Cassida zona Fabricius, 1801 by monotypy.

67 (Borowiec and Świętojańska 2015, present paper).

Borowiec (2007) proposed a key covering 23 species with pattern on the ventral part of the elytral disc.

Canada to Argentina.

Species of the nominotypical subgenus can be separated by all tarsal claws with a basal tooth of variable size, or in males the outer claw of mesotarsi is with small tooth or simple. They also have subcircular to subtriangular body and are more convex in comparison to most other subgenera except Metrionaspis and Chapadacassis subgen. n. Otherwise the nominotypical subgenus is polymorphic displaying greater variability and some species externally reminds other subgenera. Most species are yellow with or without pattern on the ventral side of the elytral disc which can be variable. After revising most species of Charidotella there is no species in the nominotypical subgenus with dark annulus on the upper side of the elytra and all such coloured species are here transferred to Xenocassis.

Coptocycla marculenta Boheman, 1855 by original designation.

6 (Borowiec and Świętojańska 2015).

Not yet proposed.

USA to Panama.

Chaerocassis species have subcircular or oval body outline, regularly convex elytra, the base of the elytra distinctly wider than the pronotum and humeral angles moderately projecting anterad. Four species have explanate margin of the elytra with basal and posterolateral spots. One species has outer margin of the elytra black and the type species is uniformly yellow. Males have the outer claw of meso- and metatarsi, or both claws of meso- and the outer claw of metatarsi simple. Females have all claws appendiculate or one of the meso- and metatarsi simple. They are externally close to the nominotypical subgenus but can be easily separated by one of the metaclaws simple and elytra always without pattern on uderside.

Aspidomorpha rubicunda Guérin-Méneville, 1844 by monotypy.

2 (Borowiec and Świętojańska 2015).

Not yet proposed.

Charidotella rubicunda is widely distributed through South America from Colombia to Argentina while Ch. santaremi Borowiec, 1995 is so far known only from the state of Pará in Brazil.

The two Metrionaspis species have a broadly oval to subtriangular body outline, base of the elytra distinctly wider than pronotum with humeral angles projecting anterad, explanate margin of the elytra with humeral and posterolateral spots, and the elytra with a postscutellar tubercle. Externally both species are very similar to two Charidotella s. str. species, Ch. tuberculata (Fabricius, 1775) and Ch. ventricosa (Boheman, 1855), but they can be separated by an impunctate explanate margin of the elytra and claws of the metatarsi in both sexes with a basal tooth. While Metrionaspis species have humeral area of the explanate margin punctate and the inner claw of the metatarsi simple in both sexes.

Odontionycha seriatopunctata Spaeth, 1901 designated by Hincks (1952).

10 (Borowiec 2004, present paper).

Spaeth (1936) covered eight species, Borowiec (2004) covered nine species.

One species in Mexico and Costa Rica, remaining in the southern part of South America.

Philaspis species are at first glance easily distinguished by the parallel-sided elytra in combination with subangulate sides of the pronotum. All species are uniformly yellow or have a small black spot in the middle of each elytron.

Charidotella stulta (Boheman, 1855) was previously classified in the nominotypical subgenus. We recently examined its holotype, preserved in Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, and found that it belongs to the subgenus Philaspis near Ch. (P.) inculta (Boheman, 1855).

Coptocycla amoena Boheman, 1855 by original designation.

15 (present paper).

Not yet proposed.

Mexico to Peru with most species in the Central America.

Xenocassis species can be easily separated from other subgenera by the small eyes covering only 2/3 of lateral sides of the head thus gena is well visible while all other subgenera have large eyes. In addition Xenocassis has nearly regularly circular body outline, weakly convex elytra with coarser punctation on lateral slope, and dorsum with ring pattern on the upper side. In extreme cases the ring can form a large discal spot or can be completely vanished thus whole dorsum is uniformly yellow.

So far Xenocassis was separated from other genera on the basis of the tarsal claws and general body shape. Windsor et al. (1992) were the first who noticed that all species have also small eyes in comparison to other Chardotella species. As a result they raised Xenocassis to genus in the provided key but unfortunately made no additional comments and their change was not accepted later (e.g. Borowiec 1999). We agree with them that the small size of the eye is diagnostic for Xenocassis and found that five species currently classified in the nominotypical subgenus should be transferred to Xenocassis based on this character. In addition we found that Xenocassis species are very variable regarding the size and presence of tarsal appendages. The genus was based by Spaeth (1936) on the outer claws of the metatarsi simple in both sexes, however, examination of extensive material revealed that even the type species, C. amoena, could have the outer claws of the metatarsi with a large basal tooth. Similar situation was found in two other species we had extensive material to study – Ch. (X.) ambita (Champion, 1894) and Ch. (X.) puella (Boheman, 1855). In both the basal teeth showed variable size even within one population. While the size of the eye is constant. Some species of other subgenera have slightly smaller eyes than others thus they have gena visible but always very narrow while species of Xenocassis have gena covering approximately basal third of lateral side of the head.

