Xanthispa Baly, 1858

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2014, Review of Imatidiini genera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54 (1), pp. 257-314 : 293-294

Xanthispa Baly, 1858 , stat. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Xanthispa Baly, 1858: 31 . Type species: Cephaloleia cimicoides Guérin-Méneville, 1844 by monotypy.

Distinguishing characters. Xanthispa can be easily distinguished from other genera by the prognathous and projecting mouthparts. Homalispa differs in the long antennae and the pronotum being deeply emarginate above the head with large and sharp anterior corners. Cyclantispa gen. nov. similarly has short antennae and weakly pointed anterior corners of the pronotum, but differs in the elongate body-form, metallic blue elytra, convex labrum, and the interantennal area impressed with an obtuse, low, and narrow carina, while Xantispa has a wedge-shaped and uniformly red body ( Fig. 3 ), emarginate labrum, and the interantennal area with a broad and convex carina.

Remarks. Xanthispa has been considered a subgenus of Homalispa ( UHMANN 1957a, STAINES 2002). STAINES (2002) stated that the only differences are in the proportions of antennomere III and the structure of the lateroapical margins of the elytra. Nevertheless, he is not particularly clear which character belongs to which genus, as in the key he stated that Homalispa s. str. has the antennomere III the longest, and serrate margins of the elytra, while in the redescription these characters are given for Xanthispa . Actually, neither formulation is correct as all Homalispa as well as Xanthispa have serrate lateroapical margins and the third antennomere the longest. Xanthispa has serrate elytral margins similar to smaller Homalispa species without metallic colours, while metallic-coloured species have strong serration. I have seen the types of most the species described in Homalispa , as well as extensive material of Xanthispa , and in my opinion both should be treated as independent genera.

Xanthispa differs from Homalispa (its characters given in brackets) in having a sub-trapezoidal pronotum with rounded, almost not protruding anterior corners, and lateral sides less explanate and only weakly bent upwards (pronotum sub-circular to sub-trapezoidal, with angulate and protruding anterior corners, and lateral margins broadly explanate and canaliculate); antennae short, as long as the base of the pronotum (antennae about 1.5 times longer than the pronotum); apex of the labrum emarginate (apex of labrum convex); maxillary palps prominent, as long as the ¿rst three antennomeres combined (maxillary palps shorter, as long as two basal antennomeres); and interantennal space with a strongly elevated carina (interantennal space deeply impressed). Because of the above-mentioned differences I have decided to elevate the rank of Xanthispa to genus.

Number of species. Monotypic ( UHMANN 1957a).

Biology. The genus is associated with Arecaceae (Windsor & Sekerka, unpubl. data).

Distribution. French Guyana.

Figures

Figs 1–11. Dorsal habitus. 1 – Homalispa batesii Baly, 1858, French Guyana: Mt. Kaw; 2 – Cyclantispa gracilis (Baly, 1885), Panama: La Fortuna; 3 –Xanthispa cimicoides (Guérin-Méneville, 1844), French Guyana: Le Larivot; 4 – Imatidium thoracicum Fabricius, 1801, Ecuador: Cascada San Rafael; 5 – Aslamidium (s. str.) capense (Herbst, 1799), French Guyana: Fourgassie; 6 – Aslamidium (Neoaslamidium) pichinchaensis Borowiec, 1998, Ecuador: Puerto Misahuallí; 7 – Calliaspis sachaensis Borowiec & Stojczew, 1998, Ecuador: Shushu¿ndi; 8 – Spaethaspis lloydi Hincks, 1952, Ecuador: Río Puno. 9 – Xenispa testaceicornis (Pic, 1926), Bolivia: Refugio Los Volcanes; 10 – Xenispa costaricensis (Uhmann, 1930), Panama:La Fortuna;11 – Euxema insignis Baly, 1858, syntype, Panama: Volcan de Barú. All scale bars = 2.5 mm.