Zomba, Lacroix, 2006

Allsopp, Peter G. & Schoolmeesters, Paul, 2024, Resolution of some nomenclatural issues in the Cetoniinae, Dynastinae, Hopliinae, Melolonthinae, Pachydeminae and Sericinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Zootaxa 5433 (4), pp. 573-580 : 576-577

Zomba

Lacroix (2006) created a junior homonym in establishing Zomba Lacroix (2006: 205) for two species of Malawian scarab beetles ( Scarabaeidae : Pachydeminae: Pachydemini), Zomba nyassiensis Lacroix, 2006 (type species by original designation) and Zomba foai Lacroix, 2006 . No additional species have been described.

However, the genus Zomba had been established by Bryant (1923: 263, type species Zomba gossypii Bryant, 1923 , by original designation) for a beetle damaging cotton plants in Malawi and southern Zambia. Bryant (1923) placed the genus in the Halticidae: Monoplatinae, but it is currently placed in the Chrysomelidae : Alticinae : Monoplatini ( Biondi & D’Alessandro 2010) . Only the type species is known, but the genus is particularly interesting because it is the only representative of the Monoplatini in the Afrotropical region, the tribe occurring almost exclusively in the Neotropical and southern part of the Nearctic regions ( Biondi & D’Alessandro 2004, 2010). Biondi & D’Alessandro (2010) give an image of the adult beetle.

To resolve the homonymy, in accordance with Article 60 of the Code, we propose Lazomba Allsopp & Schoolmeesters , replacement name as the replacement name for Zomba Lacroix nec Bryant. This results in new combinations for the two species currently included in this genus (see below).