral view); 12 – male metasternum; 13 – male metatarsus. Scale: 1 mm (Figs. 9-11 and 13); 2 mm (Fig. 12).