Cassida capensis Borowiec, 2005

Borowiec, Lech & Świętojańska, Jolanta, 2022, A monograph of the Afrotropical Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Part 6. Revision of the tribe Cassidini 3, the genus Cassida L., Zootaxa 5171 (1), pp. 1-250 : 42

Cassida capensis Borowiec, 2005

( figs. 8 , 287–288 )

Cassida capensis Borowiec, 2005: 116 .

Description. L: 4.95–5.30 mm, W: 4.25 mm, Lp: 1.80–1.90 mm, Wp: 3.30–3.35 mm, L/W: 1.16–1.25, Wp/Lp: 1.76–1.83. Body almost circular ( fig. 287 ).

Pronotum and elytra yellow ( figs. 287, 288 ). Clypeus yellow with brown basal corners. Thorax mostly black, only epimera and episterna partly yellowish brown. Abdomen black with broad yellow margin.

Pronotum elliptical, with maximum width slightly in front of the middle, sides angulate. Disc moderately convex, indistinctly bordered from explanate margin, with indistinctly separated area above head. Surface of disc shallowly punctate, appears slightly irregular. Distance between punctures smaller than puncture diameter. Explanate margin broad, its surface slightly irregular.

Scutellum triangular, impunctate, without transverse rows or wrinkles. Base of elytra almost as wide as pronotum, in state of repose of beetle body outline forms almost regular circle. Humeri moderately protruding anterad, angulate. Anterior margin of elytron shallowly emarginate without denticles or crenulation. Disc in profile moderately, regularly convex, with top of convexity in postscutellar area ( fig. 288 ). Postscutellar impressions distinct, deep, bordered externally by a fold thus postscutellar area with distinct H–shaped elevation. Punctation of disc regular, coarse and dense, distance between punctures in rows mostly as wide as half diameter of puncture, intervals mostly as wide as or slightly narrower than rows. Marginal row distinct, its punctures approximately twice smaller than punctures in submarginal row. Marginal interval broad, twice wider than central intervals. Explanate margin of elytra moderately declivous, broad, slightly wider than 1/3 width of disc. Surface of explanate margin shallowly, densely punctate, punctures as coarse as on disc, almost touching each other, surface appears distinctly irregular.

Head moderately broad, eyes large, gena very short. Clypeus approximately as wide as long, with distinct clypeal lines converging in slightly angulate arch, surface of clypeus shiny, glabrous, with a few punctures. Labrum emarginate to 1/4 length. Prosternal process moderately broad, expanded apically, without impression along middle and on apex regularly elevated, with no special sculpture.

Antennae stout, segments 8–10 slightly longer than wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:46:70:70:70: 50:46:42:46:54:108, segment 3 approximately 1.5 times as long as segment 2, and as long as segment 4.

Claws simple.

Distribution. Western Cape Province in South Africa ( fig. 8 ).

Remarks. Cassida capensis is unique with no close relatives in the Afrotropical Region. At first glance it is similar to circular species of the Cassida litigiosa species–group but they differ in an irregularly punctate elytra while in C. capensis the punctation forms regular rows. No species of the C. litigiosa group has a postscutellar H–shaped elevation as distinct as in C. capensis . Some species of the C. viridipennis group (e.g. C. viridipennis and C. devylderi ) have a uniformly yellow body, mostly regularly punctate elytra, and distinct H–shaped postscutellar elevation but they differ in claws with large basal tooth while in C. capensis the claws are simple. Cassida sulphurago and C. sulphurea both have a uniformly yellow body, simple claws, mostly regularly punctate elytra, and a more or less evident postscutellar H–shaped elevation (figs. 259, 264) but they differ in a twice larger body and rounded pronotal sides while in C. capensis the sides of the pronotum are angulate.

Types examined. Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape Prov., Koerogapvlakte Richtersveld NP., 62 km NO Alexander Bay, Succulent –Karoo; BIOTA 18.080.2002.07.04.404, 28°14’01.8’’S / 17°01’35.9’’E, Malaise trap, 7.–11.x.2002, J. Deckert, K. Ebert & M. Uhlig ( TM); two paratypes: South Africa , Cape, near Kamieskroon, 24/25. X.96, Werner ( DS, LB).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution of Cassida capensis (black circles) Cassida cordula (black square) and Cassida emontinensis (black diamond). FIGURE 9. Distribution of Cassida distinguenda (black circles), Cassida diversepunctata (black diamond) and Cassida drakensbergensis (black square).

FIGURES 287–288. Cassida capensis. 289–290. Cassida senegalensis. 287, 289. Dorsal; 288, 290. Lateral.