Cassida unimaculata Boheman, 1854

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 : 168-169

Cassida unimaculata Boheman, 1854

( figs. 49 , 326–328 )

Cassida unimaculata Boheman, 1854: 466, 1856: 141 , 1862: 343; Gemminger & Harold, 1876: 3659; Shaw, 1956: 270; Heron & Borowiec, 1997: 632; Borowiec, 1999 a: 290, 2005 a: 127; Heron, 2003: 33.

Cassida unimacula [sic]: Muir & Sharp, 1904: 8, 14 (larva, pupa, biology).

Cassida (Cassida) unimaculata: Spaeth, 1914 b: 119 .

Description. L: 5.20–6.20 mm, W: 4.35–5.10 mm, Lp: 2.00–2.30 mm, Wp: 3.05–3.55 mm, L/W: 1.12–1.22, Wp/ Lp: 1.52–1.63. Body almost circular ( figs. 326, 327 ).

Pronotum and scutellum uniformly yellow. Elytral disc yellow, at top of disc with small, round or elongate black spot, only occasionally the spot reduced to a narrow stripe. Explanate margin always yellow ( figs. 326–328 ). Head, ventrites, legs and antennae uniformly yellow.

Pronotum reversely trapezial, with maximum width in anterior third, anterior margin slightly convex, sides rounded, no basal corners. Disc indistinctly bordered from explanate margin, without lateral lobes and lateral impressions, Surface of disc shiny, impunctate. Explanate margin broad, impunctate, shiny, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra moderately wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles distinctly protruding anterad, angulate. Disc slightly irregularly convex in profile, with top of convexity in postscutellar area ( fig. 328 ), without or with very shallow postscutellar and principal impressions, without H–shaped elevation or any other sculpture. Punctation moderately coarse arranged in completely regular rows, moderately sparse, distance between punctures mostly from as wide as to twice wider than puncture diameter. Marginal row distinct, its punctures slightly smaller than punctures in central rows. Intervals flat, on top of disc twice to thrice wider than rows, on sides mostly as wide as rows, marginal interval as wide as submarginal interval and two submarginal rows combined, no humeral or lateral folds. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part four times narrower than disc, surface shiny with shallow, moderately coarse punctation, appears more or less regular, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes moderately large, gena slightly shorter than last palpomere. Clypeus very broad, approximately 1.5 times as wide as long. Clypeal grooves fine but well marked, converging in regular triangle, area between clypeal plate and margin of eye with a row of hairy punctures, surface of clypeus flat, shiny with several very small setose punctures. Labrum shallowly emarginate. Antennae moderately slim, segments 9–10 approximately 1.2 times as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:45:53:63:60:40:50:50:50:50:95. Segment 3 approximately 1.2 times as long as segment 2 and approximately 0.8 times as long as segment 4.

Prosternum moderately broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa flat or with shallow impression, without special sculpture, sides with rows of very small, setose punctures, expanded apex slightly convex, without special sculpture, with several small, hairy punctures.

Claws simple.

Host plants. Asteraceae : Brachylaena discolor DC ( Muir & Sharp 1904, Heron & Borowiec 1997, Heron 2003); Brachylaena elliptica (Thunberg) DC (H. Heron pers. comm.); Brachylaena uniflora Harvey (H. Heron pers. comm.).

Distribution. South Africa ( fig. 49 ).

Remarks. A member of the Cassida unimaculata species–group.It differs from both relatives, C.drakensbergensis and C. emontinensis , in the round or broadly oval postscutellar black spot ( figs. 326, 327 ) while in both relatives the spot is elongate or linear ( figs. 322 , 324). Cassida drakensbergensis differs also in more impressed elytral punctures, in the anterolateral and central part of the elytra, partly marked with dark areolae (fig. 324). Cassida emontinensis looks very similar but differs in the postscutellar black spot very narrow, forming a stripe not extending behind the sutural border ( fig. 322 ) and in the distinctly irregular surface of the explanate margin of elytra.

Type examined. Lectotype, designated by Borowiec, 1999: 290: [ SOUTH AFRICA]: Natal, Pt. Natal, Vahlberg ( NRS).

