Cassida piperata

Hope, 1842

Small Tortoise Beetle, tortoise beetle

Cassida piperata is a in the leaf beetle Chrysomelidae. Native to eastern Asia, it has been introduced to North America and Europe, with established in northern Italy since 2021. It serves as a for the Holcotetrastichus rhosaces in Japan.

Cassida piperata by (c) Daniel Carr, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Carr. Used under a CC-BY license.Cassida piperata by (c) Zihao Wang, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zihao Wang. Used under a CC-BY license.Cassida piperata by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cassida piperata: /kasˈsiː.da piˈpe.ra.ta/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

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Habitat

Anthropized areas including external walls of buildings, log piles, litter, and river banks at elevations of 0-200 m. In its native range, occurs in northeastern Japan.

Distribution

Native to East Palaearctic and Indomalayan Regions; introduced to the United States; established in northern Italy (Veneto: Padova province, Codevigo, Vigonza; Lombardia: Bergamo province, Rogno, Lecco province, Verderio) since 2021.

Seasonality

recorded in May, August, September, October, and November. observed in adults on log piles in November.

Diet

Phytophagous; recorded feeding on Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed).

Host Associations

  • Amaranthus retroflexus - food plantexplicitly recorded as in Italy

Life Cycle

observed in stage. Mating recorded in adults on plants in anthropized areas.

Behavior

Overwinters on log piles. observed mating on plants. Occurs on external walls of buildings and in litter in anthropized .

Ecological Role

for the Holcotetrastichus rhosaces (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Tetrastichinae) in Japan. Potential pest of cultivated plants; non-native with capacity for establishment and spread in Europe based on bioclimatic modelling.

Human Relevance

Non-native with potential to become an agricultural pest. Subject of bioclimatic modelling to assess invasion risk in Europe.

Similar Taxa

  • Cassida nebulosaBoth serve as for the same Holcotetrastichus rhosaces in Japan and occur sympatrically in that region.

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Sources and further reading