Disonycha spilotrachela 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 : 22

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5175767
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:50B509BC-A8F0-4F02-8DD4-2E5823EFBBA4
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5187900
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/4F725324-FF96-1925-5585-FDBF5C22FAF0
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Disonycha spilotrachela Blake
status

Treatment

( Figure 14)

Disonycha spilotrachela Blake 1928: 96 .

Diagnosis. The greatly enlarged hind femora, in combination with the regularly vittate elytra, immediately distinguish this species from all other chrysomelids known to occur in the Cayman Islands.

Material examined. Cayman Islands, Little Cayman , south coast near Diggary Point, 19°422 N, 80°012W, 20-XI-1993, F. J. Burton, clustered with larvae on severely defoliated Turnera ulmifolia (1, BYUC; 5, USNM) .

Extralimital distribution. Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico ( Takizawa 2003). We have also examined specimens from Great Inagua in the Bahamas ( BYUC, previously unpublished data).

Plant associations. In Puerto Rico, this species has been associated with Ipomoea imperati (Vahl.) Griseb. (Convolvulaceae) , Passiflora foetida L. ( Passifloraceae ), and Turnera ulmifolia L. ( Turneraceae ) ( Virkki 1980, 1988). As noted above, T. ulmifolia is also a host in the Cayman Islands.

Comments. It is interesting that this comparatively showy species is represented by a single collection among the Cayman Islands material we have examined. Very likely, there are numerous other species that we have not seen at all.