Chaeridiona metallica Baly

Staines, C. L., 2007, A review of the genus Chaeridiona Baly, 1869 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 1521 (1), pp. 19-29 : 23-24

Chaeridiona metallica Baly

Figure 4

Chaeridiona metallica Baly 1869: 381 [Holotype: Type H. T. (white disk with red border)/ Baly coll./ Chaeridiona metallica Baly , India (pale blue card) (BMNH)]. Kalshoven 1957: 11 (host plants); Uhmann 1958: 252 (catalog); Würmli 1976: 403 (revision); Santiago-Blay 2004: 57 (host plants).

Choeridiona metallica Baly. Donckier 1899: 571 (catalog); Weise 1908: 214 (faunal list), 1911a: 49, 1911b: 73 (catalog); Maulik 1919: 85 ( India species), 1937: 148 (host plants).

Wedge-shaped; convex; pronotum and elytra metallic green in middle, purplish-red laterally; venter and apical four antennomeres black; coxae and basal 2 antennomeres dark brown; antennomeres III–VII lighter brown; legs and apex of elytra light brown. Head: deeply, coarsely punctate; eye encircled with carina; front produced anteriorly with angular projection, the apex extends downward into a longitudinal carina ending at base of clypeus. Antenna: antennomere I thick, rounded; II smaller; III longer than II; IV–VII decreasing in length; VIII–XI expanding in length and width. Pronotum: subcylindrical; scarcely longer than wide; lateral margin subparallel, bisinuate; anterior angle notched, bidentate; surface deeply, coarsely punctate, rugose; pronotal width 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotal length 1.0 mm. Scutellum: elongate; depressed; smooth; narrowing apically; rounded at apex; purplish–red. Elytron: combined much wider than base of pronotum; lateral margin serrate, narrowly margined; expanded apically; exterior apical angle rounded, without tooth; humerus prominent, raised; with four costae- 1 st and 4 th entire, extending nearly to apex, 2 nd interrupted behind middle, 3 rd interrupted in middle and near apex; depression present on interspace 6 near middle; interspace 7 slightly raised in middle; suture raised; with 10 puncture rows, punctures quadrate, in double rows, deep, coarse; elytral width 1.7 mm; elytral length 2.9–3.0 mm. Venter: prosternum coarsely punctate; remainder smooth, shining. Total length: 4.9–5.0 mm.

Comparative notes. This species can be distinguished from all other Chaeridiona by having two teeth in the anterior angle of the pronotum, by having elytral costa 2 interrupted, and by having the exterior apical angle of the elytra rounded and with a tooth.

Food plants. Curcuma (Zingiberaceae) ( Maulik 1937).

Distribution. India: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu.

Specimens examined. India: no further data ( BMNH, 2); Centr . India, Satpura Hills, Pachmarhi, IX.70, 3500 ft., Nathan ( NHMB, 1); Maharashtra, Pune Distr. , Lonavla Bhusi Dam , 25.IX.2005 ( UWCP, 23), 27.IX.2005 ( UWCP, 1), 28.IX.2005 ( UWCP, 18). Total: 45 .

Figures

FIGURE 4–5. 4. Chaeridiona metallica Baly- dorsal view. 5. Chaeridiona picea Baly- dorsal view. (line on photos equals 1 mm).