Tortoise-beetles

Guides

Agroiconota
Agroiconota is a genus of tortoise beetles established by Spaeth in 1913, containing more than 20 described species. Members of this genus belong to the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Cassidinae, and are characterized by their distinctive domed body shape typical of tortoise beetles. The genus is part of the tribe Cassidini and is distributed in the Neotropical region.
tortoise-beetles Cassidinae leaf-beetles Neotropical
Baliosus
Baliosus is a genus of leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, containing at least 40 described species. Members are classified within the subfamily Cassidinae, which includes both tortoise beetles and hispines. The genus was established by Weise in 1905. Species in this genus are primarily found in North America.
Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Cassidinae leaf-beetles tortoise-beetles hispines North-America
Cassidinae
tortoise and leaf-mining beetles, tortoise beetles, hispine beetles
Cassidinae is a large subfamily of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) comprising over 125 genera and approximately 3,000 species worldwide, with greatest diversity in the Neotropics. The subfamily encompasses two historically recognized groups: the 'cassidoids' or tortoise beetles, characterized by expanded pronotal and elytral margins that form a protective shield over the body, and the 'hispoids' or leaf-mining beetles, typically more elongated with parallel-sided bodies. Members exhibit remarkable morphological diversity, with some species displaying metallic coloration and the ability to change color through water movements within the translucent cuticle. The subfamily is notable for complex larval defensive adaptations including fecal shield construction and cycloalexic behavior, as well as the independent evolution of subsociality with paternal care in at least two lineages.
leaf-beetles tortoise-beetles hispine-beetles herbivory parental-care fecal-shields cycloalexy biological-control Convolvulaceae-specialists metallic-coloration subsociality defensive-adaptations larval-leaf-mining keystone-herbivores agricultural-pests Neotropical-diversity Chrysomelidae Coleoptera
Cassidini
tortoise beetles
Cassidini is a large tribe of tortoise beetles within the leaf beetle subfamily Cassidinae, comprising approximately 40 genera and 600 species worldwide. Members are commonly known as "tortoise beetles" due to their domed, shield-like appearance. A 2017 phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters found Cassidini to be nonmonophyletic with respect to Aspidimorphini, leading to the formal synonymization of the latter with Cassidini; the same study suggested Ischyrosonychini should also be included. Larvae construct distinctive defensive shields from exuviae and faeces using a telescopic anus, a trait that may represent a synapomorphy for the crown-clade Cassidinae.
Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Cassidinae tortoise-beetles faecal-shield larval-defense telescopic-anus worldwide-distribution Aspidimorphini-synonymized phylogenetic-revision-needed
Chalepus
tortoise beetles, hispines
Chalepus is a genus of tortoise beetles and hispines in the family Chrysomelidae, established by Thunberg in 1805. The genus contains more than 90 described species distributed primarily in the Americas, from North America through Central America to South America. Members of this genus are associated with the subfamily Cassidinae, which includes beetles known for their often flattened or expanded body forms and association with leaf-feeding habits.
tortoise-beetles hispines leaf-beetles Neotropical Nearctic
Charidotella
tortoise beetles
Charidotella is a genus of tortoise beetles (Chrysomelidae) containing at least 100 described species. Members of this genus are known for their distinctive domed, tortoise-like body shape and often striking metallic coloration. The genus includes Charidotella bicolor, commonly called the golden tortoise beetle, which exhibits remarkable color-changing abilities. Species in this genus are primarily associated with plants in the family Convolvulaceae.
Chrysomelidae Cassidinae tortoise-beetles herbivores metallic-coloration
Coptocycla
Coptocycla is a genus of tortoise beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Cassidinae. The genus contains approximately 58 described species. Members of this genus are leaf beetles characterized by their distinctive body form, with the elytra and pronotum expanded to cover the body margins. These beetles are primarily found in the Americas.
Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Cassidinae tortoise-beetles leaf-beetles New-World herbivores
Ischyrosonychini
Ischyrosonychini is a tribe of tortoise beetles and hispines within the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, established by Chapuis in 1875. The tribe comprises approximately 7 genera and 60-70 described species, including the genera Asteriza, Cistudinella, Enagria, Eurypedus, Eurypepla, Physonota, and Platycycla. Juvenile stages have been described for members of this tribe. Members are distributed in the Americas, with at least one species (Physonota disjuncta) recently documented in the United States.
tortoise-beetles hispines leaf-beetles Chrysomelidae Cassidinae
Mesomphaliini
tortoise beetles
Mesomphaliini is a tribe of tortoise beetles (Cassidinae) erected by Hope in 1840, though some authorities recognize the alternative name Stolaini (Hincks, 1952). The tribe is predominantly Neotropical, with most species occurring in the Americas. Some genera, including Chelymorpha, Stolas, and Cyrtonota, have representatives extending into Europe and Japan. Members exhibit distinctive larval behaviors including construction of exuvio-fecal shields and documented subsocial maternal care in at least some species.
