Neobarombiella pygidialis ( Jacoby, 1906 ) Bolz & Wagner, 2012

Bolz, Helmut & Wagner, Thomas, 2012, 3463, Zootaxa 3463, pp. 1-112 : 40-42

Neobarombiella pygidialis ( Jacoby, 1906) comb. n.

( Figs 57, 59–61)

Candezea pygidialis Jacoby, 1906: 45 .

Monolepta prasina Weise, 1907: 389 syn. n.

Monolepta alutacea Weise, 1915: 177 ; replacement name for Monolepta pygidialis ( Jacoby, 1906) syn. n.

Barombia truncata Laboissière, 1929: 152 ; syn. n.

Total length. 5.65–7.30 mm (mean: 6.36 mm) (n=15).

Head. Frons, vertex, labrum, labial and maxillary palpi yellowish-green or greenish-brown. First antennomere usually green, others yellowish-brown, becoming darker towards apex ( Fig. 59). Length of second to third antennomere 0.70–0.83 (mean: 0.76), and length of third to fourth antennomere 0.48–0.56 (mean: 0.51; Fig. 61). Eyes small ( Fig. 59), width of eye to interocular distance 0.40–0.46 (mean: 0.42).

Thorax. Pronotum non-metallic green, brownish-green to yellowish-brown. Pronotal width 2.16–2.66 mm (mean: 2.39 mm), pronotal length 1.00– 1.28 mm (mean: 1.12 mm), and pronotal length to width 0.44–0.50 (mean: 0.47). Elytron non-metallic green or yellowish-brown, rarely darker brown, which might be caused by degeneration of green pigment; external elytral margins black, narrow basally becoming gradually wider laterally and towards apex where they reach their greatest width ( Fig. 59); elytral length 4.50–5.90 mm (mean: 5.13 mm), elytral width 2.80–4.00 mm (mean: 3.31 mm), and maximal width of both elytra to length of elytron 0.61–0.69 (mean: 0.65). Meso- and metathorax brownish-yellow, legs entirely yellowish-green or yellowish-brown; length of basi-metatarsus to metatibia 0.45–0.51 (mean: 0.48).

Abdomen. Yellowish to reddish-brown, apical visible sternite and pygidium black.

Male genitalia. Median lobe very slender, straight in lateral view, slightly conical towards apex ( Fig. 60); sclerotized towards apex in lateral view; and apex narrowly and deeply incised; endophallic brush covered by tectum and median lobe, with slender, short setae and one pair of slender spiculae.

Diagnosis. Neobarombiella pygidialis is the largest species in this taxon. It is the only one with non-metallic green dorsal colouring and can therefore easily be distinguished from other species of Neobarombiella . Live and recently collected specimens are a bright apple green, and the yellowish or brownish colouring of the material in collections is most likely caused by degeneration of the green pigment. Being the same size, Barombiella violacea ( Jacoby, 1894) may appear similar at a first glance, but its dorsal colouring is metallic greenish or bluey, with green to black legs.

Distribution. Restricted to the Guineo-Congolian forest region from Guinea and Sierra Leone through the Congo Basin to Western Uganda and Kenya ( Fig. 57).

Type material examined. Candezea pygidialis . Holotype, male: “Africa, Occid / Candezea pygidialis Jac. / Jacoby Coll., 1909-28a. / Type / AfriGa, specimen ID, 964, specimen data, documented, 15.II.2005 ” ( BMNH; Fig. 62). Holotype by monotypy (“I possess a single specimen without detailed locality” Jacoby 1906: 46).

Monolepta prasina . Lectotype, male: “Biafra, Gabo S. Juan, VIII-1901 Escalera / Monolepta prasina m / ex coll., J. Weise / Holotypus, Monolepta , prasina Weise, 1906 / AfriGa, specimen ID:, 1237, specimen data, documented, 9.III.2010 / Lectotypus, Th. Wagner design. 2010, Monolepta , prasina Wse ” (some labels not included on figure; MNCN; Fig. 63). No mention is made of the number of specimens described in the original publication, but 11 syntypes are available, and a lectotype is here designated. Type locality: Equatorial Guinea, Biafra, 2°00'N / 10°00'E .— Paralectotypes: ten specimens with the same label data as the lectotype (9 ex., MNCN, 1 ex. MNHU) .

