Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata Spaeth, 1926

Świ, Jolanta, 2017, A monograph of the Afrotropical Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Part 4. Revision of the genus Chiridopsis Spaeth, Zootaxa 4316 (1), pp. 1-85 : 23

Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata Spaeth, 1926

( figs 3 , 46, 47 )

Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata Spaeth, 1926 b: 91 ; Borowiec, 1999: 299.

Description. Le: 5.9 mm, Wi: 4.7 mm, Lp: 2.2 mm, Wp: 3.5 mm, Le/Wi: 1.26, Wp/Lp ratio: 1.59.

Pronotal disc black ( figs 46, 47 ), explanate margin of pronotum yellow. Scutellum black. Elytral disc black, in basal half with large reddish spot. Explanate margin of elytra mostly black, humeral angles and anterior half of extreme margin narrowly yellow. Ventrites yellow, including clypeus, legs and antennae.

Pronotum elliptical ( fig. 46 ), with maximum width in the middle, sides broadly rounded, no basal corners. Basal margin of pronotum covered by anterior margin of elytra. Pronotal disc microreticulate but shiny, impunctate. Explanate margin very broad, almost horizontal, smooth and shiny with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra distinctly wider than base of pronotum ( fig. 46 ). Humeri moderately protruding anterad, subangulate. Disc regularly convex, with top of convexity in 1/3 length ( fig. 47 ). Postscutellar impressions very shallow, barely marked, no principal or lateral impressions. Punctation regular, very fine, on slope looks like fine pricks. Punctures in marginal row twice to thrice coarser than in central rows. Intervals several times wider than rows, flat, smooth and glabrous. Explanate margin moderately declivous, in widest part approximately 2/5 width of disc of each elytral disc, its surface smooth and glabrous.

Clypeus approximately 1.4 times wider than long, without median groove. Lateral grooves well marked, converging in blunt angle. Surface of clypeus smooth and glabrous, in anterior part of clypeal plate with three coarse punctures. Antennae extending behind basal margin of pronotum by two segments. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:38:44:62:50:41:44:41:47:44:100.

Prosternal collar as long as length of third antennal segment, its sides distinctly angulate. Prosternal process broad, distinctly expanded apically, area between coxae flat, smooth and shiny, expanded apex flat, its surface smooth and shiny.

Claws with small basal tooth, last segment of tarsi with distally projecting flanks thus claws appear distinctly dentate.

Distribution. Guinea and Sierra Leone ( fig. 3 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata Spaeth and Ch. spadix (Spaeth) are the only species with explanate margin of elytra mostly black and elytral disc black with large central reddish spot sometimes covering a significant part of the disc surface ( figs 46, 47 , 115–118 ). Chiridopsis spadix differs in explanate margin of elytra in anterior corners, along lateral margin and apically reddish to yellow ( figs 115, 116 ) while in Ch. castaneoplagiata explanate margin of elytra is almost completely black, only humeri and anterior half of elytral border are narrowly margined by yellow ( figs 46, 47 ). Elytral disc in profile is in Ch. castaneoplagiata regularly convex, while in Ch. spadix it shows a well marked elevation in postscutellar area ( figs 47 , 117 ). Types examined. Holotype: SIERRA LEONE: Sierra Leone, Kayima, 25 VI 1912, 1, J.J. Simpson (BMNH). Other specimens examined. GUINEA: Guéckédou, 1 (LS).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Chiridopsis boutareli (black circles) and Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata (white circles).

FIGURES 43 – 49. Chiridopsis boutareli. 43. Male dorsal, 44. Female dorsal, 45. Female lateral; 46 – 47. Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata. 46. Dorsal, 47. Lateral, 48 – 49. Chiridopsis circe. 48. Dorsal, 49. Lateral.

FIGURES 115 – 119. Chiridopsis spadix. 115. Male dorsal, 116. Female dorsal, 117. Female lateral, 118. Colour variation; 119. Chiridopsis tschoffeni, dorsal.