Bonesioides laboissierei, Freund & Wagner, 2003

Freund, W. & Wagner, TH., 2003, Revision of Bonesioides Laboissière, 1925 (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae; Galerucinae) from continental Africa, Journal of Natural History 37 (16), pp. 1915-1976 : 1939-1941

Bonesioides laboissierei nom. nov.

Replacement name for Beiratia coerulea Laboissière, 1924: 26 .

Redescription

Total length. 3.7–4.9 mm (mean: 4.15 mm).

Head. Labrum, labial and maxillary palpus black, frons and vertex dark metallic blue. Antenna extending towards end of metasternum (figure 34), antennal articles short and black, articles 2 and 3 rarely dark brown. A2/A3: 0.55–0.75 (mean: 0.61), antennal article 4 not longer than antennal articles 2 and 3 combined (figure 35), A3/A4: 0.53–0.77. Eyes small (figure 34), WE/DE: 0.55–0.71 (mean: 0.65).

Thorax. Pronotum and elytra dark metallic blue, pronotum very convex. PL: 0.6–0.9 mm (mean: 0.75 mm), PW: 1.2–1.6 mm (mean: 1.32 mm), PL/PW: 0.52–0.61 (mean: 0.57). EL: 2.8–3.8 mm (mean: 3.22 mm), EW: 1.7–2.2 mm (mean: 1.99 mm), EW/EL: 0.58–0.67 (mean: 0.62). Mesothorax, metathorax and legs black, TA/TI: 0.49–0.54 (mean: 0.53).

Abdomen. Black.

Male genitalia. Median lobe very slender, homogeneously narrowed apically (figure 37). Base of orifice narrow, nearly circular, tectum long and slender. The endophallus has a large base and two spiculae, a slender one in the basal part, another in the apical part, latter partly not covered by tectum. Endophallic brush and apical part of sclerotized ductus ejaculatorius very protruding and extending nearly towards the apex of median lobe.

Female genitalia. Spermatheca with expanded nodulus, middle part and cornu short and well curved (figure 36).

Distribution. Recorded from eastern Congo to Kenya and Zimbabwe (figure 38).

Diagnosis. Bonesioides laboissierei nom. nov. is most similar to B. gambiae sp. nov., B. trispiculata sp. nov. and B. kirschi (figures 17, 54, 90). These species are very similar in size, coloration and habitus, and can be doubtless distinguished by the male genitalia only. Shape of the median lobe in B. gambiae sp. nov. is very similar to that of B. laboissierei nom. nov., but the endophallus is strongly hooked at the base in B. gambiae sp. nov. (figure 57), while it is straight in B. laboissierei nom. nov. (figure 37). The median lobe in B. trispiculata sp. nov. is much broader and the endophallus bears three spiculae (figure 92), which is a unique character in Bonesioides . B. kirschi is similar in size and coloration, and occurs partly syntopically with B. laboissierei nom. nov., but both species can be easily distinguished by the male genitalic characters. B. kirschi has a broad median lobe, tectum and the protruding apical part of the sclerotized ductus ejaculatorius are short (figure 20), while B. laboissierei nom. nov. has a much more slender median lobe with long tectum and the protruding apical part of the sclerotized ductus ejaculatorius (figure 37). Furthermore, B. gambiae sp. nov. is restricted to Gambia, while B. laboissierei nom. nov. mainly occurs in Central and East Africa. B. trispiculata sp. nov. is recorded from Central Congo, and B. kirschi from Southern Africa only (figure 38).

Type material

H: W ‘ Beiratia coerulea m. V. Laboissière - Det. / Tana River, B. E. A. / Type / G. Babault, Mai 1915 / Muséum Paris, Coll. Générale’ ( MNHN); Kenya: ca 0°50∞S/37°30∞E; examined. P  : 12 ex., same data label as holotype ( MNHN); examined .

Other material examined

Burundi: 1 ex., Kanna , January 1926, Dr H. Schouteden ( MRAC) ; 1 ex., Usumbura , 3°22∞S/29°31∞E, January 1926, Dr H. Schouteden ( MRAC) . Congo: 1 ex., Arara-Aru , 3°11∞N/30°48∞E, July 1952, M. Winand ( MRAC) ; 1 ex., Muteba , 5°9∞S/25°41∞E, May 1932, G. F. Overlaet ( MRAC) ; 4 ex., P. N. G., ca 3°40∞N/29°0∞E, June 1952, H. de Saeger ( IRSNB) . Kenya: 1 ex., Mpanga , 0°35∞N/36°10∞E ( ZFMK) ; 1 ex., Tsavo River , ca 2°59∞S/28°38∞E, May 1913, Dr Bayer ( MRAC) . Rwanda: 1 ex., Bugarama , 2°27∞S/29°28∞E, October 1926, Dr H. Schouteden ( MRAC) . Uganda: 6 ex., Masindi, 1°41∞N/31°45∞E, April 1927, H. Hargreaves ( BMNH) . Zimbabwe: 1 ex., Bulawayo, 20°15∞S/28°30∞E, December 1903, G. A. K. Marshall ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., Marandellas , 18°10∞S/31°36∞E, light, February 1962, J. S. Weir ( BMNH) .