Tegocassis

Tegocassis is a genus of beetles that belongs to the family of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae).[1]

Tegocassis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Chrysomelidae
Subfamily: Cassidinae
Tribe: Cassidini
Genus: Tegocassis
Spaeth, 1924[1]

Appearance

A medium-sized, broadly oval, glossy, yellow-brown (at least in dead specimens) Cassidinae. Seen from the side, the body is conical. The antennae are filamentous and medium length. The body is actually quite normally proportioned, with the pronotum and the wings being slightly extended to the sides so that they completely cover the upper side, both the head and legs are hidden under this shield. When grown, the body shape becomes broadly oval. The pronotum is rounded, the wings slightly protruding. The edges of the pronotum and the cover wings form an almost continuous curve. The top is very finely punctured.

Life cycle

Both the larvae and the adult (imago) beetles live by eating leaves on nearby plants. The adult (imago) sits close to the plant and the large flat neck shield and cover wings make the beetle very difficult to detect and it is difficult for predators to reach the vulnerable underside. The larvae tend to hide under a roof of old feces and plant remains that are attached to the forward bent hindquarters.

Coverage

The species is very common in Cameroon, Tanzania and Madagascar.

Systematic classification

The systematic position of the group of shield beetles is unclear, and it has traditionally been regarded as a subfamily of leaf beetles, as in this overview. However, some place it as a tribe in the subgroup Hispinae, which has traditionally been regarded as a sister group to the shields, or conversely, Hispinae is placed as a subgroup (then called Hispini) of the shields.[2]

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References
  1. https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxontree/id802992/
  2. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=838026#null
  3. http://www.cassidae.uni.wroc.pl/katalog%20internetowy//tegocassis.htm

Literature
  • Borowiec, L. 1999. A world catalogue of the Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Biologica Silesiae, Wroclaw.
  • Tegocassis at ITIS
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