Polyconia Weise 1905f: 318

Synonomys

Polygonia Weise (misspelling).

Type Species

Hispella spincornis Kraatz.

Diagnosis

Polyconia 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 stiff spines
• antennomeres 1 to 6 with spines
• 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 with bifurcate spine on each side
• tarsal claws fused at base

Description

Body small; elongate; subparallel; subconvex; color black; total length 3.5 to 4.5 mm.

Head: large; convex; vertexvertex:
occupies the area behind and between the eyes
punctate, with medial sulcus, with row of white setae on inner margin of eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
; eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
large, convex.

Antenna: reaches to 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
; expanding apically; with 11-antennomeres; antennomere 1 subincrassate, 2x length of 2, with long spine; 2 to 6 subequal in length, transverse, each with short spine; 7 to 10 transverse, each longer than 6; 11 pointed at apex; 1 to 6 punctate, each puncture with white seta; 7 to 11 setose.

Pronotum: transverse; lateral margin rounded, with bifurcate spine and a single (2+1); anterior angle rounded; anterior margin rounded forward, with bifurcate spine on each side; posterior angle acute; posterior margin weakly bisinuate; surface punctate, each puncture with white seta, transverse basal impression present.

Scutellum: triangular.

Elytron: lateral margin straight, with spines; exterior apical angle and apical margin rounded, with spines; humerus rounded; with 8 rows of punctures plus scutellar row, each puncture with white seta; disc with small and medium spines.

Leg: slender; punctate, each puncture with pale seta; tarsal claws fused at base.

Distribution

Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Italy, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Rhodesia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Uganda.

World Fauna

Described species: 3 (Staines 2012). Key: Uhmann 1949a.

Hosts

Zea (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. 1949a. Palaearktische Hispinae. 105. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Hispinae (Coleopt. Chrysom.). Koleopterologische Zeitschrift 1:3-12.

Weise, J. 1905f. Bemerkungen über Hispinen. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1905:317‑320.