Chiridopsis flavipennis ( Spaeth, 1902 )

Świ, Jolanta, 2017, A monograph of the Afrotropical Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Part 4. Revision of the genus Chiridopsis Spaeth, Zootaxa 4316 (1), pp. 1-85 : 30-32

Chiridopsis flavipennis ( Spaeth, 1902)

( figs 6 , 111, 112 )

Chirida flavipennis Spaeth, 1902: 460, 1914: 126 .

Chiridopsis flavipennis: Spaeth, 1924: 343 ; Borowiec, 1985 a: 242, 1999: 299. Chiridopsis Rothschildi Spaeth, 1922: 1004, 1924: 342 ; Borowiec, 1999: 303, n. syn.

Description. Le: 4.95–5.40 mm, Wi: 4.00– 4.35 mm, Lp: 1.90–2.05 mm, Wp: 2.90–3.45 mm, Le/Wi: 1.22–1.25, Wp/Lp: 1.53–1.68. Body short-oval, males slightly stouter than females.

Dorsum uniformly yellow, only basal edge of pronotum and elytra black ( figs 111, 112 ). Clypeus in western populations yellow, or yellow with infuscate base, or with brownish basal half and yellow apex, or completely brown, in eastern populations clypeal triangle black, area between the triangle and margin of eye yellow to brown. Thorax in western populations brown, in eastern populations black. Abdomen in western populations brown, broadly surrounded by yellow, in eastern populations black narrowly surrounded by yellow. Legs yellow, except for brown to black coxae, in eastern populations trochanters more or less infuscate. Antennae uniformly yellow.

Pronotum regularly elliptical ( fig. 111 ) with maximum width in the middle, sides broadly rounded. Pronotal disc microreticulate but shiny. Explanate margin very broad, almost horizontal, smooth and shiny.

Base of elytra much wider than base of pronotum ( fig. 111 ). Humeri moderately protruding anterad, subangulate. Disc regularly convex, with top of convexity almost in half length ( fig. 112 ). Postscutellar impressions very shallow, barely marked, no principal or lateral impressions. Punctation regular, fine, well visible on whole disc, punctures in rows dense with interspaces mostly as wide as puncture diameter. Punctures in marginal row twice to thrice coarser than in central rows. Intervals in sutural half of disc four times, on sides twice wider than rows, flat, smooth and glabrous. Explanate margin moderately declivous, in widest part approximately six times narrower than disc, its surface with sparse shallow punctures but appears regular, shiny.

Clypeus 1.3–1.4 times as wide as long, without median groove. Lateral grooves deep, converging in regular triangle. Clypeal plate slightly convex, in eastern populations slightly more convex than in western populations but the convexity is variable within the same population. Surface of clypeus microreticulate, slightly dull, with several small setose punctures. Prosternal collar longer than length of third antennal segment, its sides not angulate. Prosternal process moderately expanded apically, shallowly canaliculate along middle or with shallow impression, its surface smooth or with indistinct irregular sculpture, with very fine, sparse setose punctures. Antennae extending behind basal margin of pronotum by two segments. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:46:81:73:54:58:62:62:62:65:115.

Claws with large basal tooth.

Distribution. Republic of Congo ( Zaire), Ruanda, Uganda and Kenya ( fig. 6 ).

Remarks. We have examined types of both Ch. flavipennis and Ch. rothschildi and did not find any important differences. Specimens of Ch. flavipennis from mouth of the Congo River have clypeus yellowish-brown while most specimens of Ch. rothschildi have clypeus black, but we have specimens from eastern Africa with central clypeal plate black but yellowish external parts. Thus, in our opinion, Ch. rothschildi represents only an infraspecific variation of Ch. flavipennis and we hereby synonymize it with the latter.

Chiridopsis flavipennis with Ch. observabilis and completely yellow aberration of Ch. aubei (ab. baumanni ) form a group of very similar species with brown to black clypeus and short-oval to subcircular body ( figs 39 , 56– 61 , 111, 112 ). Identification of these three forms needs comparison with series of properly identified specimens. In Ch. aubei clypeal grooves run close to the margin of eyes and on top of clypeal triangle converging in obtuse angle ( fig. 21 ) while in Ch. flavipennis and Ch. observabilis clypeal grooves form a regular triangle with sharp top thus between the triangle and inner margin of eyes runs a well visible, convex fold often paler coloured than clypeal triangle ( fig. 20 ). Of these three similar forms Ch. flavipennis has intermediate convexity of clypeus, less convex than in Ch. aubei ab. baumanni but more convex than in Ch. observabilis . These taxa require genetic studies as they perhaps represent only local forms of one widely distributed species, or they are cryptic species with some microhabitat preferences.

Types examined. 2 syntypes of Chirida flavipennis : DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE) Banana-Boma, 1891, M. Tschoffen (1 IRSN, 1 MM) ; 1 syntype: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE) Boma, Tschoffen (MM) ; 2 syntypes: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( ZAIRE) Kassongo, Stanleyfalls ( IRSN) .

Lectotype and 9 paralectotypes of Chiridopsis rothschildi (designated by Borowiec 1999: 303): [ KENYA] Afrique Orient. Angl., Escarpment, 1905, M. de Rothschild (lectotype and 9 paralectotypes MNHN, 3 paralectotypes MM).

Other speciemens examined. RUANDA: Cyamudongo F., 2°32’S /28°58E, 1750 m, 20 III 2007, 2, T. Wagner (TW); Pref. Cyangugu, env. Nyakabuye, 17–19 III 1995, 1, 1 IV 1995, 1, 22 IV 1985, 1, H. Mühle ( DBET) ; Nyungwe , Gisakura, 2°26’S / 29°06’E, 2100 m, 21 III 2007, 3, T. Wagner ( DBET) ; Nyungwe , Pindura, 2°29’S / 29°14’E, 2250 m, 22 III 2007, 2, T. Wagner ( DBET) .

UGANDA: Masindi Distr., Budongo Forest n. Sonso , 19–30 VI 1995, 3, 1–10 VII 1995, 1, 21–30 VII 1995, 1, T. Wagner ( DBET).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Chiridopsis flavipennis (white circles), Chiridopsis tessellata (black circles) and Chiridopsis tschoffeni (black square).

FIGURES 107 – 114. Chiridopsis parellina. 107. Dorsal, 108. Lateral, 109 – 110. Chiridopsis regionalis. 109. Dorsal, 110. Lateral; 111 – 112. Chiridopsis flavipennis. 111. Dorsal, 112. Lateral; 113 – 114. Chiridopsis zambiana. 113. Dorsal, 114. Lateral.

FIGURES 37 – 42. Chiridopsis aubei. 37 – 38. Form described as ab. signaticollis, 39. Form described as ab. baumanni, 40 – 42. Form described as ab. dissoluta.

FIGURES 56 – 61. Chiridopsis observabilis. 56 – 58. Form described as Ch. observabilis, 56. Male dorsal, 57. Female dorsal, 58. Female lateral; 59 – 61. Form described as Ch. athinia, 59. Male dorsal, 60. Female dorsal, 61. Female lateral.

FIGURES 20 – 23. Head. 20. Chiridopsis observabilis — species with flat clypeus; 21. Chiridopsis aubei — species with convex clypeus; 22. Chiridopsis tanganikana — species with long and angulate prosternal collar; 23. Chiridopsis tessellata – species with short and not angulate prosternal collar.