Monolepta cruciata Guérin de Méneville, 1847

Wagner, Thomas, 2020, Revision of Monolepta Chevrolat, 1836 species from North-East Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), Bonn zoological Bulletin 69 (2), pp. 225-247 : 234-236

Monolepta cruciata Guérin de Méneville, 1847

( Figs 2 , 13 )

Monolepta cruciata Guérin de Méneville, 1847: 331 .

= Monolepta puncticeps Chapuis, 1879: 23 ; Wagner 2007b: 95.

= Monolepta ludicra Weise, 1906: 54 ; Wagner 2007b: 95.

= Monolepta sternalis Weise, 1909a: 213 ; Wagner 2007b: 96.

= Monolepta notha Weise, 1927: 21 ; Wagner 2007b: 96.

Further material examined. 42 specimens, 23 find- ings. Angola . 1 ex. ( BMNH) . – Botswana. 1 ex., Nata , 20.13S / 26.11E, XII.1979, C. R. Owen ( USNM) . – Ethiopia. 1 ex., Alemaya , 9.23N / 41.56E, VI.1965, A. B. Gurney ( USNM) . – Kenya. 1 ex. Lake Nak- uru, 0.28S / 36.07E, XI.1896, Dr. Ansorge ( USNM) ; 7 ex., Nairobi , 1.17S / 36.50E, XI.1967, C. V. Reichert ( USNM) . – Malawi. 1 ex., Zomba, Upper Shire Riv. , 15.21S / 35.18E, V.1896, Rendall ( USNM) . – Mocambique. 4 ex., Delagoa Bay , 25.58S / 32.35E ( USNM) ; 1 ex., Beira , 19.49S / 34.52E ( USNM) ; 2 ex., Lourenzo Marques , 25.58S / 32.25E, II.1951, N. L. H. Kraus ( USNM) . – South Africa. 2 ex., Durban , 29.51S / 31.01E ( USNM) ; 4 ex., Port Natal , 28.30S / 30.30E ( USNM) ; 1 ex, Wellington , 33.38S / 18.59E ( USNM) ; 1 ex., Grahamstown , 33.17S / 26.32E, X.1899, C le Doux ( USNM) ; 2 ex., Malvern , 26.12S / 28.06E, VII.1897 ( USNM) ; 1 ex., Warmbad , 24.55S / 28.15E, II.1968, P. Spangler ( USNM) ; 1 ex., Transvaal, Libertas , X.1979, C. R. Owen ( USNM) . – Tanzania. 1 ex., Urambo , 5.04S / 32.04E, II.1960, I. A. D. Robertson ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., N-Mara, X.1958, I. A. D. Robertson ( BMNH) ; 2 ex., 30–60 km NE Mpi- ka, 11.40S / 31.40E, XI.2004, Snizek ( NME) . – Uganda. 2 ex., Entebbe , 0.05N / 32.29E, IX.1972, H. Falke ( USNM) ; 3 ex., Dokulo , 1.36N / 33.10E, XI.1967, C. V. Reichart ( USNM) . – Zambia. 1 ex., Hillwood, Ikilenge , 11.16S / 24.18E, X.2013, Smith et al. ( BMNH) ; 1 ex., Lyangu, Liuwa Plain NPO, 14.46S / 22.34E, XI.2013, Smith et al. ( BMNH) .

Remarks. A detailed redescription was published in Wagner (2007b, 2016). Type specimens for the valid name and of M. puncticeps originated from Ethiopia. A Neotype was designated for Monolepta cruciata in Wagner (2007b). Insect material of the expedition of Th. Lefebre to Ethiopia was deposited in the MCGD, but type material of this species could not be found. The precise description and the excellent figure given in the original description made an allocation to this species very likely. However, since another species, the sometimes very similarly coloured M. nigrocruciata occur at the type locality of M. cruciata , it was reasonable to designate a neotype to fix the species identity. The lectotype of M. puncticeps “Abyss. Raffray / Regione boschiva da Goundet et Adoua, 1000–2000 m 1873” (MCGD) was designated as neotype of M. cruciata . Monolepta cruciata is one of the most abundant and widely distributed species of Monolepta in Africa. Nearly 3000 specimens out of 465 find- ings have been studied insofar ( Wagner 2007b, 2016).

Diagnosis. Specimens with broad black elytral margins, suture and median transverse band (like Fig. 13 Aa) are very similar to M. elegans . This species has on average more slender elytra and antennae ( Wagner 2007a) is abundant only in West Africa, occurs up to Gabon and Angola, and does not occur in North-East Africa. Most specimens of M. cruciata in Ethiopia and Eritrea show colour pattern like Fig. 13 Ac, much rarer like Fig. 13 Ab. Specimens with complete black suture ( Fig. 13 Ac) show many similarities to some M. gobensis Laboissière, 1940 and M. nigrocruciata Laboissière, 1940 . Dissection of male genitalia ( Fig. 9D , 11D , 13D ) is sometimes necessary for proper identification.

Distribution and ecology. One of the most abundant species of Monolepta in Eastern, Central and southern Africa from Eritrea and Cameroon to the Cape ( Fig. 2 ).

Figures

Fig. 2. Distribution of M. longiuscula, M. euchroma, M. jeanneli, M. cruciata.

Fig. 13. Monolepta cruciata Guérin de Méneville, 1847. A. Four different colour patterns. B. Basal antennomeres, males. C. Dto., females. D. Median lobe, a. lateral, b. dorsal. E. Dto., variation a. lateral, b. dorsal, c. ventral, without endophallic structures. F. Spermathecae. G. Bursa-sclerite, dorsal. H. Dto., ventral.

Fig. 9. Monolepta nigrocruciata Laboissière, 1940b. A. Four different colour patterns. B. Basal antennomeres, males. C. Dto., females. D. Median lobe, a. lateral, b. dorsal, c. ventral, without endophallic structures. E. Spermathecae. F. Bursa-sclerite, dorsal. G. Dto., ventral.

Fig. 11. Monolepta gobensis Laboissière, 1940b. A. Two different colour patterns. B. Basal antennomeres, males.C. Dto., females. D. Median lobe, a. lateral, b. dorsal, c. ventral, without endophallic structures. E. Spermathecae. F. Bursa-sclerite, dorsal. G. Dto., ventral.