Chiridopsis melanocephala Spaeth, 1924

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 : 38-39

Chiridopsis melanocephala Spaeth, 1924

( figs 8 , 123, 124 )

Chiridopsis melanocephala Spaeth, 1924: 343 ; Borowiec, 1999: 300.

Description. Le: 5.70–6.70 mm, Wi: 4.70–5.40 mm, Lp: 2.00– 2.40 mm, Wp: 3.30–3.85 mm, Le/Wi: 1.22–1.29, Wp/Lp: 1.52–1.60.

Pronotum yellow ( fig. 123 ), disc with four small black spots, one on each side and two close to lateral impressions, spots on sides often obsolete. Scutellum yellow. Elytral disc yellow with numerous small black spots arranged in three rows, usually 3 spots in row along suture, 8 spots in row along middle of disc and 4–5 spots along sides of disc, often occurs additional spot laterally to apex of scutellum. Sometimes some spots obsolete but number of spots is never less than 20. Explanate margin of elytra yellow. Head and thorax black, abdomen black, surrounded by yellow. Coxa and trochanters brown to black, rest of legs yellow. Antennae uniformly yellow or last antennal segment partly infuscate.

Pronotum elliptical ( fig. 123 ), with maximum width in the middle, anterior margin regularly convex, sides broadly rounded, no basal corners. Disc convex, distinctly bordered from explanate margin with distinct lateral impressions. Surface of disc impunctate, shiny. Explanate margin broad, impunctate, shiny, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra much wider than base of pronotum ( fig. 123 ), humeral angles distinctly protruding anterad, subangulate. Disc softly convex, without impressions ( fig. 124 ). Punctation fine to moderate, arranged in regular rows, dense, distance between punctures from half wide to as wide as puncture diameter, rows usually more or less impressed. Marginal row distinct, its punctures slightly coarser than punctures in central rows. Intervals slightly convex, especially on sides, on top of disc mostly four times, on sides mostly twice wider than rows, marginal interval 1.5–2.0 times wider than submarginal one, no humeral or lateral folds. Explanate margin narrow, moderately declivous, extreme margin subhorizontal, in the widest part 6.5 times narrower than disc, surface slightly irregular, shiny, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus broad, approximately 1.4 times as wide as long. Clypeal grooves well marked, converging in regular triangle, surface of clypeus slightly convex, shiny with several very small punctures. Labrum narrowly emarginate to 1/5 length. Antennae moderately slim, segments 9–10 approximately 1.3 times as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:44:68:74:62:56:56:59:53:56:109. Segment 3 approximately 1.5 times as long as segment 2 and approximately 0.9 times as long as segment 4.

Prosternum broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxa flat or with shallow central impression, surface with few oblique wrinkles or grooves and several very small, setose punctures, expanded apex slightly convex in the middle, lateral lobes bordered from central part by short longitudinal groove, surface regular, shiny, with several small setose punctures.

Claws with moderate basal tooth.

Distribution. South Africa ( fig. 8 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis melanocephala is close only to Ch. regionalis and Ch. rorida ( figs 109, 110 , 123–126 ). They have dorsum predominantly yellow with pattern on elytra of numerous small black spots. Chiridopsis rorida differs in yellow clypeus. Chiridopsis regionalis is very similar but differs in pronotal disc without spots (usually four spots in transverse row but sometimes reduced to only two inner spots in Ch. melanocephala ). Chiridopsis melanocephala has more numerous spots on elytra with three spots on each side of suture (only single spot in mid length in Ch. regionalis ), usually 5–6 spots along middle of disc (4 in Ch. regionalis ) and 4–5 along sides of disc (1–2 in Ch. regionalis ). Chiridopsis melanocephala is slightly larger with length 5.7–6.7 mm (5.2–5.8 in Ch. regionalis ) and stouter with Wi/Le 1.22–1.29 (1.30–1.32 in Ch. regionalis ).

Types examined. Holotype: [ SOUTH AFRICA] Natal (MM).

Other specimens examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, 1 ( DBET) ; Natal, Port Natal (= Durban ), 1 ( DBET) ; Natal, Umzimkuluwana River, part of Oribi Gorge, 8 km of Port Shepstone , 1, H. Heron ( DBET) ; Transvaal, Lydenburg, 1896, 6, P. A. Krantz (TM, DBET) ; Transvaal, Mp’home, 1 (DBET).

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 10. Distribution. 8. Chiridopsis melanocephala; 9. Chiridopsis convexula (black circles) and Chiridopsis klapperichi (white circle); 10. Chiridopsis rorida.

FIGURES 120 – 126. Chiridopsis suffriani. 120. Male dorsal, 121. Female dorsal, 122. Female lateral; 123 – 124. Chiridopsis melanocephala. 123. Dorsal, 124. Lateral; 125 – 126. Chiridopsis rorida. 125. Dorsal, 126. Lateral.

FIGURES 107 – 114. Chiridopsis parellina. 107. Dorsal, 108. Lateral, 109 – 110. Chiridopsis regionalis. 109. Dorsal, 110. Lateral; 111 – 112. Chiridopsis flavipennis. 111. Dorsal, 112. Lateral; 113 – 114. Chiridopsis zambiana. 113. Dorsal, 114. Lateral.