Anisostena (s. str.) Weise 1910b: 120

Synonomys

Anisostena Chapuis.

Type Species

Charistena elegantula Baly.

Diagnosis

Anisostena (Anisostena) can be distinguished by the following combination of characters:

• · body slender, parallel
• · 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, finely margined, without lateral teeth
• · the apex of the elytra without a tooth-like projection
• · the elytra with 8 rows of punctures for entire length and 3 regular costae, costae on intervals 2 and 6 unite near apex, humerus rounded without spine or tooth
• · the antennae thickened at apex, with 11-antennomeres
• · leg with mesotibia strongly curved, with apical tarsomere bearing 2 claws, femora without large tooth
• · anterior margin of prosternumprosternum:
  contains two anterior coxal cavities
  not expanding toward mouth

Description

Body elongate, slender, coarsely punctate.

Head: fronsfrons:
upper anterior portion of head capsule above the clypeus
medially impressed; vertexvertex:
occupies the area behind and between the eyes
with medial sulcus present or absent; eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
little swollen.

Antennaantenna:
3 to 11 segments, inserted in antennal pit in front of eyes
: with 11‑antennomeres; antennomere 1 subglobose; 2 cylindrical, as wide as 1; 3 to 6 gradually widening; 7 to 11 forming a club.

Elytronelytron:
strongly sclerotized mesothoracic wings, remaining open during flight. When closed, they cover to the last abdominal segment.  Most genera are sculptured with large punctures usually in regular rows; with various combinations of costae, carinae, spines, or tubercles; however some genera are smooth.  Lateral and apical margins are dentate, serrate or smooth.  Humerus is usually rounded but may be produced and bear spines or expansions.
: with 8 rows of punctures plus scutellar row; tricostate; costae on intervals 2 and 6 unite near apex.

Leg: mesotibia strongly curved; femora without large tooth.

Distribution

Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Hispaniola, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, United States, Venezuela.

World Fauna

Described species: 25 (Staines 2012). Keys: Monrós & Viana 1947; Staines 1993c, 1994d, 1994e 1996(1997), 2006b, 2007e.

Hosts

Andropogon, Bothriochloa, Panicum, Paspalum, Schizachryium, Sporobolus, Tridens, Tripsacum (Poaceae).

References

Staines, C. L. 1993c. A revision of the genus Anisostena Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Hispinae). Part I. Introduction and the subgenera Neostena and Apostena. Insecta Mundi 7:183‑190.

Staines, C. L. 1994d. A revision of the genus Anisostena Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Hispinae). Part III. The pilatei species group. Insecta Mundi 8:213-226.

Staines, C. L. 1994e. A revision of the genus Anisostena Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Hispinae). Part IV. The nigrita species group. Insecta Mundi 8:251-264.

Staines, C. L. 1996(1997). The Hispinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Nicaragua. Revista Nicaragüense de Entomología 37/38:1-65.

Staines, C. L. 2006b. The hispine beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) of America north of Mexico. Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publication Number 13. 178 pp.

Staines, C. L. 2007e. A new species of Anisostena (Anisostena) from Colombia (Coleoptera: Cassidinae). Genus 18(4): 677-680.

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

Weise, J. 1910b. Zweiter Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Hispinen. Verhandlunger des Naturforschenden Vereines in Brünn 48:115‑162.