Research Article |
Corresponding author: Lukas Sekerka ( sagrinae@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Alexander Konstantinov
© 2015 Lukas Sekerka, Lech Borowiec.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Sekerka L, Borowiec L (2015) Subgenera of Charidotella Weise with description of a new subgenus and species from Brazil (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Cassidini). ZooKeys 506: 61-74. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.506.8770
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A new subgenus and species, Charidotella (Chapadacassis subgen. n.) paradoxasp. n. is described and figured from the Chapada plateau in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Subgenera of Charidotella Weise, 1896 are listed, supplemented with basic data, diagnostic table, and a key is proposed. Based on a study of respective type material following new combinations are proposed: Charidotella (Philaspis) stulta (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Charidotella (Xenocassis) amoenula (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) cyclographa (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) discoidalis (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) incerta (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) purpurea (Linnaeus, 1758), comb. n., Ch. (X.) myops (Boheman, 1855), comb. n. (all previously placed in the nominotypical subgenus), and Plagiometriona cingulata (Boheman, 1862), comb. n. (from Charidotella (Xenocassis)).
Entomology, taxonomy, new subgenus, new species, new combination, Neotropical Region, Brazil
New World Cassidini comprises currently 726 species in 46 genera. Brazil is the country with richest fauna represented by 402 species, 252 of them so far known only from Brazil (
Dry regions of Southern America are poorly collected and many species are known only from small areas while their range is in fact large. This is particularly true for western Bolivia and central-west Brazil (Windsor and Sekerka, unpubl. data). The Chapada plateau in Mato Grosso is perhaps one of the most interesting areas in this part of Southern America and probably hides numerous undescribed taxa. Several cassidines were described recently by
Currently Charidotella comprises 100 species divided in five subgenera (
Summarizing most important morphological differences among subgenera of Charidotella Weise, 1896. Numbers in parentheses indicate number of species possessing particular character when variable within one subgenus.
subgenus character |
Chapadacassis subgen. n. | Philaspis Spaeth, 1913 | Metrionaspis Spaeth, 1942 | Chaerocassis Spaeth in Hincks, 1952 | Xenocassis Spaeth, 1936 | Charidotella s. str. Weise, 1896 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
body shape | oval and parallelsided | oval and parallelsided | subtriangular to subcircular | subcircular (3) or oval (3) | circular | variable, mostl subcircular to subtriangular |
convexity of elytra | irregular and subgibose | regular and weak | irregular with postscutellar hump | regular and weak | regular and moderate | from regular and low to tuberculate |
punctation of elytra | irregular | regular | regular | regular | regular | regular |
explanate margin of elytra | densely punctate | sparsely punctate (4) or impunctate (6) | sparsely punctate in humeral area | impunctate (4) or punctate in humeral area (2) | impunctate | impunctate |
pattern on underside of elytra | absent | present (6) or absent (4) | absent | absent | absent | present (at least in 32 species) or absent |
pattern on disc of elytra | absent | absent | disc uniformly red | disc uniformly red or yellow | usually with ring, rarely yellow | usually yellow |
spots on explanate margin of elytra | absent | absent | present | present (5) or absent (1) | absent | absent (61) or present (7) |
sides of pronotum | rounded | subangulate | rounded | rounded | rounded | rounded (66) or subangulate (1) |
size of eye | large, occupying almost whole side | large, occupying almost whole side | large, occupying almost whole side | large, occupying almost whole side | moderately large occupying 2/3 of side, gena well visible | large, occupying almost whole side, gena sometimes visible but very narrow |
antennae | 5 basal slim shiny antennomeres + 6 dull and broad | 6 basal slim shiny antennomeres + 5 dull and broad | 5 basal slim shiny antennomeres + 6 dull and broad | 6 basal slim shiny antennomeres + 5 dull and broad | 6 basal slim shiny antennomeres + 5 dull and broad | 6 basal slim shiny antennomeres + 5 dull and broad |
