''Hemisphaerota cyanea'', known generally as palmetto tortoise beetle, is a species of

leaf beetle The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 (and probably at least 50,000) species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle ...

in the family Chrysomelidae. Other names include the Florida tortoise beetle and iridescent blue chrysomelid beetle. It is native to the southeastern United States, from North Carolina, south to Florida, and west to Mississippi. It is introduced to southern Texas. The palmetto tortoise beetle was originally described in 1824 by

Thomas Say Thomas Say (June 27, 1787 – October 10, 1834) was an American entomologist, conchologist, and herpetologist. His studies of insects and shells, numerous contributions to scientific journals, and scientific expeditions to Florida, Georgia, the R ...

as ''Imatidium cyaneum''. The specific name (''cyanea'') means "dark blue".

Description

The palmetto tortoise beetle is a small beetle growing in length. The coloring of the

elytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alterna ...

and

pronotum The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum ( dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on e ...

is a dark, metallic blue. The orange antennae are short and enlarged at the tips. Larva of the palmetto tortoise beetle hide under a nest-like covering of thin strands of

frass Frass refers loosely to the more or less solid excreta of insects, and to certain other related matter. Definition and etymology ''Frass'' is an informal term and accordingly it is variously used and variously defined. It is derived from the ...

(fecal matter). They pupate inside of these fecal shelters. The adults hold themselves on fronds of palmettos with thousands of microscopic bristles on their tarsi ("feet"), paired with an oil that makes them difficult to pry off the leaves.

Ecology

Both the larva and adults of ''Hemisphaerota cyanea'' feed on palmetto plants (''

Sabal ''Sabal'' is a genus of palms (or fan-palms) endemic to the New World. Currently, there are 17 recognized species of ''Sabal'', including one hybrid species. The species are native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, from th ...

'' species).

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q14934591 Cassidinae Articles created by Qbugbot Beetles described in 1824