Epitrix fasciata Blatchley

Clark, Shawn M., Lillrose, Tiffany & Belo Neto, Luiz A., 2013, Leaf Beetles of the Cayman Islands (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Insecta Mundi 2013 (279), pp. 1-41 : 22-23

Epitrix fasciata Blatchley

( Figure 15)

Crioceris parvula Fabricius 1801a: 486 .

Epitrix fasciata Blatchley 1918: 56 .

Diagnosis. The body of this species is small (1.0- 1.5 mm long), the hind femora are greatly enlarged, and the elytra are pubescent and striately punctate. This combination of characters is not found in any other species of Chrysomelidae known to occur in the Cayman Islands.

Material examined. Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman , Georgetown, 10-V-2010, J. Steer, Lycopersicon esculentum (4, BYUC; 14, FSCA) ; Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman , Mastic Trail S., 20-29 May 2009, R. Turnbow, FIT (2, RHTC) .

Extralimital distribution. This species occurs not only in the West Indies, but also in the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America ( Riley et al. 2003, Takizawa 2003). Additionally, it has spread to Hawaii and Europe ( Riley et al. 2003, Döberl 2010).

Plant associations. These beetles are normally associated with Solanaceae , having been recorded from various species in that family ( Clark et al. 2004). As noted above, some of the Cayman Islands beetles were collected from the solanaceous plant Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. , which is tomato.

Comments. The above-listed name Crioceris parvula is much older than E. fasciata . Even so, we have chosen to retain the usage of the younger name for this species. This is because of some uncertainty regarding the synonymy and the true identity of C. parvula (see White and Barber 1974). Workers such as Riley et al. (2003) call attention to the homonymy of Crioceris parvula with Galeruca parvula Paykull 1799 . However, this is secondary homonymy. When the two names were both included in the genus Altica Geoffroy (unjustifiably amended Haltica ), this homonymy was important. Now, when Paykull’s name is placed in Longitarsus Berthold and Fabricius’ name in Epitrix Foudras , the issue is irrelevant.