Apophylia vernallis ( Allard, 1889 )

Bezděk, Jan, 2005, Revisional study on African Apophylia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae). Part 4., Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 45, pp. 165-182 : 68

Apophylia vernallis ( Allard, 1889)

( Figs. 6-8 )

Malaxia vernallis Allard, 1889: 82 (separatum p. 17); Apophylia vernalis: LABOISSIÈRE (1922b) , WEISE (1924), WILCOX (1971) (incorrect subsequent spelling); Apophylia mauritanica Pic, 1944: 1 , syn. nov. Apophylia mauritanica: WILCOX (1971) .

Type locality. Sénégal.

Type material. Malaxia vernallis : HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ Senegal [blue label, h] // Ex-Musaeo / E. ALLARD / 1899 [w, p]’ ( MNHN). The holotype is provided with one additional, printed red label : ‘ HOLOTYPUS, / Malaxia / vernallis Allard, 1889 , / des. J. Bezděk 2004’.

Apophylia mauritanica : LECTOTYPE (designated here):J, ‘ Boghe / Mauritanie [w, h] // type [w, h]’ ( MNHN) . PARALECTOTYPE: ♀, ‘Boghe / Mauritanie / (ex Fauvel) [w, h] // [unreadable, w, h] // cf nobilitata [partly unreadable, w, h] // mauritanica / n sp [w, h] // type [w, h] // TYPE [red label, p] // AfriGa / specimen ID: [p] / 199 [h] / specimen data / documented [p] / 20. IX [h] 2004 [grey label, p]’ ( MNHN). The specimens are provided with additional, printed red labels: ‘ LECTOTYPUS [or PARALECTOTYPUS], / Apophylia / mauritanica Pic, 1944 , / des. J. Bezděk 2004’.

Additional material examined (220 spec.). CHAD: Kanem distr., N’Gouri , ix.1958, 70 JJ 115 ♀♀, P. Renaud leg. ( MRAC) . MAURITANIA: Boghé , 1 J 1 ♀, without additional data ( NHMB – Frey coll.) . NIGERIA: Kano distr., vi.1953, 6 JJ 10 ♀♀, W. E. S. Merrett leg. ( BMNH) ; Kano, Azare , 1925, 13 JJ 4 ♀♀, L. Lloyd leg. ( BMNH) . SUDAN: Fasoda, 1 J, without additional data ( NMPC) ; Adjuba, 1 J, without date, O. Neumann leg. ( ZMHB) ; Melut , 10 JJ 10 ♀♀, without date, L. Burgeon leg. ( MRAC) ; Redjaf , 29.-30.v.1927, 1 J 1 ♀, Patrizi leg. ( MCSN) .

Differential diagnosis. Together with A. cervenkai sp. nov. and A. kaffa sp. nov., A. vernallis forms a group of very similar species which can only be distiguished in male sex, using the structure of the aedeagus. The apex of aedeagus of A. vernallis is produced and slightly asymmetrical to the left ( Fig. 6 ), while it is symmetrical in A. kaffa sp. nov. ( Fig. 17 ) and asymmetrical to the right in A. cervenkai sp. nov. ( Fig. 14 ).

Distribution. Chad, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan.

Comments. ALLARD (1889) described Malaxia vernallis based on one male. As mentioned in the original description, this specimen has a completely yellow head and pronotum. I have examined the holotype which is a relatively small specimen; it is extremely pale, being faded by the sunlight, and thus the black pattern on the head and pronotum is nearly invisible. I have dissected it and the aedeagus showed its identity with A. mauritanica Pic, 1944 .

Figures

Figs. 6-8. Apophylia vernallis (Allard, 1889). 6 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view); 7 – last ventrite of female; 8 – male metatarsus. Scale: 1 mm.

Figs 1-5. Apophylia nobilitata Gerstaecker, 1871. 1 – aedeagus (a – dorsal view; b – lateral view); 2 – last ventrite of female; 3 – last ventrite and pygidium of female, lateral view; 4 – male metasternum; 5 – male metatarsus. Scale: 1 mm (Figs 1-3 and 5); 2 mm (Fig. 4).