Barombia truncata . Holotype, female: “Type / Musée du Congo, Env. Lac Léopold II, 11–24–VI–1925, S. A. R. Prince Léopold / Type / R. Dét., 1814, V / Barombia , truncata, m, V. Laboissière – Dét., 1927 / AfriGa, specimen ID: 1249, specimen data, documented, 5.VII.2005 / Holotypus, Barombia , truncata, Labiossière, 1929 ” ( MRAC; Fig. 64) . Holotype by monotypy, “une female”. Type locality: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lac Leopold .

Other material examined. Cameroon. 2 ex., Douala, 4°10'N / 9°37'E, J. Cantaloube ( MRAC); 1 ex., Mt. Balmayo, VII .1965 , Barga ( MRAC); 1 ex., Tukan , II.1912, L. Colin ( BMNH); 2 ex., 4°10'N / 09°37'E, G. Tessmann ( MNHU); 1 ex., 4°10'N / 09°37'E ( MNHU).– Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1 ex., Bas-Congo, Thysville, 5°15'S / 14°52'E, 1956–1957, P. Jebels ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bassin Lukuga, 5°40'S / 26°55'E, 1936, H. de Saeger ( MRAC); 1 ex., Chutes de Samlia, 0°22'N / 28°41'E ( MRAC); 1 ex., Equateur, Boende , 0°13'S / 20°52'E, 1928, R . P. Hulstaert ( MRAC); 5 ex., Equateur, Flandria , 0°19'S / 19°06'E, 1929 – X.1932, R . P. Hulstaert ( MRAC); 1 ex., Haut- Uelé, Moto, 2°27'N / 26°25'E, 1923, L. Burgeon ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kasai , Ngombe , 6°34'S / 20°41'E , XI.1921, Dr. H. Schouteden ( MRAC); 1 ex., Lac Leopold , VI .1925, Prince Léopold ( MRAC); 1 ex., Lomami, Kambaye , 6°52'S / 23°43'E, VIII .1930, P. Quarré ( MRAC); 1 ex., Riv. Basira, Bolingo , XI.1935, J. Ghesquière ( MRAC); 1 ex., Tshuapa, Bokuma , 0°40'S / 21°1'E , IV.1954, R . P. Lootens ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kivu, Irangi , II.1986, H. Mühle ( MNHU); 1 ex., Kalina , 4°18'S / 15°16'E, 1952, R . Theunissen ( MRAC); 1 ex., Mayidi, 5°11'S / 15°9'E, 1942, Rév. P. van Eyen ( MRAC); 3 ex., Mongende , 6°46'S / 21°55'E , IV.1921. Dr. H. Schouteden ( MRAC); 2 ex., N'kele, 8°34'S / 25°30'E, 1934-37, Dr. H. Schouteden ( MRAC); 2 ex., Stanleyville, Yangambi , 0°47'S / 24°28'E, XII .1952, P. Basilewsky ( MRAC); 1 ex., Stanleyville, Yangambi , 0°47'S / 24°28'E, VIII .1953, J. Decelle ( MRAC); 1 ex., Tshuapa, Flandria , 0°19'S / 19°06'E , IV.– V.1948, R. P. Hulstaert ( MRAC); 1 ex., Ubangi, Nouvelle Anvers , 1°36'N / 19°07'E, XII .1952, P. Basilewsky ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bakusa , IX.1912, R . Mayné ( MRAC); 1 ex., Basongo , 4°19'S / 20°23'E, VII .1921, Dr. H. Schouteden ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bokalakala , 2°07'S / 16°22'E, 1954, R . C. Elroy ( MRAC); 1 ex., Bolobo, 2°10'S / 16°13'E ( MRAC); 1 ex., Elisabethville , 11°40'S / 27°28'E , XI.1930, R . Massart ( MRAC); 1 ex., Flandria , 0°19'S / 19°06'E, 1931, R . P. Hulstaert ( MRAC); 2 ex., Ikenge , 0°06'S / 18°46'E , IV.1914, R . Mayné ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kasai, 2°58'N / 24°08'E, 1913, A. Crida ( MCGD); 2 ex., Kinshasa , 4°19'S / 15°18'E , I.