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Acanthispa Chapuis 1875: 323

Synonomys

Acanthodes Baly 1864: 262, not Agassiz.

Type Species

Acanthodes generosa Baly.

Diagnosis

Acanthispa can be distinguished by the following combination of characters:

  • the lateral margins of the pronotumpronotum:
    occupies all of dorsal part of the prothorax; in anterior angles or posterior angles there may be a small tubercle or pore with a seta
    and the elytra without long, stiff spines
  • the head without a frontal horn
  • the pronotumpronotum:
    occupies all of dorsal part of the prothorax; in anterior angles or posterior angles there may be a small tubercle or pore with a seta
    with a seta in each anterior angle
  • the apex of the elytra without a tooth-like projection
  • the elytra with 8 rows of punctures for entire length and 3 regular costae
  • the antennae thickened at apex, not clavate, with 3- to 7-antennomeres, last antennomere acutely pointed at apex
  • the prosternumprosternum:
    contains two anterior coxal cavities
    does not expand anteriorly to partly cover the mouth

Description

Body wedged‑shaped.

Head: long, flattened; projection present between eyes.

Antenna: rigid, 3‑ to 7‑segmented; apical antennomere acutely pointed.

Pronotum: slightly narrower than elytra, transverse; medially depressed; basal margin with excavation present on each side.

Scutellum: transverse, apex obtuse.

Elytron: parallel-sided, slightly enlarged apically; spine‑like tooth in exterior apical angle; with 8 rows of punctures; extra punctures present, especially between rows 5 and 7.

Distribution

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, French Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Suriname.

World Fauna

Described species: 15 (Staines 2012). Key to species: Monrós & Viana (1947)- Argentina.

Hosts

Quetlavda (Celastraceae).

References

Baly, J. S. 1864. Descriptions of genera and species of Hispidae. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History (3)14:261-271, 334-345.

Chapuis, F. 1875. in J. T. Lacordaire, Histoire naturelle des insectes. Genera des Coléoptères, Vol. 11, Famille des Phytophages, 420 pp. Encylopédique de Roret; Paris.

Monrós, F. & M. J. Viana. 1947. Revisión sistemática de los Hispidae Argentinos (Insecta, Coleop. Chrysomeloid.). Anales del Museo Argentino Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" 42:125-324.

Staines, C. L. 2012. Tribe Chalepini. Catalog of the hispines of the world (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae). http://entomology.si.edu/Collections_Coleoptera.html