antennomeres II–IV | II and III subequal, IV approx. 1/4 longer than either II and III | II distinctly shorter than III, III and IV subequal | II and III subequal, IV as long as II and III combined | III longer than II and IV longer than III | variable | variable |
proclaws | both with small basal tooth |
both with large basal tooth | both with large basal tooth | both with large basal tooth | both with small to large basal tooth | both with moderate to large basal tooth |
mesoclaws | outer simple, inner with small tooth | outer simple (♂) or with small tooth (♀), inner with large tooth | both simple (♀) or outer with large basal tooth (♂) | ♂: both or only inner simple; ♀: all with large tooth or one simple | inner with small to large basal tooth, outer simple or both simple | outer simple (♂) or both with small to large tooth (♀) |
metaclaws | both with small basal tooth |
both with large basal tooth | inner simple, outer with large basal tooth | ♂: inner simple; ♀: both with large tooth or one simple | inner with small to large basal tooth, outer simple or both simple or both with large tooth | both with moderate to large basal tooth |
The genus Charidotella can be characterized by at least some tarsal claws with a basal tooth, venter of the pronotum without antennal grooves, the clypeus flat or impressed and without distinct grooves, and a broad prosternal process with the apex not strongly expanded laterally. Charidotella species are mostly associated with the plant family Convolvulaceae, mainly with the diverse genus Ipomoea, however at least one species is associated with Asteraceae (Windsor and Sekerka, unpubl. data).
Label data from the type specimens are cited as they appeared on the labels. Individual labels are separated by a double vertical bar “||” and rows within the label by a single vertical bar “|”.
Charidotella Weise, 1896: 13.
Cassida zona Fabricius, 1801 by monotypy.
67 (
Canada to Argentina.
Species of the nominotypical subgenus can be separated by all tarsal claws with a basal tooth of variable size, or in males the outer claw of mesotarsi is with small tooth or simple. They also have subcircular to subtriangular body and are more convex in comparison to most other subgenera except Metrionaspis and Chapadacassis subgen. n. Otherwise the nominotypical subgenus is polymorphic displaying greater variability and some species externally reminds other subgenera. Most species are yellow with or without pattern on the ventral side of the elytral disc which can be variable. After revising most species of Charidotella there is no species in the nominotypical subgenus with dark annulus on the upper side of the elytra and all such coloured species are here transferred to Xenocassis.
Charidotella subgen. Chaerocassis Spaeth in Hincks, 1952: 350.
Coptocycla marculenta Boheman, 1855 by original designation.
6 (
Not yet proposed.
USA to Panama.
Chaerocassis species have subcircular or oval body outline, regularly convex elytra, the base of the elytra distinctly wider than the pronotum and humeral angles moderately projecting anterad. Four species have explanate margin of the elytra with basal and posterolateral spots. One species has outer margin of the elytra black and the type species is uniformly yellow. Males have the outer claw of meso- and metatarsi, or both claws of meso- and the outer claw of metatarsi simple. Females have all claws appendiculate or one of the meso- and metatarsi simple. They are externally close to the nominotypical subgenus but can be easily separated by one of the metaclaws simple and elytra always without pattern on uderside.
Metrionaspis Spaeth, 1942: 39;
Aspidomorpha rubicunda Guérin-Méneville, 1844 by monotypy.
2 (
Not yet proposed.
Charidotella rubicunda is widely distributed through South America from Colombia to Argentina while Ch. santaremi Borowiec, 1995 is so far known only from the state of Pará in Brazil.
The two Metrionaspis species have a broadly oval to subtriangular body outline, base of the elytra distinctly wider than pronotum with humeral angles projecting anterad, explanate margin of the elytra with humeral and posterolateral spots, and the elytra with a postscutellar tubercle. Externally both species are very similar to two Charidotella s. str. species, Ch. tuberculata (Fabricius, 1775) and Ch. ventricosa (Boheman, 1855), but they can be separated by an impunctate explanate margin of the elytra and claws of the metatarsi in both sexes with a basal tooth. While Metrionaspis species have humeral area of the explanate margin punctate and the inner claw of the metatarsi simple in both sexes.