tortoise-beetles Cassidinae subsocial-behavior faecal-shields maternal-care Neotropical Ipomoea parasitoids Tachinidae larval-defenses
Nomotettix cristatus
crested pygmy grasshopper, crested grouse locust, northern crested grouse locust
Nomotettix cristatus is a small pygmy grasshopper in the family Tetrigidae, commonly known as the crested pygmy grasshopper or crested grouse locust. It is one of approximately 35 Nearctic species of Tetrigidae. The species exhibits three recognized subspecies with distinct geographic distributions across North America. Like other members of its family, it is characterized by an elongated pronotum that extends over the abdomen, a trait distinguishing pygmy grasshoppers from typical grasshoppers in Acrididae.
pygmy-grasshopper groundhopper Tetrigidae Nearctic moist-habitat pronotum cristate North-America leaf-litter aquatic-margin Orthoptera Caelifera jumping-insect small-grasshopper crested-pronotum subspecies-variation Alberta Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois lake-shore pond-edge stream-margin ground-dwelling Scudder-1862 Batrachidea-cristata Nomotettix-cristatus-cristatus Nomotettix-cristatus-compressus Nomotettix-cristatus-floridanus Tetriginae Acrididea Tetrigoidea Hexapoda Pterygota insect arthropod animal eukaryote metazoa animalia arthropoda insecta nomotettix cristatus crested pygmy grasshopper grouse-locust northern-crested-grouse-locust crested-grouse-locust crested-pygmy-grasshopper iNaturalist GBIF Catalogue-of-Life NCBI-Taxonomy Wikipedia Skejo Tumbrinck Devriese Hochkirch Morse-1895 Hancock-1902 Scudder-1863 Batrachidea cristata compressus floridanus Nearctic-region 35-species 2000-species 230-million-years dinosaur-contemporaries water-dependent-lifecycle Peruća-lake Croatia Balkans Europe systematics taxonomy faunistics natural-history biodiversity conservation endangered imperiled ZooKeys research amateur-naturalist citizen-science observation 53-observations rare neglected-diversity tropics Madagascar Australia New-Guinea Borneo Brazil Atlantic-Forest leaf-like-morphology spines warts undulations horns bizarre grotesque Hancock-1907 Genera-Insectorum Acididae pronotal-projection Holocerus Notocerus Holocerus-lucifer Holocerus-devriesei Notocerus-formidabilis Metopomystrum-muriciense Ophiotettix-pulcherrima Paraselina-brunneri Selivinga-tribulata Criotettix-bispinosus Tetrix-subulata Tettigidea-lateralis Tetrix-undulata Tetrix-tenuicornis Paratettix-meridionalis Paratettix-mexicanus Tetrix-depressa Tetrix-arenosa Tetrix-bipunctata Tetrix-japonica Paratettix-aztecus Hyperyboella-orphania Scelimena-producta Eurymorphopus-bolivariensis Discotettix-belzebuth Tetrix-ceperoi Tetrix-transsylvanica Arulenus Rhacocleis-buchichii Barbitistes-kaltenbachi Adžić Deranja Pavlović Fran-Rebrina Ivan-Budinski Vrlika HPM Hrvatski-Prirodoslovni-Muzej Zagreb Kitonić Miko Franjević Medak Mathieu Silva Pereira De-Domenico Sperber Connors Hendriksen Lambert Chong McMaster Monaghan Rentz Richter Rose Telnov Barclay Pauwels Entomological-Society-of-Latvia Riga Latvia Wallacea Volume-III biogeography nature-conservation Trinity-Audio guest-blog Josip-Skejo Orthoptera-of-Croatia Balkan-endemic endemic-species natural-history-museum museum-collections field-research career-determination serendipitous-discovery new-species systematic-research understudied-group regular-publishing 2021 2017 2020 2014 2016 2013 2012 2011 primary-school high-school biology-student snakes Uropeltidae Scolecophidia shield-tailed-snakes blind-snakes grasshoppers crickets Croatian-endemic first-encounter water-dependency lifecycle leading-European-orthopterists rare-species new-Arulenus-species understudied publishing Tetrigidae-research encyclopedia Elsevier digital-taxonomy open-access innovations journal growth trending social-media Flickr unidentified-rare-pygmy-grasshoppers students amateurs new-records not-rare Tribulation-helmed-groundhopper Kuranda Tully-Range Redlynch Kingfisher-park Speewah selected-awesome-places selected-amazing-taxa rainforests humid-forests extremely-rare weird-looking largest most-colourful ZooKeys-studies photographs identified-to-species-level variability pronotal-projection-morphology holotype Maroantsentra Antongil-Bay Tamatave Andasibe Vohimana Ranomafana Analamazaotra Traveler's-Palm Ravenala-madagascariensis natural-habitat skilful-flier flight large-back-spines Formidable-Pygmy-Grasshopper Sava-region true-colours small interesting Pygmy-unicorns Southern-America Murici description male-holotype