Cephaloleia instabilis Baly, 1885

Staines, Charles L. & Garcia-Robledo, Carlos, 2014, The genus Cephaloleia Chevrolat, 1836 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae), ZooKeys 436, pp. 1-355 : 163-164

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Cephaloleia instabilis Baly, 1885 Fig. 166

Cephaloleia instabilis Baly 1885: 18. Blackwelder 1946: 719 (catalog); Papp 1953: 18 (catalog); Uhmann 1957a: 20 (catalog); Wilcox 1983: 137 (catalog); Strong 1977b: 573 (host plants), 1981: 184 (host plants), 1982b: 1045 (host plants); Staines 1996: 39 (Central America species), 1999: 242 (mimicry), 2004: 312 (host plants); Staines and Staines 1997: 10 (types), 1999: 524 (Baly species list); McKenna and Farrell 2005: 119 (phylogeny), 2006: 10949 (phylogeny); Meskins 2008: 163 (host plants), 2011: 483 (food web); Descampe et al. 2008: 227 (host plants); Schmitt and Frank 2013: 58 (biology).

Cephalolia instabilis Baly. Donckier 1899: 549 (catalog); Weise 1905a: 131 (noted), 1911a: 8 (catalog), 1911b: 10 (catalog); Uhmann 1936b: 483 (key), 1942: 93 (noted).

Cephaloleia intermedia Baly 1885: 19 (type: Panama, Bugaba, BMNH, not seen). Staines and Staines 1999: 524 (Baly species list).

Cephalolia intermedia Baly. Donckier 1899: 549 (catalog); Weise 1905a: 131 (synonymy).

Cephaloleia instabilis gilvipennis Weise 1905a: 131 (type: Mexico, ZMHB, not seen). Weise 1911a: 8 (catalog), 1911b: 10 (catalog); Blackwelder 1946: 719 (catalog); Uhmann 1957a: 21 (catalog); Wilcox 1983: 137 (catalog).

Cephalolia instabilis gilvipennis Weise. Uhmann 1936b: 483 (key).

Cephaloleia instabilis obscura Weise 1905a: 131 (type: México, NHRS). Weise 1911a: 8 (catalog); Blackwelder 1946: 719 (catalog); Uhmann 1957a: 21 (catalog); Wilcox 1983: 137 (catalog).

Cephaloleia insignis Meskins et al. 2008: 166 (misspelling, host plants).

Description.

Large; elongate; subparallel; subconvex; head, antennae, and scutellum black; pronotum reddish-brown with variable black markings; elytra varies from total ly reddish-brown, to variable black markings, to totally black; venter variable in color; leg with protibia black, profemur reddish-yellow basally, black apically. Head: vertex and front densely punctate, medial sulcus present; frons not projecting; not depressed between eyes. Antenna: nearly ½ body length; robust; antennomeres 1-4 compressed; 1 clavate, longest of all; 2-4 triangular, subequal in length in male, 3 longer in female; 4-10 transverse, decreasing in length; 11 2 × length of 10, pointed at apex; 1-3 punctate with scattered setae; 4-11 setose. Pronotum: slightly wider than long; lateral margin straight then rounding to anterior angle, slightly canaliculate; anterior angle rounded, slightly produced; posterior angle acute; anterior margin emarginate behind head; disc flattened; surface sparsely punctate; disc nearly impunctate; depressed near side; pronotal length 1.3-1.5 mm; pronotal width 1.58-2.16 mm. Scutellum: longer than wide, acutely triangular; alutaceous. Elytron: lateral margin straight, smooth, margined; apex rounded; sutural angle with tooth; humerus rounded, not produced; slightly constricted behind humerus; finely punctate-striate; declivity beginning just behind humerus along puncture row 7 with weak carina; elytral length 5.3-6.4 mm; elytral width 2.2-2.7 mm. Venter: pro-, meso-, and metasterna impunctate; abdominal sterna punctate, each puncture with pale seta; suture between sterna 1 and 2 complete; last sternite with apical margin entire, rounded in female, sinuate medially in male. Leg: slender; profemur more robust than others; metatibia punctate, others impunctate, all with fringe of setae at apex. Total length: 6.88-8.32 mm.

Diagnosis.

