Neobarombiella mendica ( Weise, 1909 ) Bolz & Wagner, 2012

Bolz, Helmut & Wagner, Thomas, 2012, 3463, Zootaxa 3463, pp. 1-112 : 43-46

Neobarombiella mendica ( Weise, 1909) comb. n.

( Figs 65–68)

Monolepta (Candezea) mendica Weise, 1909: 209 .

Monolepta pruni Bryant, 1937: 160 syn. n.

Barombiella mimula Laboissière, 1939: 163 syn. n.

Total length. 4.30–6.15 mm (mean: 5.15 mm) (n=19).

Head. Frons and vertex yellowish- or brownish-red, basal section of head rarely black, as in type of Candezea mendica ,; labrum, labial and maxillary palpi brown, reddish- or yellowish-brown. Antenna usually pale yellow, rarely reddish-yellow, antennomeres broad, last four antennomeres darker towards apex ( Figs 65, 67). Length of second to third antennomere 0.75–0.88 (mean: 0.84), and length of third to fourth antennomere 0.44–0.57 (mean: 0.50). Eyes small and widely separated ( Fig. 65), width of eye to interocular distance 0.38–0.55 (mean: 0.44).

Thorax. Pronotum yellowish-brown, brownish-red to dark brown, very finely and irregularly punctuated, pronotal width 1.46–2.22 mm (mean: 1.79 mm), pronotal length 0.74–1.12 mm (mean: 0.90 mm), and pronotal length to width 0.45–0.54 (mean: 0.50). Elytron a glossy black, apical quarter red to brownish-red, This apical colouring can extend anteriad as thin line along lateral margins up to middle of elytron; elytron very rarely entirely black, as in type of Monolepta pruni ; slender, punctuation much coarser than pronotum; elytral length 3.15–5.50 mm (mean: 4.03 mm), elytral width 2.00– 3.60 mm (mean: 2.70 mm), and maximal width of both elytra to length of elytron 0.60–0.70 (mean: 0.66; Fig. 65). Meso- and metathorax yellowish-brown; legs brownish- or yellowish-red, and length of basi-metatarsus to metatibia 0.42–0.56 (mean: 0.50).

Abdomen. Entirely yellowish-brown or brown.

Male genitalia. Median lobe short, broad, and straight, with a short conical apex which is deeply incised ( Fig. 67); a single pair of ventral sclerotized ridges posteriad of apical incision; endophallic brush stout with single pair of slender spiculae, covered by tectum and median lobe.

Diagnosis. Neobarombiella mendica can be easily distinguished from most other species of Neobarombiella by its peculiar colouring. Only N. apicalis and N. salisburiensis have the same dorsal colouring, but N. mendica can be differentiated by its broad antennomeres (length of second to third antennomere in N. mendica 0.75–0.88, N. apicalis 0.60–0.75, N. salisburiensis 0.72–0.83; length of third to fourth antennomere in N. mendica 0.44–0.57, N. apicalis 0.69–0.83, N. salisburiensis 0.75–0.85; Figs 54, 67, 117). Larger specimens of N. punctatolineata are also similar to N. mendica in appearance, but have an entirely brownish dorsum without a pale elytral apex. Their antennomeres have similar morphometrics to N. apicalis , i. e. they are also far more slender than in N. mendica ( Fig. 50).

Distribution. Recorded from Sao Tomé, Cameroon and Gabon in the west, through the Congo Basin towards Kenya and along the east coast of Africa as far south as eastern South Africa ( Fig. 68).

Type material examined. Monolepta mendica . Lectotype, female: “Type / Kilimandjaro, Sjöstedt. 1905-6 / Kibonoto, 1300–1900 m. / Candez., mendica m / ex. coll., J. Weise / AfriGa, specimen ID:, 1067, specimen data, documented, 6.VI.2006 ” ( MNHU; Fig. 69). Weise mentioned two specimens from Kibonoto , but only one has been located and is here designated as lectotype. Type locality: Tanzania, Kibonoto, 3°09’S / 36°51’E.

