Cephaloleia stevensi Baly, 1885

Staines, Charles L. & Garcia-Robledo, Carlos, 2014, The genus Cephaloleia Chevrolat, 1836 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae), ZooKeys 436, pp. 1-355 : 250-251

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Cephaloleia stevensi Baly, 1885 Fig. 240

Cephaloleia stevensi Baly 1885: 26. Blackwelder 1946: 720 (catalog); Papp 1953: 22 (catalog); Uhmann 1957a: 25 (catalog); Wilcox 1983: 137 (catalog); Staines 1996: 61 (Central America species), 2004: 312 (host plants), 2011: 50 (faunal list); Staines and Staines 1999: 524 (Baly species list); Flowers and Hanson 2003: 51 (distribution); McKenna and Farrell 2005: 121 (phylogeny), 2006: 10949 (phylogeny); Meskins et al. 2008: 163 (host plants), 2011: 483 (food web); García–Robledo et al. 2013a: 3 (biology).

Cephalolia stevensi Baly. Donckier 1899: 551 (catalog); Weise 1911a: 9 (catalog), 1911b: 11 (catalog).

Description.

Small; elongate; subparallel; subdepressed; head and legs reddish-brown; antennomeres 1-2 reddish-brown, rest darker; pronotum yellow with variable black markings; scutellum black; elytra yellow with variable black oblong markings; venter with pro-, meso-, and metasterna reddish-brown medially, black laterally, abdominal sterna reddish-brown; legs yellowish. Head: vertex densely punctate, faint medial carina present; frons punctate, not projecting; depressed between eyes. Antenna: ½ body length; slender; antennomere 1 elongate, cylindrical longer than 3; 2 transverse, short; 3-5 elongate, cylindrical, subequal in length; 6-10 transverse, subequal in length; 11 longer than 10, pointed at apex; 1-2 punctate with scattered setae; 3-11 setose. Pronotum: transverse; lateral margin straight then rounding to anterior angle, margined; anterior angle rounded, not produced; posterior angle angulate; anterior margin straight; base slightly excavated transversely; disc subconvex; surface strongly, densely punctate; pronotal length 0.7-0.9 mm; pronotal width 0.8-1.0 mm. Scutellum: pentagonal; alutaceous. Elytron: lateral margin straight, smooth, margined; apex rounded; sutural angle without tooth; humerus rounded, not produced; slightly constricted behind humerus; strongly punctate-striate, rows slightly confused at apex; elytral length 2.6-2.7 mm; elytral width 1.2-1.4 mm. Venter: pro-, meso-, and metasterna impunctate medially, punctate laterally; abdominal sterna 1-2 impunctate medially, punctate laterally; sterna 3-5 punctate, each puncture with pale seta; suture between sterna 1 and 2 obsolete medially. Leg: slender; punctate, each puncture with pale seta; tibia with fringe of setae on inner margin of apex. Total length: 3.4-3.8 mm.

Diagnosis.

This distinctive species is recognized by the small size, by the vertex of the head being depressed between the eyes, by the densely punctate pronotum, and by the suture between abdominal sterna 1 and 2 being obsolete medially.

Host plant.

Adults have been collected on Heliconia sp. ( Heliconiaceae ) leaves ( Staines 1996); Calathea micans (Mathieru) Koern. ( McKenna and Farrell 2005); Cephaloleia inocephala (Kuntze), Cephaloleia latifolia Klotzsch, Pleiostachya pruinosa (W. Bull. ex. Regel) K. Schum. ( Meskins et al. 2008); Calathea venusta H. Kenn. ( Marantaceae ) ( García–Robledo et al. 2013a); Tradescantia zanonia (L.) Sw. ( Commelinaceae ).

Distribution.

Costa Rica, Panama.

Type material examined.

Holotype: Bugaba Panama. Champion/ Cephaloleia stevensi/ Sp. figured/ Type H.T [white disk with red border]/ Godman-Salvin Coll, Biol. Centr.-Amer./ Cephaloleia stevensi Baly, Panama (BMNH).

Specimens examined.

COSTA RICA: Heredia- La Selva, 3.2 Km SE Puerto Viejo, 100 m, 17 February 1992, 19 February 1992, 21 February 1992, 3 March 1992, 21 March 1992 (SEMC), 19 February 1980 (CMNC). Limón- Sector Cerro Cocorí, Fca. de E. Rojas, 150 m, January 1992, December 1992 (INBIO). Puntarenas- Coto Brus, Las Cruces Biological Station, 8 March 2012 (USNM); Rancho Quemado, Peninsula de Osa, 200 m, October 1991, July 1991, September 1992 (INBIO); Quepos, 80 m, P.N. Manuel Antonio, April 1992 (INBIO); Est. Sirena, 0-100 m, P.N. Corcovado, February 1990, October 1991, December 1991 (INBIO); Sirena Station, Corcovado National Park, upper Ollas Trail, 24-28 June 2000 (SEMC); Estación Biológica Las Alturas, 1400-1500 m (INBIO). PANAMA: Bocas del Toro- Reserva La Fortuna, 28 May 1993 (EGRC). Canal Zone- Tank Hill, near Albrook Field, 23 February 1971 (EGRC). Chiriquí- Reserva Fortuna, Continental Divide Trail, 25 May 1993 (CDFA). Coclé- Cerro Gaital, 4000 feet, 1 June 1993 (AJGC, CDFA); El Valle, 10-13 June 1985 (EGRC). Panamá- Ancón, 19-21 August 1970 (USNM); Cerro Campana, 30 May 1970, 24 April 1971, 12 March 1972, 11-15 May 1980, 17 May 1993 (EGRC, CDFA); Reserva Sobrina, Pipeline road, 23 May 1993 (CDFA). Total: 44.