Other specimens examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Alexandria – Woody Cape, 10–13 XII 1997, 3, I. Jenis ( MS) ; Eastern Cape, Bonza Bay, East London , 4–8 XII 1956, 5, R.M. Martin ( TM, MNHW) , 8 I 1976, 1, R.E. Parrot ( ER) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Bonza Bay, East London , 32°59’S, 27°58’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Katberg Pass , 32°28’S, 26°40’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Mbashee River Mouth, 32°15’S, 28°54’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Phumalanga Farm, East London district , 32°48’S, 28°01’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Port Alfred , 33°07’S, 26°58’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape, Transkei, Dwesa Nat. Res., The Haven , 4–6 XII 2003, 1, W. Schawaller ( SMNS) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Umtiza, East London Coast Reserves, East London , 33°02’S, 27°49’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Eastern Cape Prov., Umzamba River mouth, northern Pondoland , 31°07’S, 30°10’E, 1 ( HH) ; Limpopo Prov., Entabeni Forest, Soutpansberg , 23°00’S, 30°16’E, 1 ( ARC) ; KwaZulu-Natal, Skyline Nat. Res. , 80-90 m, -30.8192 / 30.3897, 4.12.2019, 2, leg. M. Wanat ( MNHW) ; KwaZulu-Natal, Umtavuna grassland, Beacon Hill , 340- 365 m, -31.0069 / 30.1766, 3 XII 2019, 2, P. Jałoszyński ( MNHW) ; Limpopo Prov., New Agatha State Forest, 18 km from Tzaneen , 23°57’S, 30°07’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Limpopo Prov., Lekgalameetse Nat. Res. , 78 km SSW of Tzaneen, 24°12’S, 30°18’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal , 2 ( ZMHU) ; Natal , 15, Dr. Martin ( MKB, NMP) ; Natal, Anerley, lower South Coast , 30°40’12S, 30°30’11’’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, „Bethel Farm”, Waterfall Valley Estates, Paddock , 30°44’S, 30°12’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Blythedale Beach, North Coast , 31°20’S, 29°20’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Brighton Beach, Bluff , Durban , 29°55’29’’S, 31°00’14’’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Burman Bush Nat. Res. , Morningside, Durban, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Buru , 1 ( TM) ; Natal, Cumberland Nat. Res. , 15 km NE of Pietermaritzburg, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Durban , 1, coll. Donckier ( IRSN) , 1 II 1906, 1, 20 II 1906, 2, C.F. Leigh ( TM, MNHW) ; Natal, Durban , XII 1938, 6, Baum ( LS, NMP) ; Natal, Entumeni Nat. Res., 16 km from Eshowe on Nkandla Road , Zululand , 28°53’05’’S, 31°22’48’’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Escombe, Queensburgh , 29°53’S, 30°54’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Happy Valley, Bluff , Bluff Nat. Res. , Durban , 31°00’S, 29°50’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Hawaan Forest Reserve, Umhlanga Rocks , 29°42’S, 31°05’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Illanda Wilds Reserve, Amanzimtoti , 30°03’S, 30°53’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Illovo, South Coast , 30°51’S, 30°07’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Indaleni. distr. Richmond, 1 ( MRAC) ; Natal, Kenneth Stainbank Nat. Res., Yellowwood Park , Durban , 29°54’S, 30°56’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Kosi Bay, Zululand , 26°58’S, 32°48’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Krantzkloof Reserve, Kloof , 29°45’S, 30°50’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Kwa Zulu, Mtubatuba–Mdukuduku , 17–21 XII 1997, 3, I. Jenis ( MS) ; Natal, Msinsi Nat. Res., University of Natal , Durban, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Mt Moreland near Verulam , North Coast , 29°38’S, 31°05’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Mt Moreland near Verulam , North Coast , 29°38’S, 31°05’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Nagle