Chiridopsis spadix ( Spaeth, 1917 )

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 : 55-56

Chiridopsis spadix ( Spaeth, 1917)

( figs 15 , 115–118 )

Chirida spadix Spaeth, 1917: 441 .

Chiridopsis spadix: Spaeth, 1924: 351 ; Borowiec, 1999: 304.

Description. Le: 4.90–6.00 mm, Wi: 4.20–5.05 mm, Lp: 1.80–2.10 mm, Wp: 2.95–3.50 mm, Le/Wi: 1.17–1.26, Wp/Lp: 1.64–1.67.

Pronotal disc black ( figs 115, 116, 118 ), often also basal part of explanate margin close to base of disc narrowly black, rest of explanate margin yellow. Sometimes black basal spot with narrow, yellow cleft on anterior margin. Scutellum reddish or black with reddish central spot. Elytral disc black, in basal half usually with large reddish, cordiform spot ( fig. 115 ), sometimes the spot extends to 2/3–3/4 length of disc ( figs 116, 118 ). Explanate margin of elytra mostly black, humeral angles, extreme lateral margin and apex yellow. Head, thorax, abdomen, legs and antennae yellow.

Pronotum elliptical ( figs 115, 116, 118 ), with maximum width slightly in front of the middle, sides broadly rounded, no basal corners. Pronotal disc impunctate, shiny. Explanate margin broad, almost horizontal, smooth and shiny with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra much wider than base of pronotum ( figs 115, 116, 118 ). Humeri moderately protruding anterad, subangulate, elytral margin beyond humeral angle very shallowly emarginate. Disc unevenly convex ( fig. 117 ), with distinctly elevated postscutellar area and shallow postscutellar impressions. Punctation regular, very fine, on slope looks like fine pricks, on sides only slightly coarser than on top of disc, punctures in rows moderately dense, distance between punctures 2–4 times wider than puncture diameter. Punctures in marginal row twice to thrice coarser than in central rows. Intervals several times wider than rows, flat, smooth and shiny. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part approximately 4.5–5.0 times as wide as disc, its surface smooth and shiny, yellow parts with well visible honeycomb structure.

Clypeus narrow, approximately 1.2 times as wide as long, lateral grooves well marked, converging in regular triangle. Clypeal plate only slightly convex, smooth and shiny, with few small punctures. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:47:56:68:62:56:62:56:62:62:126. Segment 3 approximately 1.2 times as long as segment 2 and approximately 0.8 times as long as segment 4.

Prosternal collar as long as length of third antennal segment, its sides not angulate. Prosternal process broad, distinctly expanded apically, area between coxae flat or with shallow impression and with few small setose punctures, shiny, expanded apex in the middle only slightly convex, its surface with irregular longitudinal wrinkles but shiny.

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

Distribution. Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) and Democratic Republic of Congo ( Zaire) ( fig. 15 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis spadix ( figs 115–118 ) and Ch. castaneoplagiata ( figs 46, 47 ) 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. Chiridopsis castaneoplagiata differs in explanate margin of elytra almost completely black, only humeri and anterior half of elytral border are narrowly margined by yellow while in Ch. spadix explanate margin of elytra is reddish to yellow in anterior corners, along lateral margin, and apically. They also differ in elytral convexity, Ch. spadix has well marked elevation in postscutellar area while in Ch. castaneoplagiata elytral disc is in profile regularly convex ( figs 47 , 117 ).

Type examined. Syntype: [ REPUBLIC OF CONGO] Brazzaville, Boutarel (MM).

Other specimens examined. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE): Buta, 1911, 1, de Calonne ( MRAC) ; Lokandu, 1937, 5, Lt Marée (MRAC, DBET); Yangambi (Stan.), X–XII 1959, 1, J. Dubois ( DBET) .

REPUBLIC OF CONGO: R.P. Congo, V 1980, 1 ( DBET).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Distribution of Chiridopsis picturata (black squares), Chiridopsis quadriguttata (black circles), Chiridopsis ruandana (white square) and Chiridopsis spadix (white circles).

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

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.