Philaspis Spaeth, 1913: 142;
Odontionycha seriatopunctata Spaeth, 1901 designated by
10 (
One species in Mexico and Costa Rica, remaining in the southern part of South America.
Philaspis species are at first glance easily distinguished by the parallel-sided elytra in combination with subangulate sides of the pronotum. All species are uniformly yellow or have a small black spot in the middle of each elytron.
Charidotella stulta (Boheman, 1855) was previously classified in the nominotypical subgenus. We recently examined its holotype, preserved in Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, and found that it belongs to the subgenus Philaspis near Ch. (P.) inculta (Boheman, 1855).
Xenocassis Spaeth, 1936: 260;
Coptocycla amoena Boheman, 1855 by original designation.
15 (present paper).
Not yet proposed.
Mexico to Peru with most species in the Central America.
Xenocassis species can be easily separated from other subgenera by the small eyes covering only 2/3 of lateral sides of the head thus gena is well visible while all other subgenera have large eyes. In addition Xenocassis has nearly regularly circular body outline, weakly convex elytra with coarser punctation on lateral slope, and dorsum with ring pattern on the upper side. In extreme cases the ring can form a large discal spot or can be completely vanished thus whole dorsum is uniformly yellow.
So far Xenocassis was separated from other genera on the basis of the tarsal claws and general body shape.
We consider Xenocassis as subgenus of Charidotella as the size of the eye is found variable also in some other new world Cassidini genera, e.g. Charidotis Boheman, 1855 and Plagiometriona Spaeth, 1899.
Last catalogue,
During examination of species placed in the nominotypical subgenus we found four which had small eyes and are here transferred to Xenocassis: Ch. (X.) discoidalis (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) incerta (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) purpurea (Linnaeus, 1758), comb. n., and Ch. (X.) myops (Boheman, 1855), comb. n. Types of all, with exception of Ch. purpurea, were examined and are preserved in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden. In addition
Charidotella (Chapadacassis) paradoxa sp. n. here designated.
The genus name is a combination of its type locality, the Chapada plateau and the genus name Cassida, gender feminine.
Chapadacassis subgen. n. is well characterized by completely irregular punctation of the elytra, only apical two thirds of sutural row appear more or less regular, while all other Charidotella species have mostly regular punctation of the elytra. Mostly or completely irregular punctation of the elytra is generally a rare feature in Neotropical Cassidini present only in a few taxa (e.g. Metriona elatior (Klug, 1829) or Scaeocassis turbulenta (Boheman, 1862)).
Externally, Chapadacassis subgen. n. is reminiscent of Philaspis because of the body shape, but Philaspis species have moderately and regularly convex elytra without any impressions while Chapadacassis subgen. n. has strongly convex elytra with moderate scutellar impressions thus elytral profile is distinctly broken (Fig.
Type species for subgenera of Charidotella. 8–9Charidotella (s. str.) zona (Fabricius, 1801) 10–11Charidotella (Chaerocassis) marculenta (Boheman, 1855) 12–13Charidotella (Xenocassis) amoena (Boheman, 1855) 14–15Charidotella (Philaspis) seriatopunctata (Spaeth, 1901) 16–17Charidotella (Metrionaspis) rubicunda (Guérin-Méneville, 1844).
Body 7.6 mm long and 5.9 mm wide, broadly oval and strongly convex (Figs
Eyes large, gena not visible. Clypeus transverse, impunctate and shiny, anterior margin micro-rugose and slightly elevated (Fig.
The type locality most likely refers to Chapada dos Guimarães (approximately 15°10'–15°30'S, 55°40'–56°00'W), Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Holotype, pinned: “BRAZIL, Mato Grosso | Chapada Plateau | XI 1965 | native collector [white, printed and cardboard label]” (preserved at Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Wrocław, Poland). Paratype, pinned: same data as holotype (preserved in collection of L. Sekerka, Prague, Czech Republic). Both specimens are provided with an additional red, printed and cardboard label: “HOLOTYPUS [or PARATYPUS respectively] | Charidotella | Chapadacassis sgen. n. | paradoxa sp. n. | L. Sekerka & | L. Borowiec des. 2014”.
