Anisostena texana
Schaeffer, 1933
A small hispine leaf beetle in the Cassidinae, measuring 4.1-4.6 mm. display distinctive metallic blue and contrasting with a reddish-orange pronotum. The occurs in the south-central United States and Mexico, where adults have been collected from prairie vegetation.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Anisostena texana: //ˌænɪˈsɒstɪnə tɛkˈsɑːnə//
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Identification
Distinguished from other Anisostena by the specific combination of metallic blue and with reddish-orange pronotum. The small size (4.1-4.6 mm) and hispine body form are characteristic of the . Separation from the similar genus Microrhopala, which also occurs in the same prairie , requires examination of antennal and pronotal structural details.
Appearance
are small leaf beetles measuring 4.1-4.6 mm in length. The and are metallic blue, while the pronotum is distinctly reddish-orange. This color combination creates a striking contrast between the and body regions.
Habitat
Xeric prairie remnants, including sand prairies and dolomite glades. Associated with herbaceous vegetation in dry, open grassland .
Distribution
South-central United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) and Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca). Records from Missouri represent peripheral occurrences in prairie .
Seasonality
have been recorded in mid-July in Missouri, suggesting summer activity. Specific across the range remains poorly documented.
Host Associations
- Schizachyrium scoparium - occurrence have been recorded on this grass , though whether it serves as a true plant is uncertain
Behavior
occur on herbaceous vegetation in prairie and are collected by sweeping.
Similar Taxa
- MicrorhopalaCo-occurs in same prairie and shares hispine body form; distinguished by structural details of and pronotum
- Anisostena (other species)Same ; distinguished by specific color pattern of metallic blue / with reddish-orange pronotum