Helocassis ramosa ( Boheman, 1855 ) Sekerka, 2016

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2016, Taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (1), pp. 275-344 : 294

Helocassis ramosa ( Boheman, 1855) comb. nov.

Coptocycla ramosa Boheman, 1855: 393 (original description).

Type locality. Colombia, Tolima Department, Honda.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: pinned: ‘E. Coll. | Chevt. [w, p, cb] || Type [w, p, s, c, rf] || N Grena | Honda | G Goudot [g, hw by Chevrolat, s] || 66 [g, p, s] || aspidom | ramosa | Bhn | Honda [w, hw by Chevrolat, s] || 67·56 [w, p, s] || Coptocycla | ramosa, | Bohem | Type in coll. Chevr. [w, hw by Gahan, cb]’ ( BMNH).

Remarks. BOHEMAN (1855) described this species presumably from a single specimen from the collection of Chevrolat. He compared it with Coptocycla clavata (Fabricius, 1798) and it was placed in the same group as other species latter transferred to the genus Helocassis Spaeth, 1952 (in HINCKS 1952). SPAETH (1937) however, placed Coptocycla ramosa in Plagiometriona Spaeth, 1899 , most likely based on the primary description. I have studied its type and the species in fact belongs to Helocassis as it has a head with frontoclypeal sulci, which are absent in Plagiometriona . The species is morphologically most similar to H. crucipennis ( Boheman, 1855) but differs in the base of elytra much wider than the base of pronotum, humeral angles protruding anterad, and subpentagonal body outline with straight lateral sides of elytra while H. crucipennis has oval body with weakly projecting humeral angles. The body shape is more similar to H. testudinaria ( Boheman, 1855) and H. clavata , however, both have rugose surface of elytra and high postscutellar tubercle, which is very low in H. ramosa and it also has smooth surface of elytra.

BOHEMAN (1855) mentioned ‘Columbia’ as the type locality, however, the specimen bears more detailed locality data. The type locality is here specified to Honda situated in the Tolima Department of Colombia.

Distribution. Colombia: Tolima (present paper).