Monolepta pruni . Holotype, male: “ Uganda 6000, Mitanda, 1.III.1932, H. Hargreaves / 6 specimens, eating leaves, of plum., ( Prunus ) / Monolepta, (Candezea), pruni Bryant , Type, Det. G. E. Bryant / Type / AfriGa, specimen ID, 1108, specimen data, documented, 15.II.2005 ” ( BMNH; Fig. 70). Although the original description does not refer to a precise number of specimens, there are seven specimens available from the type locality, collected on the documented date. Only one of these specimens bears an additional “Type”, in Bryant’s handwriting, on the original label, and can therefore be considered as holotype by inference. The six remaining specimens belong to different species. Type locality: Uganda, Mitanda, 2°06'N / 32°19'E.

Barombiella mimula . Lectotype, male: “Type / Musée du Congo, Kikwit, 1920, P. Vanderijst / Barombiella , mimula, m, V. Laboissière Dét. / Type, B. mimula / Holotypus / R. Det., C, 3641 / AfriGa, specimen ID:, 1225, specimen data, documented, 6.IV.2006 / Lectotypus Th. Wagner desig. 2008 Barombiella mimula Lab. ” (last cited label not included in figure; MRAC; Fig. 71). Laboissière gave no details regarding specimen numbers in his description. As there are four type specimens available, a lectotype is here designated. Type locality: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kikwit, 5°02’S / 18°49’E .— Paralectotypes: the three remaining specimens are paralectotypes; 1 ex., same data as Lectotype ( IRSN); 2 ex. Congo da Lemba, 5°42'S / 13°42'E, I./ II.1913, R . Mayne ( MRAC).

Other material examined. Burundi. 1 ex., Bururi, 3°57'S / 29°37'E, III .1953 , P. Basilewsky ( MRAC).— Cameroon. 1 ex., Abong , 3°54'N / 12°25'E, IV.1936, F. G. Merfield ( BMNH); 2 ex., Jaunde-Stat. , 3°51'N / 11°35'E , Zenker S ( MNHU).— Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1 ex., Albertville , 5°56'S / 29°12'E , XII .1918 , R. Mayné ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bakusu , 0°02'N / 18°16'E, IX.1912, R. Mayné ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kamaiembi , Lueho, 7°17’S / 22°38’E , IX.1921, H. Schouteden ( MRAC); 1 ex., Haut-Uele , Moto, 2°27’N / 26°25’E , 1922, L. Burgeon ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bas Uele , 1926, Fr. Joseph ( MRAC); 1 ex., Sankuru, Komi, 3°34’S / 23°16’E , III .1930 , J. Ghesquiere ( MRAC); 1 ex., Komi , Lodja, 3°29’S / 23°26’E, I.1930, J. Ghesquiere ( MRAC); 10 ex., Rutshuru , 1°11’S / 29°26’E ,

