Charidotella (s. str.) Weise, 1896

Sekerka, Lukas & Borowiec, Lech, 2015, Subgenera of Charidotella Weise with description of a new subgenus and species from Brazil (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Cassidini), ZooKeys 506, pp. 61-74 : 62

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Chrysomelidae

Charidotella (s. str.) Weise, 1896 Figs 8-9

Charidotella Weise, 1896: 13.

Type species.

Cassida zona Fabricius, 1801 by monotypy.

Number of species.

67 ( Borowiec and Świętojańska 2015, present paper).

Key to species.

Borowiec (2007) proposed a key covering 23 species with pattern on the ventral part of the elytral disc.

Range.

Canada to Argentina.

Distinguishing characters.

Species of the nominotypical subgenus can be separated by all tarsal claws with a basal tooth of variable size, or in males the outer claw of mesotarsi is with small tooth or simple. They also have subcircular to subtriangular body and are more convex in comparison to most other subgenera except Metrionaspis and Chapadacassis subgen. n. Otherwise the nominotypical subgenus is polymorphic displaying greater variability and some species externally reminds other subgenera. Most species are yellow with or without pattern on the ventral side of the elytral disc which can be variable. After revising most species of Charidotella there is no species in the nominotypical subgenus with dark annulus on the upper side of the elytra and all such coloured species are here transferred to Xenocassis .