Notosacantha junodi (Spaeth)

Rice, Marlin E., 2003, New Host Plant Associations And Distribution Records For Tortoise Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) From Southern Africa, The Coleopterists Bulletin 57 (1), pp. 79-83 : 82

Notosacantha junodi (Spaeth)

New host record: ZIMBABWE, Honde Valley, Aberfoyle Tea Estate, 188179320S, 328579540E, 17-VIII-1998, 32 adults. All beetles were taken from leaves of Tarenna pavettoides (Harv.) , Rubiaceae . Beetles were feeding on both sides of the leaves. They were more common on heavily shaded, understory trees as opposed to trees growing in partial sunlight at the forest edge. Feeding scars comprised two patterns. Initial feeding consisted of slightly sinuous, elongate scars 2 3 10 mm that rarely perforated the leaf. Extensive feeding, possibly by several beetles, developed into irregular shaped, and sometimes large holes 10 3 33 mm, eaten through the leaf. Feeding was not observed along the leaf margin. Jolivet and Hawkeswood (1995) state that several tortoise beetles, such as Notosacantha (Hoplionota) , although recorded on Rubiaceae , are not really feeders on this family. However, Heron and Borowiec (1997) record Notosacantha laticollis (Boheman) on Rubiaceae , specifically Canthium inerme (L.f.). Their documentation, in addition to the large number of N. junodi adults found on T. pavettoides , confirms that Rubiaceae is not an accidental host for Notosacantha but a viable plant for adult subsistence.