I.1937, J. Ghesquiere ( MRAC); 18 ex., Bambesa , 3°28'N / 25°43'E , III.1937 – I.1940, J. Vrydagh / J. V. Leroy / P. Henrard ( MRAC); 1 ex., Brabanta , 4°25'S / 20°20'E , IV.– V .1949 , P. Henrard ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bukima , 5°21'S / 24°29'E, IV.1948, J. V. Leroy ( MRAC); 6 ex., Uele, Dingila , 3°39'N / 26°04'E , VI .–IX.1933 , H. J. Brédo / J. V. Leroy ( MRAC); 2 ex., Tshuapa, Ikela , 1°11'S / 23°16'E, 1955– X.1956, R. P. Lootens / R. Degnide ( MRAC); 1 ex., Ubangi, Karawa , 3°20'N / 20°18'E , 1937, Rév. Wallin ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kasai , 2°58'N / 24°09'E , L. Achten ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kivu, Kashewe , 1°58'S / 28°30'E , I.1962, Dr. R. Kiss ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kivu, Kinyamahura , 1°18'S / 29°33'E , VIII .1934 , G. F. de Witte ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kivu, Ibanda , 2°13'S / 17°02'E, 1952, M. Vandelannoite ( MRAC); 1 ex., Lac Mokoto, Kishale , 8°00'S / 28°16'E , IX.1935, Dr. H. Damas ( MRAC); 16 ex., Uele , 2°00'N / 24°00'E , X.1938, R. v. d. Veen ( RMNH); 3 ex., Kisantu , 5°07'S / 15°05'E , P. Goosens ( MRAC); 1 ex., Katanga, Kolwezi , 10°43'S / 25°28'E , 1962, Dr. V. Allard ( MRAC); 1 ex., Lokandu , 5°48'S / 13°00'E , III .1939 , Capt. Marée ( MRAC); 2 ex., Mayidi , 5°11'S / 15°09'E, 1942, Rév. P. van Eyen ( MRAC); 1 ex., Mayumbe , 4°30'S / 12°30'E , 1917, R. Mayné ( MRAC); 1 ex., Mondombe , 0°54'S / 22°48'E , X.1912, R. Mayné ( MRAC); 10 ex., Kivu, Mulungu , 2°20'S / 28°47'E , 1939– XI.1951, F. L. Hendrickx ( MRAC); 1 ex., S. O. Victoria, Nyansa See 9°41'S / 33°02'E , G. A. Fischer ( MNHU); 1 ex., Victoria, Nyanza , 9°41'S / 33°02'E , 1908, Dr. E. Bayon ( MCSG); 1 ex., Ruwenzori, P. N. Albert , 7°43'S / 17°51'E , II.– III .1937 , Hackars ( MRAC); 13 ex., Rutshuru , 1°11'S / 29°27'E, IV.– V .1937 , J. Ghesquière ( MRAC); 3 ex., N. Lac Kivu, Rwankwi, XII.1947 – VII .1951 , J. V. Leroy ( MRAC); 1 ex., Yangambi , 0°47'N / 24°28'E, XII .1939 , P. Henrard ( MRAC); 1 ex., Eala-Bokatola-Bikoro, 0°04'N / 18°17'E, IX.–X.1930, Dr. P. Staner ( MRAC); 4 ex., P. N. Albert, 7°43'S / 17°51'E , II.1953 – VIII .1957, P. Vanschuytbroeck / J. Kekenbosch / H. Synave ( IRSN); 2 ex., P. N. Upemba, 8°30'S / 26°00'E , VI.1947 – II.1948, G. F. de Witte ( MRAC); 1 ex., Reg. de Sassa , 3°30'N / 20°30'E , 1895–1896, Colmant ( MRAC).— Equatorial Guinea. 2 ex., 02°00’N / 10°00’E , Dr. L. Báguena ( MNCN); 11 ex., Evinayong , 01°06’N / 10°17’E , Dr. L. Báguena ( MNCN); 2 ex., Bata, Valle de Mbia , 01°51’N / 09°45’E , Dr. L. Báguena ( MNCN); 1 ex., Alto Benito, Evinayong , 01°06’N / 10°17’E , Dr. L. Báguena ( MNCN); 1 ex., Isla de Elobey , 00°59’N / 09°30’E , Escalera ( MNCN); 1 ex., Nkoletangan , 3°30'N / 08°42'E , XI.1907 – V .1908, G. Tessmann ( MNHU).— Kenya. 1 ex., Nyeri, 0°25'S / 36°57'E , I.1948, Miss. M. Steele ( NMK).— Rwanda. 1 ex., Muhavura , 1°23'S / 29°40'E , I.1953, P.Basilewsky ( MRAC); 1 ex., Biumba, Gatsibu , 1°34'S / 30°14'E , II.1953, P. Basilewsky ( MRAC); 8 ex., Kagogo , 2°00'S / 30°00'E , I.1953, P. Basilewsky ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kabayaea, Ruhengeri , 1°45'S / 29°32'E , IX.1951, A. E. Bertrand ( MRAC); 1 ex., Nyekebuye , 2°34'S / 29°01'E , II.1983, H. Mühle ( MNHU).— South Africa. 1 ex., Empangeni , 28°44'S / 31°54'E , X.1977, P. Reavell ( SANC); 2 ex., Natal, Estcourt , 29°00'S / 29°53'E , XI.1892, G. A. K. Marshall ( NMK); 2 ex., E. Cape Prov., Katberg , 32°31'S / 26°38'E , XII .1932 , B. E. Turner ( BMNH); 3 ex., Transvaal, Loskopdam , 25°27'S / 29°24'E, XII .1985 , C. Moolman ( SANC); 1 ex., Malvern , 29°53'S / 30°55'E, 1896 ( NMK).— Tanzania. 1 ex., Amani , 05°06'S / 38°38'E , XII .1906 , Vosseler ( MNHU); 1 ex., Usambara, Derema , 5°00'S / 38°15'E, L. Conradt ( MNHU).— Zimbabwe. 1 ex., Mt. Selinda, Chirinda Forest , 20°25'S / 32°43'E , I.1959, A. C. van Bruggen ( SANC) .