Charidotella jamaicensis (Blake)

Clark, Shawn M., Lillrose, Tiffany & Belo Neto, Luiz A., 2013, Leaf Beetles of the Cayman Islands (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Insecta Mundi 2013 (279), pp. 1-41 : 14-15

Charidotella jamaicensis (Blake)

Metriona quadrisignata jamaicensis Blake 1966: 220 .

Diagnosis. As with other species in the tribes Ischyrosonychini and Cassidini (tortoise beetles), the prothorax is broadly explanate, completely covering the head in dorsal view. The elytral epipleura are also broadly explanate, resulting in the roundish dorsal shape. In the genus Charidotella , the tarsal claws, at least those of the front legs, are appendiculate (toothed), the basal margin of each elytron is smooth (not finely crenulate), and the prothorax is not grooved for reception of the antennae. These characters are sufficient to distinguish C. jamaicensis from other chrysomelid species known to occur in the Cayman Islands. The color of C. jamaicensis is yellowish with a large dark macula on each elytron. In well-marked specimens of Charidotella sexpunctata (Fabricius) , a widespread and common species that may eventually be found in the Cayman Islands, each elytron has three small dark spots. In lightly colored specimens of the genus, the dark marking may not be visible from above, and the elytra may need to be removed to enable viewing of these features from the underneath side.

Material examined. None.

Extralimital distribution. Bahamas, Hispaniola, Jamaica ( Takizawa 2003, Borowiec 2011).

Plant associations. Blake (1966) reported Jamaican specimens collected from Jacquemontia pentantha (Jacq.) G. Don (Convolvulaceae) . Borowiec (1999) similarly stated J. pentantha to be the host, based on previously unpublished data. Virkki et al. (1992) reported the host of possible synonym Charidotella quadrisignata (Boheman) in Puerto Rico to also be J. pentantha , and this was accepted as a valid association in the catalog of Borowiec (1999).

Comments. The nomenclature and identity of Cayman Islands material are unclear. Blake (1966) originally proposed M. quadrisignata jamaicensis , based on material from the type locality (Portland Cottage, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica), on material from a second locality in Jamaica, and on material from Grand Cayman. Borowiec (1989) transferred Coptocycla quadrisignata (Boheman) (originally described from Cuba and Hispaniola, subsequently included in Metriona ) to Charidotella Weise , and he treated M. quadrisignata jamaicensis as a junior synonym. Later, Borowiec (1999) treated C. jamaicensis as a valid species, separate from C. quadrisignata , but without presenting any justification for this taxonomic change, and he listed C. jamaicensis only from Jamaica. Still later, Borowiec (2009) indicated that the species Charidotella latevittata (Boheman) is known only from Hispaniola and the Cayman Islands. The listing from the Cayman Islands may have been a mistake. In Borowiec’s 1999 publication he did not mention the Cayman Islands in the distribution of C. latevittata , but instead indicated the distribution to be only on the islands of Hispaniola and Saint Thomas. Whatever the case, in the 2009 publication, he stated that C. quadrisignata jamaicensis is probably a junior synonym of C. latevittata . If C. quadrisignata , C. quadrisignata jamaicensis , and C. latevittata are all determined to be synonyms, the valid name is likely to be C. quadrisignata . The two older names, C. quadrisignata and C. latevittata , were proposed in the same publication, but C. quadrisignata is likely to be selected by a reviser, as it appeared first in the publication ( Boheman 1855). Although page priority is not dictated by the rules of nomenclature, many revisors tend to adhere to this policy. Very recently, Borowiec (2011) again treated C. jamaicensis as a valid species, distinct from C. quadrisignata . In our treatment, we follow this most recent treatment, although the distribution of C. jamaicensis was stated to be Hispaniola and Jamaica, without mention of the Cayman Islands.

As already noted, Blake (1966) reported “ Metriona quadrisignata jamaicensis ” from Grand Cayman. She did not state how many Cayman Islands specimens she had seen, nor did she say where the material was deposited. Much of the chrysomelid material that she studied was from the United States National Museum of Natural History. However, the chrysomelid curator there was unable to find Cayman Islands specimens determined as either Metriona or Charidotella (Alexander S. Konstantinov, personal communication). We have not examined any Cayman Islands specimens of this species.