Porphyronota cinnamomea ( Afzelius, 1817 )

Porphyronota cinnamomea ( Afzelius, 1817) View in CoL

(Figs 4, 6)

Cetonia cinnamomea Afzelius, 1817: 48 View in CoL .

Diplognatha cinnamomea (Afzelius) . Gory & Percheron 1833: 51, 126; Harold 1879: 78.

Diplognatha holoserica Bainbridge, 1842: 216 ; Schaum 1849: 285; Schenkling 1921: 345; Holm 1990: 123.

Porphyronota cinnamomea (Afzelius) View in CoL . Burmeister 1842: 623; Schenkling 1921: 350; Holm 1990: 123; Beinhundner 2017: 569; Krajčík 2024: 159.

Porphyronota cinnamomea View in CoL f. holosericea (Bainbridge). Rigout & Allard 1992: 34.

Porphyronota cinnamomea var. nigra Kraatz. Moser 1908: 255 .

Distribution. This species is known mainly from West Africa. Most available material originates from Bénin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Togo (Fig. 6). There is also a doubtful record of a female of this species from the Central African Republic. As the knowledge of this genus is still poor and several new species have only been recently described, most of the reports of P. cinnamomea from other countries such as the Congos, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi ( Holm 1990; Sakai & Nagai 1998; Beinhundner 2017) should be taken with caution, especially those with old citations. Although the species has been reported from Cameroon before (cf. De Lisle 1945; Sakai & Nagai 1998), only the most recent data reported here below have confirmed its presence in the country through adequate identification. As most of the historical specimens could not be accessed on this occasion, their identification remain doubtful, especially on the basis of the new species described herein from the same region.

