Chiridopsis tanzaniensis, Świ, 2017

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 : 60-61

Chiridopsis tanzaniensis sp. nov.

( figs 4 , 65–67 )

Etymology. Named after terra typica.

Description. Le: 5.65–6.30 mm, Wi: 4.40–4.80 mm, Lp: 2.15–2.30 mm, Wp: 3.35–3.70 mm, Le/Wi: 1.26–1.34, Wp/Lp: 1.52–1.61. Body short-oval.

Ground-colour of dorsum yellow ( figs 65–67 ). Pronotal disc with darker rusty spots with diffused borders, usually 6 small spots along sides of disc and two large, C-shaped spots at base, sometimes basal spots interrupted on anterior margin. Elytral disc with rusty-brown marble pattern with diffused borders, sometimes only punctures with rusty-brown areola, explanate margin unicolourous yellow without darker humeral or posterolateral spots. Head and prosternum yellow, metathorax from yellow to partly rusty-brown or brown sides, abdomen yellow with rusty-brown to brown centre. Legs yellow, apex of femora sometimes slightly infuscate, also tibiae in the middle with darker rings. Antennal segments 1–8 yellow to rusty-yellow, segments 9–11 more or less infuscate.

Pronotum elliptical ( figs 65, 66 ), with maximum width slightly in front of the middle, anterior margin softly convex, sides rounded, no basal corners. Surface of disc impunctate, with mirror brilliance. Explanate margin broad, impunctate, shiny, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra much wider than base of pronotum ( figs 65, 66 ), humeral angles distinctly protruding anterad, subrounded. Disc softly convex in profile ( fig. 67 ), without impressions. Punctation fine to moderate but due to dark areola appears coarse, on sides often in impressed hole, on sides coarser than on top of disc, arranged in more ro less regular rows, rows not impressed. Punctures in rows partly sparse with long distance between punctures thus punctation appears partly irregular, on top of disc distance between punctures from as wide as to five times wider than puncture diameter, on sides of disc punctures denser with distance between punctures twice to thrice wider than puncture diameter. Marginal row distinct, its punctures as coarse as punctures in lateral rows. Intervals flat, on top of disc three to four, on sides as wide as to twice wider than rows, marginal interval in humeral half thrice wider than submarginal one, no humeral or lateral folds. Explanate margin moderately broad, moderately declivous with external margin slightly incurved, subhorizontal, in the widest part five times narrower than disc, below humerus without additional coarse punctures, surface impunctate, regular, with mirror brilliance, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus very broad, approximately 1.5 times as wide as long. Clypeal grooves very fine, in basal half almost invisible, run close to margin of eye, on top converging in broad arch, surface of clypeus moderately convex, microreticulate but shiny with few small, setose punctures. Labrum minutely emarginate to 1/5 length. Antennae moderately slim, segments 9–10 approximately 1.3 times as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:50:75:75:59:53:66:56:59:59:103. Segment 3 approximately 1.5 times as long as segment 2 and as long as segment 4.

Prosternum broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxae impressed with mirror surface and only few small setose punctures, expanded apex flat, with two median circular impressions and partly impressed lateral lobes, shiny, with few small setose punctures.

Claws without basal tooth, also apex of last tarsomere not expanded, claws appear simple.

Distribution. Tanzania ( fig. 4 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis tanzaniensis n. sp. together with Ch. irrorata form a very distinct group of species with unique elytral pattern ( figs 62–67 ). Both species have rusty-yellow to rusty ground-colour, without black spots, stripes or bands, but elytral punctures with broad rusty-brown areolae, partly coalescent, thus pattern appears marble. Chiridopsis tanzaniensis n. sp. differs in surface of explanate margin of elytra completely smooth, regular, below humerus without additional coarse punctures while in Ch. irrorata surface of explanate margin of elytra is slightly irregular, below humerus with few additional coarse punctures.

Types. Holotype: TANZANIA, Dodoma pr., 70 km N Dodoma , 5°40'S; 35°48'E, 1300m, lgt. J. Halada 16.xii.2006 ( DBET) ; paratype: TANZANIA c . , pr. Dodoma, 70 km N Dodoma , 5°40'S; 35°48'E, 1350m, leg. F. Kantner 17.xii.2006 ( DBET) ; paratype: C TANZANIA, DODOMA PROV . , 1300 m., 70 km N DODOMA, 16.– 18.12.2006, A. KUDRNA JR. LGT. (LS) ; paratype: TANZANIA mer . , pr. Iringa, 7°37,2'S; 36°17,5'E 850m, leg. Kantner 10.I.2007 ( DBET) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution of Chiridopsis circe (white circles), Chiridopsis congoana (black squares) and Chiridopsis tanzaniensis (black circles).

FIGURES 62 – 67. Chiridopsis irrorata. 62. Male dorsal, 63. Female dorsal, 64. Female lateral; 65 – 67. Chiridopsis tanzaniensis. 65. Male dorsal, 66. Female dorsal, 67. Female lateral.