Chiridopsis irrorata 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 : 32-34

Chiridopsis irrorata Spaeth, 1917

( figs 7 , 62–64 )

Chirida irrorata Spaeth, 1917: 443 .

Chiridopsis irrorata: Spaeth, 1924: 351 ; Borowiec, 1985 a: 242, 1999: 299.

Description. Le: 5.90–7.90 mm, Wi: 4.70–6.00 mm, Lp: 2.20–2.90 mm, Wp: 3.55–4.40 mm, Le/Wi: 1.22–1.32, Wp/Lp: 1.54–1.67.

Ground colour of dorsum rusty-yellow to rusty ( figs 62–64 ). Pronotum on disc and lateral parts of explanate margin usually with darker rusty spots of diffused borders. Elytral disc with darker rusty to rusty-brown marble pattern of diffused borders, explanate margin unicolourous rusty-yellow to rusty-brown but often with darker rusty humeral and postero-lateral spots of various size Head rusty-yellow to rusty, thorax rusty-yellow to rusty but often with darker rusty-brown infuscations, abdomen rusty-yellow to rusty black but often in the middle with rustybrown spots of diffused borders. Legs rusty-yellow to rusty, apex of femora sometimes slightly infuscate. Antennal segments 1–8 yellow to rusty-yellow, segments 9–11 more or less infuscate.

Pronotum elliptical ( figs 62, 63 ), with maximum width slightly in front of the middle, anterior margin softly convex, sides rounded, no basal corners. Surface of disc often with small lateral impressions, impunctate, shiny. Explanate margin broad, impunctate, shiny, semi-transparent with more or less visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra much wider than base of pronotum ( figs 62, 63 ), humeral angles distinctly protruding anterad, subrounded. Disc softly convex in profile ( fig. 64 ), usually with shallow postscutellar and principal impressions. Punctation fine to moderate but often in impressed hole, on sides coarser than on top of disc, arranged in regular rows, on sides of disc rows often impressed, on top of disc distance between punctures from as wide as to five times wider than puncture diameter, on sides of disc punctures denser with distance between punctures from sligtly narrower to twice wider than puncture diameter. Marginal row distinct, its punctures as coarse as punctures in lateral rows. Intervals flat, on top of disc twice to thrice, on sides as wide as to twice wider than rows, marginal interval in humeral half twice wider than submarginal one, no humeral or lateral folds. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part five times narrower than disc, below humerus with few additional coarse punctures, surface with shallow and moderately dense punctation, slightly irregular, shiny, semitransparent with more or less visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus very broad, approximately 1.5 times as wide as long. Clypeal grooves very fine, in basal half almost invisible, running close to margin of eye, on top converging in broad arch, surface of clypeus moderately convex, microreticulate but shiny with few small, setose punctures. Labrum distinctly emarginate to 1/4 length. Antennae slim, segments 9–10 approximately 1.6 times as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:45:79:81:71:52:60:55:57:57:100. Segment 3 approximately 1.7 times as long as segment 2 and only slightly shorter than segment 4.

Prosternum broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa canaliculate with mirror surface and only few small setose punctures, expanded apex flat, with median circular impression and partly impressed lateral lobes, shiny, with few small setose punctures.

Claws with small basal tooth, apex of last tarsomere expanded, dentiform thus claws appear more dentate than in reality.

Distribution. Africa south of Zaire ( fig. 7 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis irrorata with Ch. tanzaniensis form a very distinct group of species with unique elytral pattern ( figs 62–67 ). Both species have rusty-yellow to rusty ground-colour of pronotum and elytra, without black spots, stripes or bands but elytral punctures with broad rusty-brown areolae, partly coalescent, thus pattern appears marbled. Chiridopsis irrorata distinctly differs in surface of explanate margin of elytra slightly irregular, below humerus with a few additional coarse punctures while in Ch. tanzaniensis surface of explanate margin of elytra is completely smooth, regular, without any additional coarse punctures below humerus.

Types examined. 8 syntypes: Zambesi, 1878, 8, Bradshaw (ITZ); 1 syntype: [ TANZANIA] Manjoni ( ZMHU). Other specimens examined. BOTSWANA: Kasane, 1 I 1994, 3, M. Snižek (MS).

MALAWI: Chikwawa env., 50 km SW Blantyre, 20 XII 2001, 2, F. & L. Kantner (FK); S Prov., Nkopola Forest Res., 500 m, 20–21 I 1985, 7, Bellamy et al. (TM, EG, DBET).

MOZAMBIQUE: Porto Amelia , V 1959, 1, F. Gomes (TM).

SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal , Punda Milia, Kruger P., 22 II 1969, 2, R.T. Simon-Thomas (ITZ).

TANZANIA: Iringa Mts., IV 1992, 1, Werner (DS) ; Morogoro, I 1963, 2, E. Haaf (1 NHMB, 1 LSC) ; Usandawi , XII 1929, 1, H. Fliegner ( ZMHU) .

ZAMBIA: Kashitu, N of Broken Hill, IX 1915, 1, H.C. Dollman ( BMNH) ; Livingstone, 21 I 1947, 10, W. Eichler (IZPAS, DBET); Lonely, 27 IV 1913, 1, H. Swale (BMNH); Lukendo, 21 X 1913, 1, H. C. Dollman (BMNH); Mwengwa, 27°40′E, 13°00′S, 1 V 1913, 1, 7 V 1913, 10, 15 V 1913, 1, 1 VIII 1914, 1, 2 VIII 1914, 3, 17 VIII 1914, 2, H.C. Dollman ( BMNH, 4 LS); Victoria Falls , 16 II 1913, 4, H.C. Dollman ( BMNH), 6–13 XI 1938, 1, D.L. Uyttenboogaart (ITZ).

ZIMBABWE: Hwange National Park , Sinamatella, 18.35 S 26.18 E, 1100 m., 16 III 2000, 1, R. Beenen (RB); Kariba, 1965, 1, H. Mathes ( DBET) ; Rukomechi , Game Res. Marangora, 550 m, 6–7 II 1987, 3, W. Wittmer ( NHMB) .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Chiridopsis irrorata (black circles) and Chiridopsis zambiana (black square).

FIGURES 62 – 67. Chiridopsis irrorata. 62. Male dorsal, 63. Female dorsal, 64. Female lateral; 65 – 67. Chiridopsis tanzaniensis. 65. Male dorsal, 66. Female dorsal, 67. Female lateral.