Aesernoides Jacoby, 1885

Reid, Chris A. M., 2006, A taxonomic revision of the Australian Chrysomelinae, with a key to the genera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Zootaxa 1292 (1), pp. 1-119 : 1-119

Aesernoides Jacoby, 1885

( Fig. 27 )

Type species. Aesernoides nigrofasciatus Jacoby, 1885 , by monotypy.

Diagnostic description

Length: 10–12mm; body elongate (length to width ratio 1.7) and moderately convex (length to height ratio 2.5). Head: not contracted behind eyes, eyes not laterally prominent; frons without vertical groove beside inner margin of eye; frontoclypeal suture transverse V­shaped, laterally smooth, without abrupt ridge; gena without straight ridge and groove to accommodate antenna; antennomeres 8–10 not laterally expanded; first maxillary palpomere not flattened; apical maxillary palpomere strongly expanded from base to apex; apical margin of mentum shallowly concave. Thorax: pronotum broadest at or near base; trichobothria present in anterior and posterior angles; sides of pronotal disc with irregularly shaped punctate depressions; base of pronotum without raised border; hypomeron without lateral groove; anterior of prosternum without median or lateral ridges, but medially produced; prosternal process roughly quadrate, without a pair of rightangled lobes at base; procoxal cavity open, gap at least half width of coxa; elytra at humeri much broader than pronotum; elytra non­tuberculate, distinctly striate, 5th stria deepened at base; elytra not extended at sides, epipleuron entirely visible from sides, broad at base but less than quarter width of elytron, abruptly narrowed at level of midcoxa, then narrow and evenly attenuated; apical half of epipleura without short stiff setae; anterior face of mesoventrite process abruptly sloping, convex, posterior margin strongly concave; metepisternum without elongate groove; metaventrite without anterior femoral plates; metaventrite process not anteriorly raised; apices of mid and hind tibia without row of teeth; tibiae without external keels; apex of third tarsomere slightly concave; claws toothed, basal lobe appendiculate and acute. Abdomen: pygidium without well­defined median groove; abdominal ventrites free, smooth, without distinct punctures; apex of last ventrite truncate in male and rounded in female.

Notes

Aesernoides is endemic to northern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland, Australia. Number of species: 1. Host­plants: unknown. Imature stages: unknown .

Aesernoides is similar in appearance to large Callidemum species but differs by the structure of the pronotum, more abruptly raised epipleura at humeri and more strongly expanded apical maxillary palpomere. Aesernoides is also similar to species of Paropsides , but this genus has the metepisternum strongly grooved (except the hemispherical P. umbrosa ) and the upper margin of the epipleuron laterally prominent.

Figures

FIGURES 27–32. Habitus photographs of Australian Chrysomelinae, dorsal: 27, Aesernoides nigrofasciata (Jacoby); 28, Alfius pictipennis (Lea); 29, Ateratocerus intricatus Blackburn; 30, Callidemum hypochalceum (Germar); 31, Calligrapha pantherina Stål; 32, Calomela parilis Lea. Line = 1mm.