Torquispa Uhmann 1954k: 1

Synonomys

None.

Type Species

Torquispa vittigera Uhmann.

Diagnosis

Torquispa 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 with short, narrow frontal horn between antennae
• antennomere 1 without spine-like process
• elytra without scutellar row
• prosternum prosternum:
  contains two anterior coxal cavities
  with anterior margin projecting forward, partly covering mouth

Description

Body elongate; subparallel; subconvex; color yellowish-brown or black; total length 16.0 to 19.0 mm.

Head: cephalic plate quadrate, sparsely punctate; frontal horn narrow, short, ½ length of antennomere 1; fronsfrons:
upper anterior portion of head capsule above the clypeus
rectangular; clypeusclypeus:
usually quadrangular, elongate; joined to the labrum
triangular.

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
; thickening apically; with 11-antennomeres; antennomere 1 incrassate; 8 to 11 sulcate; 7 to 11 setose.

Pronotum: longer than wide, narrowing anteriorly; lateral margin sinuate; anterior angle tuberculate; anterior margin curved; posterior angle acute; posterior margin bisinuate; surface irregularly punctate, with medial sulcus.

Scutellum: cordate.

Elytron: lateral margin straight, smooth; exterior apical angle rounded; apical margin subtruncate; humerus angulate, not produced; with 8 rows of punctures basally, 10 apically; interspace 2 strongly costate, 6 and 8 carinate apically.

Venter: 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 anterior margin expanding forward, partly covering mouth.

Distribution

New Caledonia.

World Fauna

Described species: 2 (Staines 2012). Key: Gressitt 1960b.

Hosts

Unknown.

References

Gressitt, J. L. 1960b. Hispine beetles from New Caledonia (Chrysomelidae). Pacific Insects 2:101‑123.

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

Uhmann, E. 1954k. Hispinae aus Neu-Caledoniea. 152. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Hispinae (Coleopt. Chrysomelidae). Bulletin Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique 30(38):1-9.