Clytra bifasciata bifasciata ( DeGeer, 1778 )

Bezděk, Jan, 2019, Annotated review of Cryptocephalinae (Clytrini), Synetinae and part of Galerucinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) described by Carl Peter Thunberg, European Journal of Taxonomy 499, pp. 1-42 : 7-8

Clytra bifasciata bifasciata ( DeGeer, 1778)

Chrysomela bifasciata DeGeer, 1778: 663 (original description).

Clythra rugosa Fabricius, 1798: 111 (original description).

Clythra bicincta Thunberg, 1821: 185 (original description) (not examined).

Clythra mutabilis Klug, 1829: 16 (original description) (not examined).

Clythra bicincta – Forsberg 1821: 268, 287 (redescription).

Type localities

Chrysomela bifasciata : not stated; Clythra rugosa : “Cap. Bon. Spei”; Clythra bicincta : “Cap” [= from the publication title]; Clythra mutabilis : “Kap”.

Material examined

Syntypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; “Sp. [w, h] // C. bifasciata VII. 664 [box label, w, h]”; NHRS • 1 ♀; “[small blank orange label] // C. bifasciata VII. 664 [box label, w, h]”; NHRS .

Additional material

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀, syntype of Clythra rugosa ; “C: rugosa / e Cap: b: sp: Paykull [w, h]”; ZMK • 1 ♂, syntype of Clythra rugosa ; without any label; ZMK .

Distribution

RSA.

Comments

Clytra bifasciata was treated as synonym of Clythra rugosa by Schoenherr (1808) but with reversed priority. Lacordaire (1848) correctly gave the priority to Clytra bifasciata and in synonymy he listed both Clythra rugosa and Clythra bicincta . Gemminger & Harold (1874) also added Clythra mutabilis to the synonyms of Clytra bifasciata . The same arrangement was accepted also in subsequent catalogues by Jacoby & Clavareau (1906) and Clavareau (1913). I examined the type specimens of Chrysomela bifasciata and photographs of the syntypes of Clythra rugosa , and undoubtedly they are conspecific.

Thunberg (1821) introduced the name Clythra bicincta with Clythra rugosa Fabricius, 1798 placed in synonymy. As discussed in the introduction, it is not quite clear whether or not Thunberg (1821) wanted to propose a new replacement name for Clythra rugosa . As explained above I treat Clythra bicincta as a validly described species. The type specimen(s) were not traced in UUZM. Because its original description by Thunberg (1821) and also redescription by Forsberg (1821) agree with Clytra bifasciata bifasciata , I confirm Clythra bicincta as its synonym.

Clytra bifasciata ssp. pallipes Medvedev, 1993 , also described from the Western Cape Province, differs from nominal subspecies only in the pale tibiae and tarsi ( Medvedev 1993a) and its validity needs confirmation.