Stolas latissima ( Baly, 1872 )

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2016, Taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (1), pp. 275-344 : 334

Stolas latissima ( Baly, 1872) stat. restit.

Mesomphalia latissima Baly, 1872: 68 (original description).

Type locality. ‘Ecuador’.

Type material examined. LECTOTYPE (present designation): ♂, pinned, ‘ Ecuador [w, hw by Baly, cb] || Type [w, p, s, c, rf] || Ecuador [hw] | Baly Coll. | 1905—54. [w, p, cb] || Mesomphalia | latissima | Baly | Ecuador [g, hw by Baly, cb]’ ( BMNH).

Remarks. BALY (1872) did not mention how many specimens he had at his disposal and stated that the new species is ‘very closely allied to M. latevittata, Boh. , and possibly only a variety of that species; differing principally in its transverse form, and in the absence of the reticulations…’. SPAETH (1914) listed M. latissima as an aberration of M. latevittata and the taxon remained as its synonym until present (cf. BOROWIEC 1999a). BALYʼs (1872) statement is probably based on fact that he did not compare M. latissima with typical M. latevittata with broad pronotum but with the syntype with narrow pronotum, here resolved as conspecific with S. sanguineovittata (see remarks under S. latevittata ). Spaeth based the synonymy on the same population as he got the duplicate material from Balyʼs collection. Stolas latissima is quite similar to S. sanguineovittata but differs in simple erect vestiture on elytra while the latter has double vestiture formed by adherent and erect setae. I therefore restore species status of S. latissima and designate lectotype from the BMNH specimen in order to conserve it status.

BOROWIEC (1996, 1998, 2002) published several specimens identified as S. latevittata sensu Spaeth which are most likely conspecific with S. latissima .

Distribution. Ecuador ( BALY 1872; BOROWIEC 1996, 1998a, 2002).