Charidotella pacata, Borowiec, Lech, 2007

Borowiec, Lech, 2007, Two new species of Charidotella Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Cassidini), with a key to Charidotella sexpunctata group, Zootaxa 1586, pp. 59-66 : 62-64

Charidotella pacata sp. nov.

Etymology

Latin “ pacatus ” means quiet, composed. The name was proposed to the new taxon by Franz Spaeth in his unpublished key to the world Cassidinae . I do not known his intentions about the proposed name but have conserved it.

Diagnosis

A member of nominotypical subgenus. Charidotella pacata sp. nov. and Ch. posticata (Boheman, 1855) are the only species of the Ch. sexpunctata group with the dark pattern on the elytral disc limited to two small spots on the top of the underside of the elytra. Both have an immaculate pronotum and no bands along underside of elytral disc, and both have completely yellow ventrites. Ch. posticata differs in the coarse elytral punctation, with the distance between the punctures in rows mostly narrower than the diameter of a puncture, and the principal impressions of the elytra very shallow, hardly marked while in Ch. pacata the elytral punctation is very fine, with the distance between the punctures in rows several times wider than the diameter of a puncture, and the principal impressions of the elytra deep, foveolate. Dried specimens of Ch. pacata without a transparent integument of the elytra are very similar to Ch. bifoveata (Spaeth, 1926) and Ch. pectoralis (Kirsch) , Ch. recidiva (Spaeth, 1926) but three congeners differ in having the ventrites partly brown to black. Ch bifoveata differs also in the short third antennal segment, distinctly shorter than the second segment while in Ch. pacata the second and third antennal segments are approximately the same length. Ch. recidiva has the humeral angles more angulate than Ch. pacata . A few specimens of Ch. bifoveata have almost uniformly yellow ventrites and are extremely similar to Ch. pacata but never have dark spots on the top of the underside of the elytra.

Description

Length: male 5.15–5.4 mm, female 5.7–6.2, width: male 4.4–4. 5 mm, female: 4.75–5.5 mm, length of pronotum: male 1.9 mm, female: 2.0– 215 mm, width of pronotum: male 3.2–3.25 mm, female 3.3–3.7 mm, length/width ratio: male 1.17–1.23, female 1.13–1.20, width/length ratio of pronotum: male 1.68–1.71, female 1.65–1.72. Body almost circular, sexual dimorphism distinct, males smaller than females (figs. 5, 6).

Pronotum and scutellum uniformly yellow. Elytra yellow, on underside with two small, black spots at top. Ventrites and legs uniformly yellow. Antennal segments 1–8 yellow, 9–11 more or less infuscate, segment 11 slightly paler than segments 9 and 10.

Pronotum moderately broad,1.65–1.72 times as wide as long, widest in mid length. Anterior margin forms distinct arch, sides narrowly rounded, maximum width of pronotum slightly behind middle. Whole surface of pronotum smooth, shiny, explanate margin with honeycomb structure.

Scutellum triangular, without sulci or impressions. Base of elytra distinctly wider than base of pronotum. Humeri rounded, moderately protruding anterad. Elytral disc distinctly, slightly irregularly convex with the top of convexity in postscutellar point (fig. 7). Punctation of disc regular, on almost whole surface fine, only in row above lateral fold on short distance punctures distinctly coarser than those of top of disc. Distance between punctures in rows several times wider than puncture diameter. Interspaces very broad, mostly four to six times as wide as rows. Surface of intervals flat, smooth, and mirror. Principal impression distinct, deep with 3–4 fine punctures. Explanate margin of elytra broad, in widest part three times narrower than width of disc, moderately declivous. Surface of the margin smooth, mirror, with honeycomb structure. Apex of elytral epipleura bare.

Clypeus moderately broad, approximately 1.4 times as wide as long. Clypeal lines fine, well visible from base to 1/3 length of clypeus (fig. 8). Margins of clypeal plate slightly elevated, surface of clypeal plate in apical half impressed thus apex of clypeal plate distinctly elevated. Anterior margins of clypeal plate converging in soft arch. Surface of clypeal plate impunctate, shiny. Eyes large, occupying whole sides of head, gena invisible. Labrum very shallowly emarginate. Antennae moderately long, length ratio of antennal segments: 100:47:44:53:53:42:47:42:42:42:90. Segment 2 not or only slightly longer than segment 3, segment 4 approximately 1.2 times as long as segment 3, segments 9 and 10 slightly longer than wide. Prosternal collar short, forms regular arch. Prosternal process typical for the genus Charidotella , broad, not constricted in the middle, apex only slightly expanded laterally, central part shallowly impressed. Surface of prosternal process regular, smooth, without punctures. All claws with large basal tooth.

Type material

Holotype: “ BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz, 500 m, 29 V 1955, leg. Zischka”; two paratypes: ” BOLIVIA, Prov. del Sara, XII 1911, leg. Steinbach”; two paratypes “ BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada, native collector”; one paratype: [ Brazil] “Goiás, Velho, 27-02-83 ” “OUMNH-1990-002, A. Raw Colln., Pres A. Raw” (holotype and 4 paratypes preserved at the Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Zoological Institute, University of Wrocław, Poland; one paratype in Oxford University, Museum of Natural History, Oxford, England).