Chiridopsis octoguttata ( Boheman, 1854 )

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 : 45-46

Chiridopsis octoguttata ( Boheman, 1854)

( figs 13 , 90, 91 )

Cassida octo-guttata Boheman, 1854: 462, 1857: 141, 1862: 343; Gemminger and Harold, 1876: 3656 ( octoguttata ).

Chirida octoguttata: Weise, 1896 c: 23 (8-guttata); Spaeth, 1914: 127.

Chiridopsis octoguttata: Spaeth, 1924: 352 ; Borowiec, 1999: 301.

Cassida quadriplagiata Boheman, 1854: 460, 1857: 141 , 1862: 343; Gemminger and Harold, 1876: 3657; Spaeth, 1924: 352 (as synonym of Ch. octoguttata ).

Chirida quadriplagiata: Weise, 1896 c: 23 (4-plagiata); Spaeth, 1914: 127.

Description. Le: 5.45–6.2 mm, Wi: 4.7–5.2 mm, Lp: 2.1–2.3 mm, Wp: 3.3–3.65 mm, Le/Wi: 1.14–1.19, Wp/Lp: 1.53–1.66.

Pronotum yellow ( figs 90, 91 ), disc mostly black except yellow area above head, two large yellow spots in front of scutellum and small spot anteriorly, sometimes occurs small transverse spot at base of black laterally to large yellow spots. Scutellum yellow with black margins. Elytra black with eight large yellow spots arranged as in fig. 90 , posterior spots often more or less joined, usually also small yellow spot below humeral callus and in 1/3 length of black marginal interval. Head, ventrites, legs, and antennae yellow.

Pronotum elliptical ( fig. 90 ), with maximum width in the middle, anterior margin softly convex, sides broadly rounded, no basal corners. 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. 90 ), humeral angles distinctly protruding anterad, subrounded. Disc slightly unevenly convex in profile ( fig. 91 ), more convex in postscutellar area, with shallow postscutellar impressions. Punctation very fine, on sides coarser than on top of disc, arranged in regular rows, but some rows create wavy lines, distance between punctures from as wide as to five times wider than puncture diameter. Marginal row distinct, its punctures distinctly coarser than punctures in central rows. Intervals flat, on top of disc five to seven times, on sides three to four times wider than rows, marginal interval 1.2–1.5 times wider than submarginal one, no humeral or lateral folds. Explanate margin broad, moderately declivous, in the widest part 4.5–5.0 times narrower than disc, surface impunctate, shiny, transparent with well visible honeycomb structure.

Eyes very large, gena obsolete. Clypeus broad, approximately 1.3 times as wide as long. Clypeal grooves fine but well marked, converging in regular triangle, surface of clypeus distinctly convex, shiny with few very small, setose punctures and often with impressed median line. Labrum minutely emarginate to 1/6 length. Antennae slim, segments 9–10 approximately 1.5 times as long as wide. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:48:48:63:63:50: 65:55:60:60:113. Segment 3 approximately as long as segment 2 and approximately 0.8 times as long as segment 4.

Prosternum broad in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxae more or less impressed, surface often with shallow transverse grooves but shiny, with few setose punctures, expanded apex flat, without special sculpture or only slightly irregular, shiny, with few setose punctures.

Claws with moderate basal tooth, last segment of tarsi with explanate flanks of apex.

Distribution. West Africa ( fig. 13 ).

Remarks. Chiridopsis octoguttata belongs to the group of species with elytral pattern forming black reticulation This group comprises also Ch. elongata , Ch. suffriani and reticulate forms of Ch. nigrosepta ( figs 53– 55 , 74–79 , 120–122 ). First two species distinctly differ in explanate margin of pronotum with black basal spots while in Ch. octoguttata the margin is completely yellow. Reticulate form of Ch. nigrosepta at first glance looks similar but differs in elytral disc with only one black transverse zigzag band thus yellow forms only 6 large spots, while in Ch. octoguttata elytral disc with two black transverse zigzag bands, thus yellow forms 8 large spots.

Types examined. Lectotype of Cassida octoguttata (designated by Borowiec 1999: 301): Seneg., Sommer (NRS); paralectotype of Cassida octoguttata (designated by Borowiec 1999: 301): Seneg., Signt. (NRS); paralectotype of Cassida octoguttata (designated by Borowiec 1999: 301): Seneg., Guerin (NRS).

Lectotype of Cassida quadriplagiata (designated by Borowiec 1999: 301): Seneg, Mhm. (NRS); paralectotype of Cassida quadriplagiata (designated by Borowiec 1999: 301): Seneg, Mus. Berl. (NRS).

Other specimens examined. BENIN: Zagnanado, 1 ( ZMHU).

GUINEA: Guinea , 2 ( ZMHU).

GUINEA BISSAU: Bolama, VI–XII 1899, 1, L. Fea ( MZSNG).

IVORY COAST: Danane , XII 1930 – IV 1931, 1, Alluaud & Chapuis ( MNHN).

NIGERIA: Old Calabar , 1 ( DBET).

SENEGAL: Senegal , 6 ( ZMHU, DBET, MRAC).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distribution of Chiridopsis observabilis (white circles) and Chiridopsis octoguttata (black circles).

FIGURES 87 – 93. Chiridopsis opposita. 87. Male dorsal, 88. Female dorsal, 89. Female lateral; 90 – 91. Chiridopsis octoguttata. 90. Dorsal, 91. Lateral; 92 – 93. Chiridopsis subornata, black form. 92. Dorsal, 93. Lateral.

FIGURES 50 – 55. Chiridopsis congoana. 50. Female dorsal, 51. Male dorsal, 52. Male lateral; 53 – 55. Chiridopsis elongata. 53. Male dorsal, 54. Female dorsal, 55. Female lateral.

FIGURES 74 – 79. Chiridopsis nigrosepta. 74. Male dorsal, 75. Female dorsal, 76. Female lateral, 77 – 79. Variation of dorsal pattern (79. Form described as ab. vernicata).

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.