Pharangispa Maulik 1929b: 275

Synonomys

None.

Type Species

Pharangispa purpureipennis Maulik.

Diagnosis

Pharangispa 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
• head without frontal horn between antennae
• 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 angle, flattened, never constricted basally, anterior margin not prolonged over head
• anterior margin of prosternumprosternum:
  contains two anterior coxal cavities
  not projecting forward, not partly covering mouth
• less than 14 mm in length
• antennae with 8-antennomeres
• elytra without longitudinal and transverse carinae forming an irregular net-like sculpture, non-costate

Description

Small; subparallel; bright orange with darker markings; length 4.9 to 5.9 mm.

Head: large; with short projection between antennal bases; eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
strongly convex.

Antenna: ½ body length; thickened apically; with 8-antennomeres; antennomere 1 transverse; 2 slightly longer than 1; 3 as long as 1 and 2 combined; 4 ½ length of 3; 5 and 6 each shorter than 3; 7 very short; 8 broadly rounded at apex.

Pronotum: longer than wide; lateral margin rounded, not margined; anterior angle rounded; anterior margin straight; posterior angle acute, produced; posterior margin bisinuate; surface coarsely, irregularly punctate.

Scutellum: triangular; rounded at apex; impunctate.

Elytron: lateral margin straight, smooth; exterior apical angle rounded; apex rounded, slightly laminate; sutural angle with small tooth; humerus rounded, not produced; slightly constricted behind humerus; surface coarsely punctate-striate; with 10 rows of large punctures, scutellar row absent; non-costate.

Leg: long; slender; tibiatibia:
variable in length; joins femur and tarsus
expanding apically.

Distribution

Solomon Islands.

World Fauna

Described species: 5 (Staines 2012). Key: Gressitt 1957b, 1960a, Gressitt & Samuelson 1990.

Hosts

Heliconia (Heliconiaceae); Costus (Costaceae); Cocos (Arecaceae); Musa (Musaceae); Pittosporaceae; Alpinia (Zingiberaceae); Freycinetia, Pandanus (Pandanaceae).

References

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. & G. A. Samuelson. 1990. Hispinae of the New Guinea‑Solomons Area. II. Tribe Coelaenomenoderini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). BishopMuseum Occasional Papers 30:259‑278.

Maulik, S. 1929b. Injurious Hispinae from the Solomon Islands. Bulletin of Entomological Research 20:233-239.

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