–IV.1968, P. M. Elsen ( MRAC); 1 ex., Kinshasa, 1965, J. Deheegher ( MRAC); 1 ex., Leopoldville , 4°19'S / 15°18'E, 1952, R . Theunissen ( MRAC); 1 ex., Lukombe , 5°40'S / 28°46'E , X.1908, A. Koller ( MRAC); 1 ex., Luswa , 8°52'S / 27°22'E, VII .1939, Vleeschouwers ( MRAC); 1 ex., Nyanza, 5°07'S / 15°05'E ( MRAC); 1 ex., Ngowa , 3°33’S / 26°16’E, VI .1939, R. P.J. Mertens ( MRAC); 1 ex., Siti, 4°24'N / 25°28'E, 1885, Restia; 1 ex., Tshela , 5°43'S / 22°50'E, IV ., XI.1924, A. Collart (2 ex. MRAC, 1 ex. NMK); 1 ex., Wombali, 3°16'S / 17°19'E, 1913, P. Vanderijst ( MRAC); 1 ex., Zobe , 02°30'N / 27°37'E , I.1916, R . Mayné ( MRAC).— Equatorial Guinea. 1 ex., Fernando Póo, Santa Isabel , 03°21’N / 08°40’E, VIII .1919, Escalera ( MNCN); 1 ex., Bangui , 1°15'N / 9°34'W , IV.1912; 11 ex., Nkolentangan , XI.1907 – V .1908, G. Tessmann ( MNHU); 1 ex., Cabo S. Juan , 1°10'N / 09°22'E, VIII .1901, Escalera ( MNHU).— Gabon. 1 ex., Bas-Ogooue, 1°00'S / 09°25'E, 1917, Favarell ( MNHU); 4 ex., Gamba , 2°42'S / 10°1'E, III .2002, Syssou / Ngoma / Moussavou; 2 ex., Libreville, 0°22'N / 09°26'E, Don G. Babault ( MRAC); 1 ex., Ogooué , 2°48'S / 10°08'E, VIII .1992, J. J. Wieringa (CBe); 1 ex., Libreville, 0°22'N / 09°26'E, 1883.— Ivory Coast. 3 ex., Heremankone , 5°48'N / 05°15'W , XI.1961, J. Decelle ( MRAC); 2 ex., Yokopa , 6°13'N / 05°49'W , XI.1962, J. Decelle ( MRAC).— Kenya. 1 ex., Kakamega Forest, Busumbuli , 0°27'N / 34°58'E , I.2003, W. Freund / C. Schmidt ( ZFMK); 1 ex., Buyangu , 0°17'S / 34°45'E, VII .2001, A. Patt ( ZFMK).— Nigeria. 2 ex., Lagos, 6°27'N / 03°23'E ( BMNH); 2 ex., Lagos , X.1918, W. E. S. Merrett ( BMNH); 14 ex., Lagos ( BMNH); 3 ex., S. Apeji, 6°58'N / 24°08'E, VIII .1952, H. C. Ibadan ( BMNH).— Republic of Congo. 1 ex., Brazzaville, 4°15'S / 15°17'E, 1907, E. Roubaud & A. Weiss ( MNHN).— Sierra Leone. 8 ex., Tabuna , 9°31'N / 12°25'W, V ., IX.1983 (CMe); 2 ex., Mayumbo , 8°52'N / 12°55'W , II.1924, A. Collart ( BMNH); 1 ex., Mayumbo , 8°52'N / 12°55'W , IV. 1924, A. Collart ( NMK); 1 ex., Panguma , 7°50'N / 12°43'W, VII .1912, J. J. Simpson ( BMNH).— Togo. 1 ex., Amede Kouve, 6°12'N / 01°24'E ( MNHU); 7 ex., Bismarckburg, 8°15'N / 00°55'E, L. Conradt ( MNHU); 2 ex., Missahoue , 6°59'N / 00°40'E, V .1894, E. Baumann ( MNHU).— Uganda. 4 ex., Kalinzu Forest , X.1948, T . H. E. Jackson ( NMK) .