14. Parena plagiata species group

This species group contains three species distributed in the Sub-Saharan African mainland. This group is characterized by: postgenae without suborbital setae; elytra not metallic, uniformly reddish brown or with large dark patches; elytral apices subtruncate, apical margin evenly curved, sutural angles not pointed (Fig. 5A); elytra with shallow isodiametric microsculpture; antennomere 1 with the ventroapical seta shorter than half length of the dorsoapical one; male genitalia with apical lamella small, LL much shorter than LW, apex slightly bent dorsally; gonocoxite II of ovipositor subulate, strongly pointed near inner apical angle.

In P. africana, the most widespread and common species of this group, the elytra color pattern shows pleomorphism: some individuals have the typical dark elytra pattern while a few others are evenly yellowish brown. In other species of this group, elytral pleomorphism may occur as well, but more material from Africa is required to prove this.