Phidodonta Weise 1904a: 404

Synonomys

Phidodonta Weise (misspelling).

Pleruispella Uhmann 1931g: 159.

Type Species

Phidodonta modesta Weise.

Diagnosis

Phidodonta 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 with long, stiff spines
• body sparsely setose
• antennae with 11-antennomeres, antennomere 1 with long spine
• 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 anterior margin without spines, lateral margin with 3 (1+1+1) or 6 spines [(3)+1+1+1]
• tarsal claws totally fused, pointed

Description

Body small; elongate; subparallel; subconvex; color black; total length 2.6 to 5.0 mm.

Head: large; convex; vertexvertex:
occupies the area behind and between the eyes
punctate to rugose; eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
large, convex.

Antenna: reaches to humerus; thickening apically; with 11-antennomeres; antennomere 1 incrassate, with long spine; 2 to 6 sulcate with scattered setae; 7 to 11 pubescent.

Pronotum: quadrate; lateral margin rounded, with 3 (1+1+1) or 6 spines [(3)+1+1+1]; anterior angle rounded; anterior margin curved forward, without spines; posterior angle acute; posterior margin bisinuate; surface rugose with faint longitudinal medial sulcus.

Scutellum: cordate.

Elytron: lateral margin straight, serrate; exterior apical angle rounded, serrate; apical margin rounded with 4 or 5 large spines; humerus rounded; with 8 irregular rows of punctures; surface glabrous.

Leg: femurfemur:
largest part of the leg; more or less cylindrical, attached at base to trochanter and at apex to tibia
stout; mesotibiae curved; tarsal fused, pointed at apex

Distribution

Congo, India, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Zimbabwe.

World Fauna

Described species: 3 (Staines 2012). Key: Uhmann 1954h.

Hosts

Andropogon, Avena, Oryza, Saccharum, Sorghum (Poaceae).

References

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

Uhmann, E. 1931g. Die Hispinen des Musée du Congo Belge. 3. Teil. Oncocephalini, Exothispini, Coelaenomenoderini, Gonophorini, Cryptonychini, Hispini ohne die Gattung Hispa. 33. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Hispinen (Col. Chrys.). Revue de Zoologie et Botanique Africaines 21:74‑88, 148-164.

Uhmann, E. 1954h. Coléoptères Chrysomélides Hispinae. 148. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Hispinae (Coleopt. Chrysomelidae). Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire No. 40. La Réserve Naturelle Intégrale du Mont Nimba Fascicule II:175-198.

Weise, J. 1904a Zwei neue Hispiden aus Ostindien. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1904:404.