''Tegocassis'' is a genus of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

s that belongs to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), containing a single species, ''T. corpulenta''.

Appearance

A medium-sized, broadly oval, glossy, yellow-brown (at least in dead specimens)

Cassidinae The Cassidinae (tortoise and leaf-mining beetles) are a subfamily of the leaf beetles, or Chrysomelidae. The antennae arise close to each other and some members have the pronotal and elytral edges extended to the side and covering the legs so as ...

. Seen from the side, the body is conical. The antennae are filamentous and medium length. The body is actually quite normally proportioned, with the pronotum and the wings being slightly extended to the sides so that they completely cover the upper side, both the head and legs are hidden under this shield. When grown, the body shape becomes broadly oval. The pronotum is rounded, the wings slightly protruding. The edges of the pronotum and the cover wings form an almost continuous curve. The top is very finely punctured.

Life cycle

Both the larvae and the adult (imago) beetles live by eating leaves on nearby plants. The adult (imago) sits close to the plant and the large flat neck shield and cover wings make the beetle very difficult to detect and it is difficult for predators to reach the vulnerable underside. The larvae tend to hide under a roof of old feces and plant remains that are attached to the forward bent hindquarters.

Coverage

The species is very common in

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

and

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

References

Literature

* Borowiec, L. 1999. ''A world catalogue of the Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)''. Biologica Silesiae, Wroclaw.
''Tegocassis'' at ITIS

External links

{{Authority control Cassidinae Beetles described in 1904 Monotypic Chrysomelidae genera