Conicobruchus cicatricosus ( Fåhraeus, 1839 ), Fahraeus, 1839

Le Ru, Bruno P., Delobel, Alex, György, Zoltán, Genson, Gwenaëlle & Kergoat, Gael J., 2014, Taxonomy, host-plant associations and phylogeny of African Crotalaria - feeding seed beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae): the Conicobruchus strangulatus (Fåhraeus) species group, Zootaxa 3895 (2), pp. 238-256 : 244-245

Conicobruchus cicatricosus ( Fåhraeus, 1839)

Bruchus cicatricosus Fåhraeus, 1839:39 .

Bruchus cicatricosus pallidioripennis Pic, 1941:12 , syn. nov. Conicobruchus cicatricosus: Kergoat et al., 2011:756

Material examined. Kenya: 2♂, Josa Wundanyi, 03° 25.863S 31° 21.314E, 1378m, 13.iv.2012, ex Crotalaria laburnifolia tenuicarpa [1♂ 0 2212, specimen GK448 used for DNA extraction] (B. Le Ru) [ CBGP]. Tanzania: 1♂, Kidevu, 03° 09.402S 36° 41.058E, 1818m, 25.ii.2008, ex Crotalaria sp. [specimen GK195 used for DNA extraction] (B. Le Ru) [ CBGP]. Republic of South Africa: 1♂, 1♀, Port Elisabeth [1♂ 04908]; 1♀, East London, ix.1915 (R. Ellenberger) [ MNHN]. Tanzania: 1♂, xii 7 n fv, ex Crotalaria sp. [1♂ 00508] (C. Conrads) [ MNHN]. Zimbabwe: 1♂, 1♀, Masvingo, 22.i.1998 [1♂ 19007, specimen GK171 used for DNA extraction] (M. Halada) [ OÖLM].

Body entirely black, or black with elytra and legs more or less light reddish brown ( Fig. 1 ). The black form corresponds to variety A of Fåhraeus, the paler form to his variety B, as well as to Pic’s variety pallidioripennis. These are mere colour forms of the same species.

Other important morphological traits are as follows: pronotum 1.2 times wider at base than long, its sides straight basally, strongly convergent anteriorly, then constricted into a distinct neck; lack of white hair spots on pronotum (setation uniformly yellowish); elytral striae thin and narrow, interstriae alternating greyish setose spots with bare areas surrounding large ocellate punctures, elytral disc thus showing a checkered pattern, less visible laterally and posteriorly. Male antennae strongly pectinate.

Male genitalia. Median lobe ( Fig. 3 ) of moderate length, stout (maximum width excluding basal hood / total length = 0.20), slightly widened apically, basal hood moderately widened, concave posteriorly; ventral valve large, subtriangular, bearing apically numerous sensillae and basally two lateral groups of 6 to 9 setae; no hinge sclerite; internal sac densely lined anteriorly with minute spinules and ctenoid scales, followed by strands of hyaline spicules and tubercles, progressively transformed laterally into a pair of groups of very dense setae; posteriorly numerous strong teeth, associated or not in two to four dented sticks or masses; apical ampoule devoid of any ornamentation, gonopore not sclerotized; basal strut ( Fig. 4 ) narrow, without keel; lateral lobes cleft to about 90% their length; apex modified, with two lips, the dorsal one bearing 15-20 long setae, the ventral one densely lined with long setation.

Biology. The type series was reared from Crotalaria volubilis seeds in ‘Caffraria’ (now Republic of South Africa). The name C. volubilis Thunberg is not valid ( ILDIS 2014; TROPICOS 2014), so that the actual host remains unknown (but C. capensis according to De Luca, 1965). Examined material was reared from pods of Crotalaria laburnifolia subsp. tenuicarpa in Kenya and of Crotalaria sp. in Tanzania.

Distribution. Kenya, Republic of South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Discussion. Conicobruchus cicatricosus can be distinguished from other members of the group by its elytral setation ( Fig. 1 ), in which bare spots alternate with densely setose patches (in other species elytra are uniformly covered with setae). Contrary to C. decoratus and C. rubricollis , the male genitalia of C. cicatricosus includes large sclerites. However, in contrast with C. atrosuturalis , C. flabellicornis and C. strangulatus , proximal sclerites are absent.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal view of specimens belonging the to six species of the Conicobruchus strangulatus species group.

FIGURES 3 – 4. Conicobruchus cicatricosus: 3 — median lobe; 4 — basal strut and lateral lobes (specimen 0 2212, Kenya).