Dam, Umgeni Valley , near Cato Ridge , 29°35’S, 30°37’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, New Germany Nat. Res., New Germany , Pinetown , 29°48’S, 30°53’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Ngome State Forest, near Nongoma , Zululand , 27°49’S, 31°25’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Nkandla Forest Reserve, Zululand , 28°43’S, 31°09’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Ntendeka Wilderness, near Ngome Police Station , 27°50’S, 31°23’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Orbi Gorge Reserve, 8 km inland Port Shepstone , 30°42’S, 30°14’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Palmiet Nature Reserve, Westville , 29°49’S, 30°56’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Paradise Valley Nat. Res., Pinetown , 29°49’54’’S, 30°53’30’’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Pigeon Valley Park, Berea , Durban , 29°51’53’’S, 31°59’19’’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal , Pt. Natal, 1, Popp ( ZMHU) ; Natal, Port Shepstone , 26 XI 1979, 1, Ochley ( MNHW) ; Natal, Roosfontein Nat. Res., Umbilo valley , Quennsburgh / Westville, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Salt Rock , 25–28 XI 1984, 2, C.L. Bellamy & D. d’Hotman ( ER) ; Natal, S. Lucia , 29 X 1981, 4, J. Klapperich ( MZSNV, MNHW) ; Natal, St Lucia Estuary, Zululand , 28°17’S, 32°25’E, 1 ( ARC) ; Natal, Selection Beach, Umhloti , 31°08’S, 29°39’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Shongweni Resource Reserve, Umlaas valley , 29°51’S, 30°43’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Sibaya Lake , 50 m, 10 XI 1984, 1, C.L. Bellamy & R.G. Oberpieler ( ER) ; Natal, Silverglen Nature Reserve, Chatsworth , 29°49’S, 30°56’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Sordwana Bay , 9–11 XI 1986, 2, D. d’Hotmann ( ER) ; Natal, Southbroom , III 1955, 2, 3 III 1955, 1, 9 IV 1956, 1 ( MRAC, MNHW) ; Natal, Sweetdale Farm ( Farm 23), Margate district , Lower South Coast , 30°49’S, 30°21’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, T.O. Strand, Campsite , Leisure Bay , Port Edward , lower South Coast , 31°03’S, 30°13’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Tongaat , 1909, 3, H.C. Burnup ( TM) ; Natal, Treasure Beach Reserve, Bluff , Durban, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Umgababa , 30°08’24’’S, 30°50’10’’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Umgeni Valley Reserve, Howick , 29°28’S, 30°14’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Umhlanga n. Durban , 20 VII 1997, 1, I. Meybohm ( MNHW) ; Natal, Umhlanga Nat. Res., Umhlanga Rocks , 29°53’S, 30°54’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Umtenweni , VII 1954, 2, VII 1962, 1, A.L. Capener ( MM) ; Natal, Umzinyati gorge, Inanda district , 1 ( HH) ; Natal, University of Natal , Durban, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Uvongo River Reserve, Uvongo , South Coast , 30°49’S, 30°23’E, 1 ( HH) ; Natal, Vernon Crookes Nat. Res., 8 km N of Umzinto, South Coast , 30°35’S, 30°16’E, 1 ( HH) ; North Park Nat. Res. , X 1986, 1, H. Heron ( MNHW) ; Pondoland , 1, Bachmann ( ZMHU) ; Port St. John, Pondoland , XI 1923, 1, R.E. Turner ( BMNH) ; Tongaat, Maritzburg, Natal , 1999, 1, H. C. Burnup ( BMNH) ; Zululand , 1, Martin ( NMP) ; Zululand , 14 km E Mtubatuba, 28°22’42’’S / 32°18’19’’E, 4 X 1998, 2, M. Rice ( MER) ; Zululand, Mtubatuba–Dukuduku , 5 IV 1974, 3, S. Endrödy – Younga ( TM) ; Zululand, Ubombo , 28 XI 1955, 2 ( MNHW) .

Figures

FIGURE 49. Distribution of Cassida unimaculata (black circles). FIGURE 50. Distribution of Cassida vespertilio (black circles).

FIGURES 326–328. Cassida unimaculata. 329–330. Cassida ghesquieri. 326–327, 329. Dorsal; 328, 330. Lateral.

FIGURES 322–323. Cassida emontinensis. 324–325. Cassida drakensbergensis. 322, 324. Dorsal; 323, 325. Lateral.