Bonesioides nitida, 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 : 1960-1962

Bonesioides nitida sp. nov.

Description

Total length. 4.8–5.5 mm (mean: 5.17 mm).

Head. Labrum, labial and maxillary palpus black; frons and vertex dark metallic golden green. Antenna black, short, extending towards end of mesosternum (figure 79); first three antennal articles rarely dark brown. Antennal article 3 about 50% longer than article 2 (figure 80), A2/A3: 0.50–0.67 (mean: 0.60); antennal article 4 not longer than articles 2 and 3 combined, A3/A4: 0.61–0.71 (mean: 0.69). Eyes small (figure 79), WE/DE: 0.52–0.61 (mean: 0.55).

Thorax. Pronotum and elytra dark metallic golden green. PL: 0.7–0.9 mm (mean: 0.82 mm), PW: 1.5–1.7 mm (mean: 1.64 mm), PL/PW: 0.46–0.53 (mean: 0.50). EL: 3.8–4.3 mm (mean: 4.05 mm), EW: 2.4–2.7 mm (mean: 2.55 mm), EW/EL: 0.57–0.66 (mean: 0.63). Mesothorax, metathorax and legs black, metatibia about twice as long as metatarsus (figure 79), TA/TI: 0.47–0.51 (mean: 0.49).

Abdomen. Black.

Male genitalia. Median lobe slender, homogeneously narrowed apically, with a contraction at beginning of apical third (figure 82). Base of orifice nearly rectangular, tectum short and slender. Endophallus with a large sclerotized base and two rightcurved spiculae; endophallic brush and apical part of sclerotized ductus ejaculatorius protruding, not covered by tectum.

Female genitalia. Spermatheca with slender nodulus, homogeneously converging towards short and straight middle part; cornu varying in length and curvature (figure 81).

Distribution. Recorded from montane regions of the Albertine Rift in Kivu (figure 53).

Diagnosis. Bonesioides nitida sp. nov. is most similar to B. virens and B. budongoensis sp. nov. (figures 30, 49), but can be distinguished by the colour of pronotum and elytra. B. nitida sp. nov. has a metallic golden green coloration, while B. budongoensis sp. nov. is much duller and B. virens has a brighter metallic green or purple coloration. Furthermore, the antenna as a whole and the antennal articles in detail in B. virens are much longer than in B. nitida sp. nov (figures 31, 50). Males can be distinguished by the median lobe, which is much more slender in B. nitida sp. nov. than in B. budongoensis sp. nov. or B. virens (figures 33, 52, 82). The endophallus in B. nitida sp. nov. is not hooked at base like in B. budongoensis sp. nov., the endophallic brush and the apical part of the ductus ejaculatorius is larger and more protruding than in B. virens .

Type material

H: W ‘ Holotypus Bonesioides nitida / Bonesioides nitida Freund & Wagner 2000 / Congo belge: P. N. A., 23-VII-1953, P. Vanschuytbroeck & V. Hendrickx, 4680 / Massif Ruwenzori, Kalonge, 2080 m’ (IRSNB); Congo: 0°20∞N/29°48∞E. P: Congo: 1 ex., Butagu Valley, 0°21∞N/29°43∞E, 2000 m, November 1931, Mme L. Lebrun (MRAC); 3 ex., P. N. A., Ihongero, 0°20∞N/29°45∞E, 2480 m, September 1952 – January 1953, P. Vanschuytbroeck and J. Kekenbosch (IRSNB); 1 ex., P. N. A., river Kalivina, 2350 m, April 1955, P. Vanschuytbroeck and R. Fonteyne (IRSNB); 5 ex., P. N. A., Kalonge, 2120 m, July 1952 – February 1953, P. Vanschuytbroeck and J. Kekenbosch (IRSNB); 1 ex., same data label as holotype (IRSNB); 1 ex., P. N. A., Kyandolire, Camp des Gardes, 1700 m, October 1952, P. Vanschuytbroeck and J. Kekenbosch (IRSNB); 1 ex., Lulenga, 1°25∞S/29°23∞E, November 1925, Dr H. Schouteden (MRAC); 1 ex., P. N. A., Mt Hoyo, 1°13∞N/29°49∞E, 1280 m, July 1955, P. Vanschuytbroeck (IRSNB); 4 ex., Nzombe, 3°11∞S/28°32∞E, 2000 m, August–September 1950, Froidebise (MRAC); 1 ex., Mwenga, 3°2∞S/28°26∞E, 2250 m, February 1957, N. Leleup (MRAC).