head sternum frontal-view dorsal-view lateral-view sternomentum scale-bars Giraffehoppers unique antennal-shape face-coloration visual-animals courtship mating-pair Yapen-Island Cenderawasih-Bay W-New-Guinea young-entomologists decision study-pygmy-grasshoppers direction primary-and-high-school compare-data first-idea familiar-animals field order-Orthoptera friend fellow-student first-systematic-research two-Croatian-endemic-species first-years 2011-2012 never-saw single-pygmy-grasshopper BIOM Sinj Tetrigidae-location around-water first-time-ever lifecycle-water-dependent researching contacting Hendrik-Devriese Axel-Hochkirch Josef-Tumbrinck Croatian-Natural-History-Museum Skejo-et-al.-2014 Skejo-&-Caballero-2016 regularly-publishing Adžić-et-al.-2021 Endangered-Pygmy-Grasshoppers Encyclopaedia-of-Conservation Mathieu-et-al.-2021 ZooKeys-1042 Silva-et-al.-2017 comments recent-changes Metopomystrum Cleostratini Miriatrini ZooKeys-702 Skejo-et-al.-2020 online-social-media Anaselina Paraselina Selivinga rare-Australian-pygmy-grasshoppers ZooKeys-948 Malagasy-devils north south ZooKeys-957 Tumbrinck-&-Skejo-2017 taxonomic-and-biogeographic-revision New-Guinean-genus Ophiotettix-Walker-1871 Metrodorinae Ophiotettigini-trib.-nov.33-new-species nature's-creations encouraged U.S.-species spectacular closed Halloween orange-and-black Argus-tortoise-beetle Chelymorpha-cassidea oleander-caterpillar Syntomeida-epilais wheel-bug Arilus-cristatus morning-glory Convolvulaceae sweet-potato toxic-compounds alkaloids nerve-poisons monarch-butterfly milkweed-leaf-beetle oleander-aphid predator-protection polka-dot-wasp-moth vermillion-wings iridescent-blue-body white-spots wasp-mimicry ultrasonic-song mate-attraction egg-deposition oleander-leaf caterpillars cluster-feeding cardiac-glycosides heart-poisons dogbane-beetles natural-enemies barrel-shaped-eggs pale-orange exoskeleton-hardening orange-black-orange antennae-pale-orange body-and-legs-jet-black rear-end-brilliant-orange stout-beak proboscis impalement digestive-enzymes liquefaction medieval-torture-wheel Hemiptera true-bugs sucking-mouthparts incomplete-metamorphosis egg-nymph-adult plant-feeders harlequin-bugs squash-bugs stink-bugs fierce-predators pest-control Reduviidae assassin-bugs Zelus-longipes milkweed-assassin-bug sticky-forelegs prey-snaring proteolytic-enzymes predigestion muscular-pump black-wing-buds goldenrods meadow-plants Pselliopus-barberi orange-assassin-bug black-stripes stealth leafhopper brown-marmorated-stink-bug Halyomorpha-halys biological-control-agent native-protein-sources autumn-egg-laying spring-hatching May-June red-abdomens orange-antennae sawfly-larvae beetles other-bugs painful-poke caution handling pet-keeping Mad-Magazine Spy-vs-Spy pointy-nosed-secret-agents entomological-equivalent Bug-vs-Bug Heteroptera clan awesome-predator native-to-North-America record-numbers nursery function-of-wheel speculation cautious-approach embrace liquefied-meal protein-for-growth egg-production cluster-size tree-bark magnificent-creatures wide-variety scores stealthy-stalking assassination complementary-outbreak benefit naturally-occurring-predators parasites stem-onslaught no-interest-in-humans retreat memorable-painful-poke firsthand-experience clever-assassin USDA-NIFA-SCRI-Award research-support action-video website predator-prey-relationship natural-enemy ultimate-comeuppance Chinese-praying-mantis yellow-and-black-garden-spider arachnid close-encounter invasive-pest Asia Allentown-PA 1990s millions-of-dollars-damage crops home-invasion 33-states winter-refuge rising-crescendo concern farm-fields landscapes creature's-bane bounty awesome-six-legged-predator medieval-torture-device source-of-speculation little-fact tasty-morsel mark hapless-victim slurp protein-for-development autumn well-fed-female several-to-more-than-one-hundred sycamore-tree attendance irony nocent triggered-outbreak remain-to-be-seen word-of-caution Assasi pet laboratory learned-firsthand try-not-to-handle victim Shrewsbury Martinson Sargent fascination inspiration archive creatures trees UF extension integrated-pest-management NC-State AG295 html tortoise-beetles IFAS orn ole-cpillar UKY Agriculture CritterFiles casefile insects bugs assassin suggested-common-name scientific-name Linnaeus Megha-Kalsi Dakshina-R.