Thomispa Wuermli 1975c: 33

Synonomys

None.

Type Species

Trichispa feae Gestro.

Diagnosis

Thomispa 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
• antennomere 1 without 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 with single spine on each side
• elytral disc without spines or tubercles
• tarsal claws not fused, symmetrical

Description

Body very small; elongate; subparallel; subconvex; color black with bronzy sheen; total length 2.6 to 2.9 mm.

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

Antenna: reaches to humerus; expanding apically; with 11-antennomeres; antennomere 1 incrassate, 1½x length of 2, without spine; 2 to 8 cylindrical; 3 to 4 subequal in length, each nearly as long as 1; 5 to 8 decreasing in length; 9 to 10 transverse, subequal in length; 11 longer than 10, pointed at apex.

Pronotum: transverse; lateral margin rounded, with 3 spines- 1 bifurcate spine before middle and a single straight spine after middle (2+1); anterior angle rounded; anterior margin curved forward, with single spine on each side; posterior angle acute; posterior margin straight; surface punctate, each puncture with white seta, with large oval swelling just behind middle.

Scutellum: large; cordate.

Elytron: lateral margin straight, with few spines which decrease in length toward apex; exterior apical angle and apical margin rounded, with few short spines; humerus angulate, not produced; surface irregularly punctate, each puncture with white seta; disc without spines or tubercles.

Leg: long; slender; punctate, each puncture with white seta; tarsal claws not fused, symmetrical.

Distribution

St. Thomé Island.

World Fauna

Described species: 1- Thomispa feae (Gestro) (Staines 2012).

Hosts

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

Würmli, M. 1975c. Thomispa, eine Neue Gattung der Hispinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) von der Insel Sao Tome. Mitteilungen der Entomologischen Gesellschaft Basel 25:33-36.