Aspidispa Baly 1869b: 378

Synonomys

None.

Type Species

Aspidispa basalis Baly.

Diagnosis

Aspidispa can be distinguished by the following combination of characters:

• lateral margin of 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 elytra without long, stiff spines
• body broad
• head without frontal horn between antennae, clypeusclypeus:
  usually quadrangular, elongate; joined to the labrum
  well-developed
• pronotum pronotum:
  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 seta in each posterior angle, narrower than base of elytra
• elytra without scutellar row of punctures, widest near middle, humerus rounded, with 8 rows of punctures, tricostate
• tarsi with 2 claws

Description

Convex; widest near middle of elytra, narrower at base and apex; color yellow to brown, often with dark markings; total length 3.2 to 6.5 mm.

Head: obtuse; with large carina between antennal bases; clypeusclypeus:
usually quadrangular, elongate; joined to the labrum
well-developed.

Antenna: filiform; ½ body length; with 11-antennomeres; antennomeres 1 and 2 ovate, subequal in length; 3 longest; 11 pointed at apex.

Pronotum: transverse; lateral margin sinuate, rounded, some species serrate; anterior angle rounded; anterior margin straight; posterior angle acute; posterior margin bisinuate; convex; surface punctate.

Scutellum: quadrate; rounded at apex.

Elytron: lateral margin expanding until just after middle, then rounding to apex; apical margin rounded, serrate; humerus rounded; with 8 rows of punctures; tricostate, costae 1 and 2 interrupted, 3 complete.

Leg: short; robust; tarsi with 2 claws.

Distribution

Bismark Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea.

World Fauna

Described species: 22 (Staines 2012). Key: Gestro 1890, Uhmann 1955a, Gressitt 1957b, 1960a, 1963.

Hosts

Calamus (Araceae); Daemonorops, Korthalsia, Pinanga (Arecaceae); Flagellaria (Flagellariaceae).

References

Baly, J. S. 1869b. Descriptions of new genera and species of Hispidae; with notes on some previously described species. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 363-382.

Gestro, R. 1890. Viaggio di Leonardo Fea in Birmania e Regioni Vicine. XXIX. Enumerazione delle Hispidae. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova (2)10(30):225-268.

Gressitt, J. L. 1957b. Hispine beetles from the South Pacific (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Nova Guinea n. s. 8:205‑324.

Gressitt, J. L. 1960a. Papuan-West Polynesian hispine beetles (Chrysomelidae). Pacific Insects 2:1-90.

Gressitt, J. L. 1963. Hispine beetles (Chrysomelidae) from New Guinea. Pacific Insects 5:591‑714.

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

Uhmann, E. 1955a. Gonophorini, besonders von den Philippinen. Philippine Journal of Science 84:229‑251.