Heterispa Chapius 1875: 321

Synonomys

Uroplata (Heterispa) Chapuis.

Type Species

Uroplata (Heterispa) infuscata Chapuis.

Diagnosis

Heterispa 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 10 rows of punctures for entire length plus short scutellar row, with 4 costae at apex, costa on interval 6 visible only at base, costa on interval 2 strongly raised
• the antennae thickened at apex, not clavate, with 8-antennomeres
• the prosternumprosternum:
  contains two anterior coxal cavities
  does not expand anteriorly to partly cover the mouth
• profemur without tooth

Description

Head: small, globose; vertexvertex:
occupies the area behind and between the eyes
with medial sulcus; conical projection forward to between eyes; antennaantenna:
3 to 11 segments, inserted in antennal pit in front of eyes
with conical projection at base; eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
large, convex.

Antenna: with 8-antennomeres, extends beyond base 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
; club with whorls of setae.

Pronotum: quadrangular or slightly transverse, narrower than elytra; narrowing from base to apex; light prescutellar impression present.

Scutellum: longer than wide.

Elytron: oblong or elongate, subparallel; obtuse projection present in exterior apical angle; lateral margin finely serrate; apical margin with many strong, sharp, unequal spines; with 10 rows of large, regular punctures plus scutellar row; elytral interval 2 strongly costate; 4 costate at humerus and apex; 6 visible only at base; 8 entire, less elevated.

Venter: mesosternummesosternum:
narrow between middle coxae, separated from metasternum by a transverse suture; forming the anterior part of the middle coxal cavities
swollen anteriorly.

Leg: long, slender; profemur without tooth.

Distribution

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil Colombia, Ecuador, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.

World Fauna

Described species: 5 (Staines 2012). Key: none.

Hosts

Infigofera (Fabaceae); Althaea, Malvastrum, Sida, Sphaeralcea (Malvaceae); Panicum, Paspalum (Poaceae); Guazuma (Sterculiaceae); Apeiba, Triumfetta (Tilaceae).

References

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.

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