Torquispa Uhmann, 1954

Borowiec, Lech, Świętojańska, Jolanta & Sekerka, Lukáš, 2019, Revision of the tribe Cryptonychini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) of New Caledonia, Zootaxa 4690 (1), pp. 1-71 : 55-56

Genus Torquispa Uhmann, 1954

Torquispa Uhmann 1954: 1 (original description), 1958: 199 (catalogue), 1964: 445 (catalogue); Gressitt 1957: 265, 1960b: 121 (key to species), 1961: 79 (noted); Würmli 1975: 37 (diagnostic description), 1976: 400 (revision); Seeno & Wilcox 1982: 163 (catalogue); Jolivet & Verma 2009: 218 (faunal list).

Type species. Torquispa vittigera Uhmann, 1954 by original designation.

Description. Moderately large to large beetles, body length 11.20–17.40 mm. Antennae 11-segmented. Body slim and elongate, at least 3 × as long as wide. Head wider than long, interocular plate rectangular, slightly to strongly convex, separated from vertex by impression or deep sulcus. Interantennal process short to moderately long, extending at most to half length of antennomere I. Frontoclypeus elongate with triangular central plate. Prosternum with prosternal collar, anterior margin of collar more or less emarginate. Prosternal process in intercoxal area wider than half width of coxa, mostly smooth and shiny. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, with obtuse lateral carina, with anterolateral tubercles but without tubercles in anterior corners. Punctation of pronotal disc moderate to coarse, disposed irregularly, at least centre of pronotum partly impunctate with smooth and shiny surface. Elytra without scutellar row of punctures, 6 or 8 rows in humeral part, 7 or 8 rows behind middle and 8 or 10 rows apically. Interval 3 costate. Thorax and abdomen mostly smooth and shiny, without special sculpture. Legs moderately stout, sexually dimorphic. Lateral margins of last sternite before apex with brush of long hair in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism manifested in shape of last ventrite.

Distribution. Two species endemic to New Caledonia.