Cassida distinguenda Spaeth 1928

Cassida distinguenda Spaeth, 1928

(figs. 9, 309–310)

Cassida distinguenda Spaeth, 1928: 7; Heron & Borowiec, 1997: 630; Borowiec, 1999: 248; Borowiec & Świętojańska, 2001: 156.

Description. L: 5.80–6.20 mm, W: 4.20–4.50 mm, Lp: 1.80–2.00 mm, Wp: 3.30–3.60 mm, L/W: 1.35–1.42, Wp/ Lp: 1.80–1.83. Body oval, sides moderately, regularly rounded (fig. 309).

Uniformly yellow, including ventrites, legs and antennae, sometimes apex of last antennal segment slightly infuscate (figs. 309, 310).

Pronotum elliptical, with maximum width at posterior third, sides rounded. Surface of disc finely to moderately coarse, but distinctly punctate, punctures much finer than those of elytral disc. On sides of pronotal disc punctures dense, with distance between them approximately twice narrower than puncture diameter, on top of disc sparser. Surface between punctures slightly irregular. Explanate margin of pronotum shallowly punctate, from border of disc to margin gradually finer, surface between punctures regular, semitransparent with honeycomb structure.

Base of elytra slightly wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles moderately protruding anterad, angulate. Disc slightly depressed in profile, without impressions and without sculpture (fig. 310). Punctation coarse, in some specimens between coarse punctures additional fine punctation, dense, punctures almost touching each other, but surface of elytral disc appears regular or only slightly irregular. Explanate margin broad, moderately declivous, in widest part approximately four times narrower than disc, with shallow punctation, punctures slightly from as coarse as to slightly coarser but sparser than on disc, surface appears only slightly irregular, semitransparent with honeycomb structure.

Eyes shortened, gena elongate, distance between under margin of eye and lateral angle of labrum slightly longer than half eye width. Clypeus very broad, approximately 1.4 times as wide as long, clypeal grooves fine, converging in more or less regular triangle, clypeal plate slightly to moderately impressed, shiny, with very small, sparse, setose punctures. Labrum shallowly emarginate. Antennae slimmer than in other species, segments 9–10 slightly elongate. Length ratio of antennal segments: 100:60:80:80:73:60:82:60:66:66:113. Segment 3 approximately 1.3 times longer than 2 and approximately as long as 4.

Prosternum narrow in the middle, strongly expanded apically, area between coxae impressed, shiny, with few setose punctures, expanded apex slightly convex medially, sides impressed, shiny with few small setose punctures in central part and few coarser punctures laterally.

Claws with small basal tooth.

Host plants. Solanaceae: Lycium amoenum Damme (Taylor 1965, Borowiec & Świętojańska 2001); Lycium ferrocissimum Miers. (Heron & Borowiec 1997).

Distribution. South Africa: Cape (fig. 9).

Remarks. A member of the Cassida litigiosa species–group. It belongs to the complex of large species with an almost semicircular pronotum. The subgroup comprises also of C. pudens, C. limpopoana and C. wittmeri. Cassida distinguenda is next to C. wittmeri the slimmest species of the subgroup. Cassida limpopoana differs also in shorter eyes and more convex elytra, and base of elytra as wide as base of pronotum (figs. 317, 318) while in C. distinguenda base of elytra is wider than base of pronotum (fig. 309). Cassida pudens differs also in longer eyes, and stouter, almost circular body (figs. 333, 334). Cassida wittmeri differs in more convex body and less declivous explanate margin of elytra (fig. 307).

Type examined. Holotype: [SOUTH AFRICA]: Cape Province, Mossel Bay, 1–13 III 1922, R.E. Turner (BMNH);

Other specimens examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Cape, Bloubergstrand, 8 I 1984, 4, H. Geerbema (NIC, MNHW); Cape, 5 mls SW Calitzdorp, Huiariver Pass, 18–21 XI 1972, 1, van Reenen & Mathabathe (MNHW); Cape, Lamberts B., 16 IX 1985, 2, S. Endrödy – Younga (TM); Cape, 10 km NE of Langebaan, 33.02 S 18.06 E, 28 XII 1989, 5, J.K. Scott (NIC, MNHW); Western Cape Prov., Saldanha, 33°05’S, 17°58’E, 1 (ARC); W Cape, Saldanha, 4 IV 1977, 1, S. Neser (NIC); Cape, West Coast, Yzerfontein, 1 II 1995, 1, S. Zoia (DS); Eastern Cape Prov., Steytlerville, 32°21’S, 24°21’E, 1 (ARC).