Homalispa Baly, 1858

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2014, Review of Imatidiini genera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54 (1), pp. 257-314 : 280-281

Homalispa Baly, 1858

( Fig. 1 )

Homalispa Baly, 1858: 33 . Type species: Homalispa batesii Baly, 1858 by original designation.

Distinguishing characters. Homalispa can be easily distinguished from other genera by the prognathous and projecting mouthparts, and the long antennae which are about 1.5 times longer than the base of the pronotum ( Fig. 1 ). The other two genera, Cyclantispa gen. nov. and Xanthispa , with strongly projecting mouthparts differ in having much shorter antennae, approximately as long as the pronotal base and the pronotum without an emargination above the head and with obtuse and non-projecting anterior corners, while Homalispa has the antennae at least 1.5 times longer than the pronotal base and the pronotum deeply emarginate above the head and with angulate and projecting anterior corners.

Remarks. MONRÓS & VIANA (1947) designated Homalispa marginata Baly, 1858 as the type species, however, this designation is invalid as the type species was ¿xed in the original description ( BALY 1858).

In the past, Homalispa was divided in two subgenera: the nominotypical subgenus and Xanthispa (i.e. UHMANN 1957a, STAINES 2002). However, in my opinion, Xanthispa is a distinct genus and its status is restored here. In addition, two species previously classi¿ed as Homalispa are transferred to Cyclantispa gen. nov. (see description on page 274).

Homalispa signata Pic, 1926 is considered as a species of incertae sedis because the holotype deposited in MNHN was damaged by pests and is missing the head and part of the pronotum, thus its assignment to a genus is impossible. PIC (1926b) unfortunately did not mention anything about mouthparts. On the other hand the specimen has a quite broadly explanate and horizontal elytral margin like some small Homalispa species. However, until new material is available its position cannot be veri¿ed.

Species transferred to other genera. Homalispa collaris Waterhouse, 1881 and H. sulcicollis Champion, 1920 to Xenispa ; H. gracilis Baly, 1885 and H. subelongata Pic, 1936 to Cyclantispa gen. nov.; and H. limbifera Baly, 1885 to Pseudimatidium .

Number of species. 22 ( UHMANN 1957a, present paper).

Key to species. A key to species has yet to be provided.

Biology. So far, only two Homalispa species have published associations with host plants. Homalispa deyrollei Baly, 1858 was recorded from Poaceae ( BONDAR 1938) and H. nevermanni Uhmann, 1930 from Arecaceae ( MESKINS et al. 2008) . Our ¿eld observations indicate that both associations are correct as we found a number of species on these two plant families (Windsor & Sekerka, unpunbl. data).

Distribution. Nicaragua to Bolivia and Brazil.

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.