We consider Xenocassis as subgenus of Charidotella as the size of the eye is found variable also in some other new world Cassidini genera, e.g. Charidotis Boheman, 1855 and Plagiometriona Spaeth, 1899.

Last catalogue, Borowiec (1999) listed 10 species in the subgenus Xenocassis. We have recently examined types of all species and found that one was wrongly assigned to Xenocassis. Coptocycla cingulata Boheman, 1862 (type seen in the Natural History Museum, London) was unknown to most authors and have been tentatively placed in Charidotella based on the original description (Boheman 1862) and notes published by Champion (1894) in the Cassidinae volume of the Biologia Centrali Americana (Borowiec 1989). It posses all characters of the genus Plagiometriona and is here transferred to it as Plagiometriona cingulata (Boheman, 1862), comb. n.

During examination of species placed in the nominotypical subgenus we found four which had small eyes and are here transferred to Xenocassis: Ch. (X.) discoidalis (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) incerta (Boheman, 1855), comb. n., Ch. (X.) purpurea (Linnaeus, 1758), comb. n., and Ch. (X.) myops (Boheman, 1855), comb. n. Types of all, with exception of Ch. purpurea, were examined and are preserved in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden. In addition Boheman (1855) described two more species in the same groups as abovementioned ones and we have strong feeling that they belong to Xenocassis too: Ch. (X.) amoenula (Boheman, 1855), comb. n. and Ch. (X.) cyclographa (Boheman, 1855), comb. n. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate their type specimens thus the transfer is tentative, based on primary descriptions according to which the species should have the circular body shape, the annulus on upper side of the elytra, and coarser punctation on the lateral slope of elytral disc like other Xenocassis species.

Charidotella (Chapadacassis) paradoxa sp. n. here designated.

The genus name is a combination of its type locality, the Chapada plateau and the genus name Cassida, gender feminine.

Chapadacassis subgen. n. is well characterized by completely irregular punctation of the elytra, only apical two thirds of sutural row appear more or less regular, while all other Charidotella species have mostly regular punctation of the elytra. Mostly or completely irregular punctation of the elytra is generally a rare feature in Neotropical Cassidini present only in a few taxa (e.g. Metriona elatior (Klug, 1829) or Scaeocassis turbulenta (Boheman, 1862)).

Externally, Chapadacassis subgen. n. is reminiscent of Philaspis because of the body shape, but Philaspis species have moderately and regularly convex elytra without any impressions while Chapadacassis subgen. n. has strongly convex elytra with moderate scutellar impressions thus elytral profile is distinctly broken (Fig. 2). Chapadacassis subgen. n. also differs in having lateral sides of pronotum rounded (angulate in Philaspis), tarsal claws with small tooth (large in Philaspis), antennae with five basal shiny and slim antennomeres (six in Philaspis), and antennomeres II and III subequal in length and IV longer than either (III and IV subequal in length and II distinctly shorter than either one).

Figures 1–7. 

Charidotella (Chapadacassis) paradoxa sp. n. 1 body dorsal 2 body lateral 3 antenna 4 head and prosternum 5 outer claw of protarsus 6 inner claw of mesotarsus 7 inner claw of metatarsus.

Figures 8–17. 

Type species for subgenera of Charidotella. 8–9Charidotella (s. str.) zona (Fabricius, 1801) 10–11Charidotella (Chaerocassis) marculenta (Boheman, 1855) 12–13Charidotella (Xenocassis) amoena (Boheman, 1855) 14–15Charidotella (Philaspis) seriatopunctata (Spaeth, 1901) 16–17Charidotella (Metrionaspis) rubicunda (Guérin-Méneville, 1844).

Body 7.6 mm long and 5.9 mm wide, broadly oval and strongly convex (Figs 1–2). Pronotum subpentagonal, 1.9 times wider than long, widest slightly before midlength with obtuse lateral sides. Disc indistinctly separated from explanate margin, whole surface of pronotum sparsely and coarsely punctate. Scutellum triangular, smooth, dull, micro-reticulate. Elytral base distinctly wider than base of pronotum, humeral angles strongly protruding anterad and rounded. Disc strongly convex, moderately impresed on each side of scutellum, thus lateral profile broken (Fig. 2). Punctation of elytra overall coarse, mostly irregular only first two rows more or less regular in apical half. Marginal row distinct, interrupted by large callosity around midlength, its punctures approximately twice coarser than those on disc. Explanate margin broad, almost as broad as half width of disc, strongly declivous, sparsely and coarsely punctate. Extreme outer margin swollen.

