Calotheca pallida (Bryant, 1945)

D'Alessandro, Paola, Iannella, Mattia, Grobbelaar, Elizabeth & Biondi, Maurizio, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Calotheca parvula species group from southern Africa, with descriptions of three new species (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), African Invertebrates 62 (1), pp. 315-337 : 315

Calotheca pallida (Bryant, 1945) Figs 3A-D , 6

Blepharidella pallida Bryant, 1945: 340

Calotheca pallida (Bryant): Biondi et al. 2017: 123 (pars)

Type material examined.

Lectotype ♀: Mossel Bay [34°07'11"S, 22°04'02"E]/S.W. Africa [RSA: WCape], R.E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1928-119 (M. Biondi des. 2017) (NHMUK). Paralectotypes: Same data as lectotype, 1♀ (NHMUK); ditto, Brit. Mus. 1921-210, April 1921, 1♂ (NHMUK).

Additional material examined.

Republic of South Africa: Cape Pr. [WCape], Mossel Bay , 34°08'S, 22°10'E, 15.i.1986, J.M. Carpenter leg., 3 specimens (MCZC); ditto, xii.1934. R.E. Turner leg., B.M. 1935-73, 1 specimen (NHMUK); CP [WCape], Stilbaai Nature Res.[erve], 34°22'S, 21°26'E, 02.xii.1988, B.[=E.] Grobbelaar leg., 3 specimens (SANC) .

Taxonomic remarks.

Head, antennae and legs pale brown; tarsi and basal antennomeres even paler brown; pronotum yellow, with punctate lateral striae and basal furrows slightly darkened; elytra yellow, with darkened punctures and, in some specimens, small, sparse irregular pale brown patches on disc (Fig. 3A ). Pronotal lateral striae C-shaped, with large deeply impressed punctures; basal furrows of pronotum deeply impressed; pronotal punctation very fine (Fig. 3B ). Basal pro- and mesotarsomeres in male distinctly enlarged, subtriangular (Fig. 3A ). Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 3C ) distinctly sinuate laterally in ventral view; as wide basally as distally; apex subtriangular, widely obtuse and rounded laterally with small ventrolateral bulges; ventral surface with two carinae delimiting a wide sulcus, and a narrow distal sulcus in the apical third; ventrolateral surface wrinkled; dorsal ligula short, formed by two subtruncate basal lobes and two shorter subtriangular apical lobes; in lateral view, median lobe distinctly bent down, and sinuate apically. Spermatheca (Fig. 3D ) with basal part subcylindrical, relatively slender, distinctly curved; distal part abruptly bent, curved to the apex, with a very short appendix; distal part clearly shorter than half the length of the basal part; ductus basally inserted, elongate, uncoiled but with wide loops.

Biometrics.

Males (n = 5; mean ± standard deviation, range): LE = 3.99 ± 0.14 mm (3.75 ≤ LE ≤ 4.10 mm); WE = 2.90 ± 0.12 mm (2.70 ≤ WE ≤ 3.00 mm); LP = 1.20 ± 0.03 mm (1.15 ≤ LP ≤ 1.23 mm); WP = 2.32 ± 0.08 mm (2.20 ≤ WP ≤ 2.40 mm); LAN = 2.40 ± 0.10 mm (2.25 ≤ LAN ≤ 2.50 mm); LAED = 2.18 ± 0.05 mm (2.13 ≤ LAED ≤ 2.25 mm); LB = 5.12 ± 0.08 mm (5.00 ≤ LB ≤ 5.20 mm); LE/LP = 3.33 ± 0.07 (3.26 ≤ LE/LP ≤ 3.42); WE/WP = 1.25 ± 0.02 (1.23 ≤ WE/WP ≤ 1.28); WP/LP = 1.94 ± 0.05 (1.88 ≤ WP/LP ≤ 2.00); WE/LE = 0.73 ± 0.01 (0.72 ≤ WE/LE ≤ 0.73); LAN/LB = 0.47 ± 0.01 (0.45 ≤ LAN/LB ≤ 0.49); LE/LAED = 1.83 ± 0.06 (1.76 ≤ LE/LAED ≤ 1.93). Females (n = 3; mean ± standard deviation; range): LE = 4.33 ± 0.12 mm (4.20 ≤ LE ≤ 4.40 mm); WE = 3.24 ± 0.04 mm (3.20 ≤ WE ≤ 3.28 mm); LP = 1.21 ± 0.01 mm (1.20 ≤ LP ≤ 1.23 mm); WP = 2.48 ± 0.04 mm (2.43 ≤ WP ≤ 2.50 mm); LAN = 2.25 ± 0.05 mm (2.20 ≤ LAN ≤ 2.30 mm); LSP = 0.78 ± 0.03 mm (0.75 ≤ LSP ≤ 0.80 mm); LB = 5.58 ± 0.20 mm (5.40 ≤ LB ≤ 5.80 mm); LE/LP = 3.59 ± 0.14 (3.43 ≤ LE/LP ≤ 3.67); WE/WP = 1.31 ± 0.04 (1.28 ≤ WE/WP ≤ 1.35); WP/LP = 2.05 ± 0.03 (2.02 ≤ WP/LP ≤ 2.08); WE/LE = 0.75 ± 0.01 (0.74 ≤ WE/LE ≤ 0.76); LAN/LB = 0.40 ± 0.02 (0.39 ≤ LAN/LB ≤ 0.43); LE/LSP = 5.53 ± 0.06 (5.50 ≤ LE/LSP ≤ 5.60).

Distribution.

Republic of South Africa (WCape) (Fig. 6 ). Chorotype: Southern-Western Afrotropical (SWA).

Ecological notes.

Habitat and host plants unknown. Adults collected in January, April and December.

Figures

Figure 3. Calotheca pallida (Bryant, 1945) A habitus, ♂ (RSA: WCape, Stilbaai Nature Reserve) B head, pronotum, and basal part of elytra, ♂ (RSA: WCape, Stilbaai Nature Reserve) C median lobe of aedeagus, from left to right in ventral, dorsal, and lateral view (RSA: WCape, Mossel Bay) D spermatheca (RSA: WCape, Stilbaai Nature Reserve). Abbreviations: bf = basal furrow; bl = basal lobe of dorsa ligula; dl = distal lobe of dorsa ligula; ds = distal sulcus; fg = frontal groove; pls = punctate lateral stria; vc = ventral carina; vs = ventral sulcus; ws = wrinkled surface. Scale bars: 2 mm (A); 1 mm (B, C); 0.5 mm (D).

Figure 6. Distribution of Calotheca parvula species group.