This species is similar to Cephaloleia stenosoma . It can be distinguished by antennomeres being triangular, by the pronotum being punctate laterally, and by the elytra having a declivity from puncture row 7.

Host plant.

Heliconia latispatha Benth., Heliconia difficilis [sic], Heliconia imbricata (Kuntze) Baker, Heliconia wagneriana Petersen ( Heliconiaceae ) ( Strong 1977b); Calathea latifolia Klotzsch ( Marantaceae ), Heliconia catheta R. R. Smith, Heliconia mariae Hook. ( Heliconiaceae ) ( Meskins et al. 2008); Heliconia rostrata Ruiz & Pav. ( Schmitt and Frank 2013); Musa velutina H. Wendl. and Drude ( Musaceae ), Calathea crotalifera S. Watson, Heliconia wilsonii G. S. Daniels and F. G. Stiles.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama.

Type material examined.

Lectotype: male/ H.T. [white disk with red border]/ Cubilguitz, Vera Paz. Champion/ Cephaloleia instabilis/ Sp. figured/ B. C. A, Col. VI, 2. Cephaloleia instabilis Baly/ Cephaloleia instabilis Baly C. America/ Lectotype Cephaloleia instabilis Baly des. C. L. Staines 1993 [red label] (BMNH).

Specimens examined.

COSTA RICA: Cartago- Turrialba, 26 May 1951 (USNM). Puntarenas- 5 km S. Buenos Aires, 15 August 1969 (USNM); Est. Queb. Bonita, 50 m, Res. Biol. Carara, 30 April, 1-29 July 1992, August 1992, 2-23 September 1992, January 1993, 4-26 January 1993, February 1993, 8 February 1993, November 1992, 6-27 November 1992 (INBIO); Estación Boscosa, Peninsula de Osa, 15 September 1991 (INBIO); Coto Brus, Las Cruces Biological Station, 5 March 2012, 6 March 2012, 10 March 2012 (USNM); Fca. Las Cruces, San Vito de Java, 27 June 1969, 11-14 August 1969 (USNM); F. Las Cruces, 6 km. S. San Vito, 1200-1400 m, 21-25 August 1976 (CASC); 1.5 mi S Palmar Sur, 11 August 1969 (USNM); Puerto Cortes, 19 July 1972 (FSCA); Rancho Quemado, 200 m, Peninsula de Osa, November 1991, April 1992, October 1992 (INBIO); 3.5 mi. S. Rincón, 28 February- 12 March 1969 (CASC); 5 km S. Rincón, 20 March 1973 (SEMC); Río Claro, sea level, 19 August 1969 (USNM); 22 mi SW San Vito, 11 August 1969 (USNM); San Vito-Villa Neilly area, 13 August 1969 (USNM); Wilson Botanical Garden (Las Cruces Biol. Stn.) nr. San Vito, 1200 m, 26 May 1993 (SEMC); 22 m. SW San Vito, 11 August 1969 (USNM); San Vito-Villa Neilly area, 13 August 1969 (USNM); F. Las Cruces, Laguna Gamboa, 1400-1500 m (INBIO); Estación Esquinas, Peninsula de Osa, 0-100 m (INBIO); Pque Nal Corcovado, Est Sirena, Playa Sirena, 0-100 m (INBIO); Est Boscoas, 0-100 m (INBIO). GUATEMALA: Irebal- Sierra, Espíritu Sto. Amates, San Antonio, 10 August 1990 (EGRC). Verapaz- Cahabón (BMNH, USNM); Chiacam (BMNH); Lanquín (BMNH). PANAMA: Chilbre- Chilibrillo Caves, 3 January 1945 (CASC). Colón- Paraiso, 26 January 1911, 5 February 1911, 12 February 1911 16 March 1911, 17 March 1911, 20 March 1911, 26 March 1911, 2 April 1911, 5 April 1911 (USNM). Panamá- Alajuela, 5 April 1911, 18 April 1911 (USNM); Arraiján (USNM); Cerro Campana, 17 May 1993 (CDFA); Corazal, 12 March 1911 (USNM); Las Cascadas, 30 March 1911 (USNM); Old Gamboa Road, 4 June 1993 (CDFA); Pedro Miguel, 17 April 1911 (USNM). Total: 218.