Eyes large, gena not visible. Clypeus transverse, impunctate and shiny, anterior margin micro-rugose and slightly elevated (Fig. 4). Antennae slim, antennomeres I–V slim, glabrous and shiny, antennomere V intermediate, VI–XI broad and densely pubescent (Fig. 3). Labrum oval, not emarginate. Mandible with three large teeth. Prosternal collar slightly expanded towards mouth. Prosternal process broad with moderately expanded apex. Metepisterna coarsely punctate and dull. Mesepimera and mesepisterna micro-reticulate and dull. Metaventrite smooth, shiny and sparsely punctate. Abdominal ventrites I–IV smooth and shiny, V shiny and sparsely punctate, each puncture with long seta. Legs normal, slim, tarsal claws divergent. Both pro- and metaclaws appendiculate with small tooth. Outer mesoclaw claw simple (Fig. 6), inner with small tooth.

The type locality most likely refers to Chapada dos Guimarães (approximately 15°10'–15°30'S, 55°40'–56°00'W), Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Holotype, pinned: “BRAZIL, Mato Grosso | Chapada Plateau | XI 1965 | native collector [white, printed and cardboard label]” (preserved at Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Wrocław, Poland). Paratype, pinned: same data as holotype (preserved in collection of L. Sekerka, Prague, Czech Republic). Both specimens are provided with an additional red, printed and cardboard label: “HOLOTYPUS [or PARATYPUS respectively] | Charidotella | Chapadacassis sgen. n. | paradoxa sp. n. | L. Sekerka & | L. Borowiec des. 2014”.

Body 7.6 × 5.9 mm, broadly oval and strongly convex (Figs 1–2).

Dorsum uniformly reddish-yellow. Margins of thoracic segments, trochanters, head, central parts of abdominal ventrites, and tarsi infuscate. Remaining ventral parts yellow. Five terminal antennomeres black, remaining yellow.

Pronotum subpentagonal, 1.9 times wider than long, widest slightly before midlength with obtuse lateral sides. Disc indistinctly separated from explanate margin, strongly convex, without impressions, sparsely and coarsely punctate, punctures laterobasally gradually coarser. Interspaces smooth and shiny, 1–4 times wider than puncture diameter. Explanate margin broad, lateral sides coarsely and sparsely punctate, transparent, smooth, and shiny, and with honeycomb structure. Anterior margin regularly convex.

Scutellum triangular, smooth, dull, micro-reticulate.

Elytra widest in basal third, then slowly tapering posteriorly. Elytral base distinctly broader than base of pronotum, humeral angles strongly protruding anterad and rounded. Disc strongly convex, with moderate impression on each side of scutellum, thus profile broken in lateral view (Fig. 2). Punctation of elytra overall coarse, mostly irregular only first two rows more or less regular in apical half. Punctures gradually coarser from top of disc to lateral sides. Interspaces 1–5 times wider than puncture diameter, finely micro-reticulate and appear shiny. Marginal row distinct, interrupted by large callosity around midlength, its punctures approximately twice coarser than those on disc (Fig. 2). Explanate margin broad, almost as broad as half width of disc, strongly declivous, sparsely and coarsely punctate, punctures gradually denser towards base and apex. Interspaces 1–5 times wider than puncture diameter, micro-reticulate and appear dull. Extreme outer margin swollen.

Clypeus 1.3 times broader than long, impunctate and shiny, anterior margin micro-rugose and slightly elevated. Antennae slim, length ratio of antennomeres: 100:46:49:59:54:45:57:57:55:56:115. Antennomere III slightly longer than II, VII–X subequal in length and approximately as long as wide (Fig. 3). Labrum oval, its lower margin smooth, not emarginate. Prosternal collar slightly expanded towards mouth. Prosternal process broad with moderately expanded apex, its surface microreticulate, sparsely and coarsely punctate, each puncture with single long seta (Fig. 4).

Legs normal, slim, tarsal claws divergent. Both fore claws appendiculate (Fig. 5). Inner mid claw simple (Fig. 6), outer with small tooth. Inner hind claw with large tooth (Fig. 7), outer with small.

At first glance Ch. (C.) paradoxa sp. n. reminds some species of the subgenus Philaspis. Particularly recently described, Ch. (P.) marginepunctata Borowiec, 2004 (also from Chapada in Mato Grosso) because of quite similar body shape and coarsely punctate explanate margin of elytra and pronotum. The latter distinctly differs in regularly punctate and less convex elytra without postscutellar impressions, subhorizontal explanate margin of the elytra, and the presence of a small black spot on each elytron.

The species epithet from Latin “paradoxus” = peculiar or curious for its unusual combination of morphological characters for Neotropical Cassidini.

Brazil (Mato Grosso).