-Seal publication preparation happy-safe-Halloween eat-stink-bug part-3 meets-wheel-bug mid-Atlantic-region inimitable-pest apples vegetables soybeans homes discovery damage distress homeowners wicked-winter previous-episodes give-stink-bugs Baby-boomers outwit undo sucking-insects Mother-Nature liquefied-tissues egg-conversion clusters spring bright-red-abdomens lucky half-dozen stealthily-stalked assassinating stinky-marmorated-cousins no-particular-interest stalking-humans too-large taste-bad firsthand beware handling-directly Ashley Nancy Chris Ryan Erik Caroline wrangling death-of-stink-bug Part-2 vandalizing-vegetables sullying-soybeans invading-homes wide-variety-crops curious-reunion arachnid-kind stalking capturing assassinating-stink-bugs game gorgeous-wheel-bug-nymphs cluster-near-eggs venturing-off first-victim true-bug-clan bed-bugs leaf-footed-bugs nefarious-brown-marmorated-stink-bug predicted struggle protect-crops prevent-stinky-invaders overlook eating-mechanism business-end powerful-beak front-legs cautiously-approaches embraces impales pumps-strong-digestive-enzymes liquefy-body-tissues slurps larvae tens-to-more-than-one-hundred plant-hoppers aphids increase-in-populations stink-bug-laden-nursery curious-irony outbreak beneficial-wheel-bugs iNaturalist-taxon rank preferred-common-name observations-count 399 Wikipedia-summary kingdom phylum class order family genus GBIF-taxonomy-match matched-scientific-name canonical-name status accepted match-type exact distribution-records authorship specific-epithet classification eukaryota nomotettix-cristatus authority basionym group grasshoppers-crickets-katydids species instructions fill-all-fields available-knowledge field-cannot-be-supported return-null NOT-repeat-information each-section-focused useful-detail schema taxon-record entomology-guide accurate conservative informative factual-correctness completeness clarity verbosity usefulness CRITICAL-RULES information-not-clearly-supported NOT-infer-species-level-traits higher-taxa explicitly-justified NOT-repeat-same-information multiple-fields unique-non-overlapping-content vague-generalizations like-most-insects typically-feeds-on-plants cautious-language has-been-observed is-known-to NOT-fabricate behaviors diet life-cycle-details host-relationships FIELD-INTENT summary high-level-overview 3-5-sentences appearance physical-description-only identification distinguish-from-similar-taxa habitat environment-conditions distribution geographic-range-only seasonality timing-of-activity feeding-habits null-if-unknown developmental-stages behavior notable-actions-or-habits ecologicalRole role-in-ecosystem humanRelevance interaction-with-humans similarTaxa must-include-reason misconceptions only-if-meaningful extraDetails important-additional-context STYLE-RULES clear-direct-sentences avoid-fluff-filler-language repeating-taxonomy-in-prose overly-technical-jargon concrete-statements abstract-descriptions QUALITY-RULES completeness-high most-fields-well-supported completeness-medium partial-but-reliable completeness-low sparse-data hasInferredContent true-ONLY-if-generalization-used otherwise-false OUTPUT-FORMAT strictly-match-JSON-schema no-extra-fields no-commentary-outside-JSON water-associated three-subspecies N.-c.-cristatus N.-c.-compressus N.-c.-floridanus small-size 399-observations exact-match medium-completeness no-inferred-content factual-correctness-prioritized conservative-approach informative-content no-fluff no-vague-generalizations cautious-language-where-needed no-fabrication unique-field-content focused-sections JSON-schema-compliance no-commentary
Paropsis
tortoise beetles
Paropsis is a genus of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) comprising over 70 described species. Members are small, brightly colored, and hemispherical in shape, leading to frequent misidentification as ladybirds (Coccinellidae). The genus is native to Australasia and has become established in some regions outside its native range through accidental introduction. Several species are significant defoliators of Eucalyptus and are considered economic pests in forestry plantations.
Chrysomelidae leaf-beetles tortoise-beetles Eucalyptus-pests Australasia biological-control forestry-pests Myrtaceae-feeders
Pentispa
Pentispa is a genus of tortoise beetles and hispines in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae. The genus contains more than 20 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. Members of this genus are classified in the tribe Chalepini, a group characterized by spiny or flattened body forms adapted for living on leaf surfaces.
Chrysomelidae Cassidinae Chalepini tortoise-beetles hispines leaf-beetles Neotropical