Bonesioides dimidiata Laboissière, 1937

Freund, W. & Wagner, TH., 2003, Revision of Bonesioides Laboissière, 1925 (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae; Galerucinae) from continental Africa, Journal of Natural History 37 (16), pp. 1915-1976 : 1927

Bonesioides dimidiata Laboissière, 1937

Redescription

Total length. 7.8–8.4 mm (mean: 7.94 mm).

Head. Labrum, labial and maxillary palpus black, reddish brown towards apex; frons and vertex reddish brown. Antenna extended towards end of mesosternum (figure 12), antennal articles short and black, articles 1 and 2 rarely reddish brown. A2/A3: 0.75–1.00 (mean: 0.88), antennal article 4 not longer than articles 2 and 3 combined (figure 13), A3/A4: 0.45–0.62 (mean: 0.54). Eyes small (figure 12), WE/DE: 0.55–0.71 (mean: 0.61).

Thorax. Pronotum reddish brown; basal half of the elytra reddish brown, metallic black or dark purple on the apical half. PL: 1.3–1.5 mm (mean: 1.38 mm), PW: 2.3–2.6 mm (mean: 2.42 mm), PL/PW: 0.55–0.60 (mean: 0.57). EL: 5.9–6.4 mm (mean: 6.06 mm), EW: 3.6–4.0 mm (mean: 3.80 mm), EW/EL: 0.56–0.68 (mean: 0.63). Mesothorax and metathorax reddish brown, or entirely black. Legs black, coxa and trochanter rarely reddish brown, TA/TI: 0.46–0.49 (mean: 0.48).

Abdomen. Dark reddish brown to black.

Male genitalia. Median lobe broad, sligthly narrowed from orifice towards end of tectum, strongly narrowed from apical third towards apex (figure 15). Orifice very broad at base, nearly triangular, tectum broad and long. Endophallus with two very long, in lateral view right-curved spiculae, which protruding above tectum (figure 15A). Endophallic brush and apical part of sclerotized ductus ejaculatorius slightly protruding.

Female genitalia. Spermatheca large, with spherical nodulus, middle part and cornu short and slightly curved (figure 14).

Distribution. Few specimens known from Congo, Gabun and Sierra Leone (figure 16).

Diagnosis. Can be easily identified by the reddish brown head and pronotum and the coloration of elytra, which is reddish brown in the basal half and dark metallic purple in the apical half, which is a unique coloration in Bonesioides .

Type material

H: W ‘ Bonesioides dimidiata m., V. Laboissière—Det. / Congo francais / Lambarene , XI.–XII.1902, L. Fea’; examined (MSNG).

Other material examined

Congo: 2 ex., Sud Ogowé, N’Gomo, 0.55S / 9.20E, Junod, coll. Claverau ( MRAC) .

Gabon: 1 ex., Libreville et env., 0.30N / 9.25S, 1915, Babault ( MRAC) . Sierra Leone: 1 ex., Chùtes de Samlia , Riv. N. Gamie, 8.43N / 11.57W, Mocquereys ( IRSNB) .