Body 7.6 × 5.9 mm, broadly oval and strongly convex (Figs
Dorsum uniformly reddish-yellow. Margins of thoracic segments, trochanters, head, central parts of abdominal ventrites, and tarsi infuscate. Remaining ventral parts yellow. Five terminal antennomeres black, remaining yellow.
Pronotum subpentagonal, 1.9 times wider than long, widest slightly before midlength with obtuse lateral sides. Disc indistinctly separated from explanate margin, strongly convex, without impressions, sparsely and coarsely punctate, punctures laterobasally gradually coarser. Interspaces smooth and shiny, 1–4 times wider than puncture diameter. Explanate margin broad, lateral sides coarsely and sparsely punctate, transparent, smooth, and shiny, and with honeycomb structure. Anterior margin regularly convex.
Scutellum triangular, smooth, dull, micro-reticulate.
Elytra widest in basal third, then slowly tapering posteriorly. Elytral base distinctly broader than base of pronotum, humeral angles strongly protruding anterad and rounded. Disc strongly convex, with moderate impression on each side of scutellum, thus profile broken in lateral view (Fig.
Clypeus 1.3 times broader than long, impunctate and shiny, anterior margin micro-rugose and slightly elevated. Antennae slim, length ratio of antennomeres: 100:46:49:59:54:45:57:57:55:56:115. Antennomere III slightly longer than II, VII–X subequal in length and approximately as long as wide (Fig.
Legs normal, slim, tarsal claws divergent. Both fore claws appendiculate (Fig.
At first glance Ch. (C.) paradoxa sp. n. reminds some species of the subgenus Philaspis. Particularly recently described, Ch. (P.) marginepunctata Borowiec, 2004 (also from Chapada in Mato Grosso) because of quite similar body shape and coarsely punctate explanate margin of elytra and pronotum. The latter distinctly differs in regularly punctate and less convex elytra without postscutellar impressions, subhorizontal explanate margin of the elytra, and the presence of a small black spot on each elytron.
The species epithet from Latin “paradoxus” = peculiar or curious for its unusual combination of morphological characters for Neotropical Cassidini.
Brazil (Mato Grosso).
1 | Eyes large covering whole sides of the head, gena very narrow or invisible | 2 |
– | Eyes moderately sized, covering 2/3 of lateral sides of the head, gena well visible, covering the basal third | Xenocassis Spaeth, 1936 |
2 | Punctation of elytra regular | 3 |
– | Punctation of elytra completely irregular | Chapadacassis subgen. n. |
3 | Body outline subcircular to subtriangular. Pronotal sides usually broadly rounded | 4 |
– | Body outline oval, parallel-sided. Pronotal sides sub-angulate | Philaspis Spaeth, 1913 |
4 | At least in male one of the metaclaws simple | 5 |
– | All claws in both sexes with basal tooth or in male external claw of mesotarsi simple | Charidotella s. str. |
5 | Elytra regularly convex or slightly impressed around scutellum. Antennae with six shiny basal antennomeres and five dull and broad apical | Chaerocassis Spaeth in Hincks, 1952 |
– | Elytra with a large postscutellar gibbosity, thus lateral profile appears angulate. Antennae with five shiny basal antennomeres and six dull and broad apical | Metrionaspis Spaeth, 1942 |
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Max Barclay (Natural History Museum, London, UK), Johannes Bergsten (Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm), and Johannes Frisch (Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany) for their support during study of the collections. Reviewers are acknowledged for valuable comments and suggestions improving the manuscript. Examination of studied type material was supported by the Synthesys programme of the European Union: Natural History Museum, London, UK (GB-TAF-3616), Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden (SE-TAF-3623), and Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany (DE-TAF-3898). The work was partly financially supported by Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic (DKRVO 2015/14, National Museum, 00023272).