Botanochara invasa ( Boheman, 1850 )

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2016, Taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (1), pp. 275-344 : 318-319

Botanochara invasa ( Boheman, 1850) stat. restit.

Poecilaspis invasa Boheman, 1850: 427 (original description).

Poecilaspis planipennis Spaeth, 1899: 215 (original description), syn. nov.

Type localities. Poecilaspis invasa : ‘Bolivia’; P. planipennis : ‘Republica Argentina’.

Type material examined. Poecilaspis invasa : LECTOTYPE (present designation): ♀, pinned (missing left antenna), ‘E. Coll | Laferté [w, p, s] || Ducalis dej | plus platte [w, hw, s] || Botanochara | Invasa Reiche | Bolivia [g, hw, s, Dejeanʼs label] || 67·56 [w, p, s] || Poecilaspis | invasa, Bhn | from descript. CJG [w, hw by Gahan, cb] || not ducalis Bhn | CJG [w, hw by Gahan, cb]’ ( BMNH).

Poecilaspis planipennis : SYNTYPES ( MMUE). [Examined but label data not recorded].

Remarks. Botanochara invasa was an enigmatic taxon and SPAETH (1940) suggested that it is a hybrid between B. octoplagiata ( Spaeth, 1909) and B. macularia ( Boheman, 1850) or B. tesselata ( Burmeister, 1870) and BOROWIEC (1999a) listed it as synonym of B. octoplagiata . BOHEMAN (1850) described this taxon from the collection of L. Reiche and did not state how many specimens he had at disposal. Types of taxa described by Boheman from the collection of Reiche are quite difficult to trace but numerous type specimens are present in the BMNH and came to the museum via collection of Hamlet Clark. I have found a single specimen in BMNH and because existence of others is possible I designate lectotype from this specimen to conserve its status for purpose of synonymy.

SPAETHʼs (1940) assumption that B. invasa is a hybrid was most likely based only on the primary description as the taxon is distinct and in fact conspecific with his B. planipennis as both have identical punctation of elytra and shape of body. Therefore I synonymize the latter with B. invasa . It is one of the two species with flattened disc of elytra and characteristic coarse but quite sparsely arranged punctation of elytra. Botanochara boliviaca differs in coarser punctation of elytra, the interspaces within the groups of punctures much narrower than puncture diameter, and by humeral angles in males broadly rounded, while B. invasa has interspaces within groups wider than puncture diameter and humeral angles in males somewhat oblique.

Distribution. Argentina: Catamarca, Salta and Tucumán ( SPAETH 1940, BOROWIEC 1996, 2002, 2009c), Bolivia ( BOHEMAN 1850).