Pentispa melanura

(Chapuis, 1877)

Black-tailed Hispine

Pentispa melanura is a of leaf beetle in the Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the Black-tailed Hispine. It is distributed across Central America and North America, with records from the United States (Texas), Belize, Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, and Nicaragua. The species is characterized by distinctive morphological features including a trisulcate vertex, robust black , and costate elytral interspaces.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Pentispa melanura: /pɛnˈtɪspa mɛləˈnjʊra/

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Identification

Distinguished from similar hispine beetles by the combination of: trisulcate vertex with moderately produced interocular space; transverse, semilunate ; robust black ; angulate with coarse punctation; and with specifically costate second, fourth, and sixth interspaces plus . The eight (nine basally) rows of punctures on each elytron provide additional diagnostic characters.

Distribution

Central America and North America. Recorded from: United States (Texas), Belize, Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua.

Host Associations

  • Viguiera dentata - collected onfood plant unknown, association based on collection records
  • Verbesina microptera - collected onfood plant unknown, association based on collection records
  • Verbesina virginica - collected onfood plant unknown, association based on collection records

Similar Taxa

  • Other Pentispa speciesshare -level characters; P. melanura distinguished by specific elytral puncture rows and costate interspaces pattern
  • Other Chalepini hispinesshare Cassidinae and tribe Chalepini; P. melanura distinguished by vertex structure, shape, and specific elytral

More Details

Taxonomic history

Originally described by Chapuis in 1877. The specific epithet 'melanura' refers to the black-tailed appearance.

Collection data

As of 2024, iNaturalist records 141 observations of this .

Sources and further reading