Data records. Type series: P. cinnamomea – LT+PLT, Togo (ETHZ); P. holoserica – HT, Sierra Leone, No. 825 (HECO). Other records: 1♀, BEN, Atlantique, Niaou- li Attogon, XI-1996, P. Le Gall leg. (PLGF); 1♀, BEN, Borgou, Route Djougou W Parakou, VI-1996, P. Le Gall leg. (PLGF); 1 ind, BEN, Borgou, Wari Mapo, VI-2005, Dupont (J. Dalmon coll); 1♂, BEN, nord, IX-2009, T. Sev- erin (SRSF); 2♀, BEN, Zou, Kilibo 20km S Tchaourou, XI-1995, P. Le Gall leg. (PLGF); 1♀, BFA, Bobo Dioulas- so, Pérel, 8.1984, R. Lang (GBEG); 18 inds, CIV, Comoé, Oct 1998, Ph. Moretto leg. (RPTI, TGMF); 2 ind., ibidem, IX.1997, Ph. Moretto leg. (TGMF); 1♂, ibidem, 08.2002, Leg. P. Moretto (GBEG); 1♂, CIV, Ganse, 10.01.1993, Col. J. Rautenstrauch (GBEG); 2♂ + 16♀, ibidem, 1990, leg. W.D. Gaiser (GBEG); 54♂ + 84♀, CIV, Gansé Issia, Coll. Gaiser (GBEG); 1♀, CIV, Mankono (Bouche), 4.1978 (GBEG); 5♂ + 3♀, CIV, Foret de Banco, Coll. Gaiser (GBEG); 1♀, CIV, Alepe, leg. Gaiser (GBEG); 1♀, CIV, Lamto, 15-XI-1983, P. Le Gall leg. (PLGF); 3♂ +5 inds, CIV, Dimbokro, Le Moult Vendit, I.G. 12595 [1 ind. det. cinnamomea Ruter G. 1962 ] (RBINS); 1♂ + 2♀, CIV, P.N. de la Comoe, X-1998, F. Rousset leg., Ex Coll. R. Alexis (RBINS); 3 inds, CIV, Sassandra, V-1999, F. Rousset leg., Ex Coll. R. Alexis (RBINS); 2♂ + 4♀, CMR-EN, Mokolo, VII-2011, P. Le Gall leg. (PLGF); 1♂, CMR-EN, Rhumsi- ki, V-2011, P. Le Gall leg. (PLGF); 1♀, CMR-CE, Yoko, Samm. Colin (GBEG); n. inds, CMR-ES, Batouri ( De Lisle 1945: 91); n. inds, CMR-CE, Bafia ( De Lisle 1945: 91); 1♂, CMR-NO, Garoua, 1948, J. Cantaloube ( Sakai & Nagai 1998: 333); 1♀, COG, Voka, 23.V.1977, G. Onore leg ( Sakai & Nagai 1998: 333); 1♀, GIN [no locality], Ex collection Dr Vincent Allard, received from Christophe Allard 21.II.2015 (GBEG); 1♂, GIN {no locality], Ex coll Janson-coll Candèze (RBINS); 1 ind., GHA, Hohoe, 18 Aug 2019 8:19, Hannes Öhm (https://www.inaturalist. org/ observations/65228418); 1♀, GIN, Kindia, 3- 12.11.1962, Dr Šabacký leg. (PMBC); 2♂ + 1♀, 8- 18.11.1963, Dr Šabacký leg. (PMBC, GBEG); 1♀, ibidem, 8- 16.6.1964, Dr Šabacký leg. (PMBC); 1♂, SLE, Nimini Hills, 5 Km W Niaiama, 8.31.594N 11.06.863S, 637 m, 6- 7.5.2013, P&B Malec leg. (PMBC); 1♀, SLE, 1975 [no locality], Ex collection Dr Vincent Allard, received from Christophe Allard 21.II.2015 (GBEG); 2♂ + 1♀, TGO, Badou, Dayes, X.1992, G. Goergen leg. (RPTI, TGMF); 1 ind., TGO, Kpalime, X.1992 (TGMF); 1 ind., TGO, Ahlon Forest, VI.2003 (TGMF); 1♀, TGO, Kouma Konda, 22.11.2011, Local Collector (PMBC); 3♂ + 2♀, TGO, Dovota, 29.X.2014, leg. E. Pekele (GBEG); 1♀, TGO, Foret de Dametui, 10.1989 (GBEG); 1♀, TGO, Plateau de Dayes, 10.1989 (GBEG); 1 ind., ibidem, III-1996, Ex. Coll. A. Drumont & Coll. R. Alexis (RBINS); 1♀, TGO, [no locality], Ex collection Dr Vincent Allard, received from Christophe Allard 21.II.2015 (GBEG); 2 inds, TGO, Togoland, 1892-1893, L. Conradt leg. [1 ind. det. cinnamomea Moser 1908 ] (RBINS); 3 inds, TGO, Bismarckburg, 28/ 30- X-1892, L. Conradt leg. [1 ind. det. cinnamomea Moser 1908 ] (RBINS); 1♂, TGO, Région des plateaux, Danyi, G. Toussah leg., IV-2008 (SRSF); 1♂, ibidem, Kouma Apoti, G. Toussah leg., III-2008 (SRSF); 1♀, ibidem, Tové-Dzig- bé, G. Toussah leg., V-2009 (SRSF); 1♀, TGO, ibidem, Tono, G. Toussah leg., IX-2011 (SRSF).

Remarks. Specimen size ranges from 12.1-18.3 mm (TL) to 7.2-10.9 mm (MW). The colour pattern varies little in ornamented ochraceous individuals, mainly in the size of the black maculae of the pronotal disc. However, predominantly to completely black forms are observed in the var. holosericea (cf. e.g. Beinhundner 2017), which apparently occurs across the entire range of distribution of the species, albeit with far less frequency than the nominal form. The period of adult activity recorded thus far is spread throughout the year, with apparent peaks in May-June and October-November. The immature stages are yet undescribed.

Holm (1990) described Porphyronota cinnamomea angolensis from Angola and Zambia. The misplaced HT specimen of this taxon has now been traced in the TMSA, and along with a small PT female (about 1 cm long) housed in the MRAC, has now been analysed in detail. As already illustrated in Holm (1990: 116, figs 59 vs 65) this taxon shows a substantial difference in the apical area of its parameres, by comparison with those of the nominal subspecies. In particular, the apex of P. c. angolensis , shows a lateral expansion both in its dorsal and ventral lobes; it also lacks the dark hook-like projection which is typical of P. cinnamomea s. str. This, combined with its remarkably disjunct distribution from that of the nominal “subspecies” and the other significant differences already highlighted by Holm himself, namely at the level of elytral-pronotal maculation, scutellar sculture, colour of the mesometasternal protrusion and presence of yellow spots on thoracic ventrites ( Holm 1990: 123-124), makes the case for an upgrade of P. angolensi s stat. nov. to species level.