Rosalba inscripta (Bates, 1866)

(Figs. 56, 64, 68, 86)

Aletretia inscripta Bates, 1866: 34; Gemminger, 1873: 3134; Aurivillius, 1922: 309 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1946: 598 (checklist); Zischka, 1948: 8 (distr.); Baucke, 1957: 12 (distr.); Buck, 1959: 598 (distr.).

Rosalba inscripta; Breuning, 1960: 174 (cat.); Breuning, 1971: 226 (syn.); Monné, 1994: 6 (cat.); Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 190 (checklist); Tavakilian et al., 1997: 311 (host); Monné, 2001: 66 (host); Monné & Hovore, 2006: 228 (checklist); Wappes et al., 2006: 25 (distr.); Morvan & Morati, 2006: 41 (distr.; host); Touroult et al., 2010: 31 (distr.); Morvan & Roguet, 2013: 21 (distr.); Monné, 2017: 271 (cat.).

Unelcus acanthocinoides Thomson, 1868: 142; Gemminger, 1873: 3109; Thomson, 1878: 12 (types); Aurivillius, 1922: 309 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1946: 599 (checklist).

Aletretia consobrina Melzer, 1934: 88; Blackwelder, 1946: 598 (checklist); Zikán & Wygodzinsky, 1948: 47 (type). Syn. nov.

Rosalba consobrina; Zajciw, 1958: 15 (distr.); Breuning, 1960: 174 (cat.); 1971: 229; Zajciw, 1974: 67 (distr.); Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 67 (checklist); Monné, 1994: 5 (cat.); Monné & Hovore, 2006: 228 (checklist); Wappes et al., 2006: 25 (distr.); Rodrigues et al., 2010: 317 (distr.); Monné, 2017: 270 (cat.).

Rosalba gounellei Galileo & Martins, 2013: 294; Monné, 2016: 270 (cat.). Syn. nov.

Rosalba vanini Galileo & Martins, 2013: 293; Monné, 2017: 272 (cat.). Syn. nov.

Melzer (1934) compared his Aletretia cΟnsΟbrina with A. fimbriata (translated): “By the antennal setae this species [A. cΟnsΟbrina] approaches A. fimbriata Belon, but differs by the punctuation and elytral color.” Apparently, Melzer did not know RΟsalba inscripta (Bates, 1866) . Comparison of the original descriptions of R. cΟnsΟbrina and R. inscripta, and of the holotype of R. cΟnsΟbrina (Fig. 56), as well as other specimens identified as R. cΟnsΟbrina in the MZSP collection, with photograph of a syntype of R. inscripta (Fig. 68), make impossible to separate these species. Therefore, we are considering R. cΟnsΟbrina as a junior synonym of R. inscripta .

According to Galileo & Martins (2013): “ RΟsalba gΟunellei differs from R. inscripta: by the presence of a small tubercle on the sides of prothorax and central-basal ridge of the elytra. In R. inscripta, the sides of the prothorax are unarmed and there is no trace of a central-basal ridge on the elytra. Additionally, the yellowish spot on the middle of elytra is rounded in R. gΟunellei and triangular and close the suture in R. inscripta .” Notwithstanding, the photograph of a syntype of R. inscripta (Fig. 68) figured by Bezark (2017) shows a small, but distinct tubercle. Furthermore, according to Bates (1866), the prothorax is not unarmed at sides: “Thorax cylindrical, rather broader in the middle, and having on each side a minute tubercle.” Also, examination of the specimens deposited in the MZSP collection shows that the basal area of the elytra is variable regarding the ridge: from almost absent to distinct. Although none of the specimens examined have the ridge as evident as in the holotype of R. gΟunellei (Fig. 64), we believe that it is only an extreme variation of the species. As for the shape and position of the yellowish spot on elytral midlength, we see that they are somewhat variable in the R. inscripta . Consequently, R. gΟunellei is another junior synonym of R. inscripta .

RΟsalba νanini Galileo & Martins, 2013 (Fig. 86) is another junior synonym of R. inscripta . According to Galileo & Martins (2013), R. νanini differs from R. inscripta by the absence of yellowish pubescence on basal and apical half of the elytra. Actually, the yellowish longitudinal bands are present on basal half, although they are paler than usual. The white pubescence between the yellowish longitudinal bands is also denser, making the yellowish bands less conspicuous. The same occurs in the holotype of Unelcus acanthΟcinΟides Thomson, 1868.

Examination of the species deposited in the MZSP collection, as well as specimens sent for study, shows that R. inscripta have a series of considerable variation in some features: lateral tubercles of prothorax from absent to distinct; gibbosity of the basal quarter of elytra from almost absent to very distinct; pubescence between bands of yellow pubescence on basal half of the elytra from whitish to yellowish, from slightly conspicuous to very conspicuous (general appearance of a wide band when considered the yellow bands); spot of yellow pubescence placed at midlength near suture from distinctly triangular to irregularly-shaped; yellow and white transverse bands at side of the former yellow spot from absent to present (partially, only yellowish bands, only white bands, or with both bands). Also the elytra are somewhat variable in shape: from more rounded to more distinctly tapered at sides of the distal quarter. None of these variations is restrict to a particular place, and appear mixed in the specimens studied.