Corresponding author: Caroline S. Chaboo (
Academic editor: M. Schmitt
The leaf-beetle genus
Ranade S, Prathapan KD, Ghate HV, Chaboo CS (2021) Natural history of Platypria (Platypria) hystrix (Fabricius, 1798) on Fabaceae host plants, with notes on other
The Old World cassidine tribe
The genus
Map showing distribution of
Juveniles were briefly noted for
Four species of
We present the first natural history notes on
The study is based on independent observations by SR and KDP of live populations of
Natural history of
Juveniles of
We marked and numbered leaves with larval mines to observe their behaviour and development. In Assam, we followed 15 larvae and four successfully reached adulthood. In Kerala, about 20 larval and pupal mines were studied. Some specimens were taken to the lab to rear and collect certain life stages for vouchers, photography and measurements.
Natural history of
In addition to the detailed study of
PKD and M. K. Shameem collected this species in six localities in the southern Western Ghats, India: Karnataka, Kalasa, 11.V.2011, Shameem K. (2 specimens); Kottigehara, 22.IX.2004, Prathapan Coll. (1 specimen); Kottigehara, 13°7'7.7"N/ 75°30'7.9"E, 938 m a.s.l., 8.v.2011, Prathapan and Shameem (2 specimens); Kerala, Neyyar W. L. San., 8.II.2002, Prathapan Coll. (1 specimen); Elappara, 1.III.2011, Shameem K. (1 specimen); Kuttiyadi, Janakikkadu, 14.iii.2013 (1 specimen); Silent Valley Nat. Park, Sairandhri, 11°5'35.8"N/ 76°26'47.7"E, 1030 m a.s.l., 15.xi.2013, Prathapan and Shameem (4 specimens,
Authors HVG and SR observed live populations on four different hosts, all new records, in India. Locality 1: Pune District, Tamhini-Dongarwadi, Mulshi,
HVG and SR observed this species on the host plant,
Specimens collected by KDP and associates over years from various localities in India are deposited in the Travancore Insect Collection, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani (
The four
The genus
Specimens were colour-photographed using a AF Micro Nikkor 60 mm macrolens, mounted on a Nikon D3000 SLR camera. The camera was mounted on a Wemacro stack rail, positioned vertically. Three Ikea 201.696.58 Jansjo Desk Work LED Lamps, with suitable diffusers, were used to uniformly illuminate the specimen. A Wemacro rail android Bluetooth control app, installed on a smartphone, was used to remotely control the imaging system. Multiple images at different depths of plane were taken and were stacked together using Helicon focus software. The high-resolution images, thus obtained, were edited with Adobe Photoshop 2020. Field photographs were taken using a Canon EFS 55–250 mm lens mounted on a Canon EOS 1300D SLR camera or Micro Nikkor 60 mm macrolens mounted on a Nikon D3000 SLR camera.
Life stages of
We use the current plant names according to the online catalogue (
1 | Antenna thick, hardly extending beyond scutellum over pronotum; third antennomere not longer than 2.5 times width |
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– | Antenna thin, extending well beyond scutellum over pronotum; third antennomere about four times as long as wide |
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2 | Anterior lateral lobe on each side of elytra has five spines; feeds on |
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– | Anterior lateral lobe on each side of elytra has six spines; feeds on |
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3 | Elytra covered with white pubescence; punctures large, subquadrate and contiguous; anterior and posterior lateral lobes on elytra reddish |
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– | Elytra glabrous; punctures rounded, separated by broad interstices; anterior and posterior lateral lobes of elytra blackish |
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We report
Host plants of
Species | Host family | Host species | Reference |
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Uhmann 1954 | |
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Starting on 17 September 2019, SR observed irregular blotch mining on leaves of a young tree of
The larva hatched out of the egg mines into the adjacent mesophyll without breaking the oothecal covering. It feeds and moves within the leaf creating mines by consuming mesophyll tissue. The first instar larva grew up to 1.8 mm. The larva has chitinous brown head and translucent-greenish body. The alimentary canal appears dark green due to the presence of food. While observing it against sunlight, the mines appeared occupied and small larvae were apparent through the epidermis. The larval mine in
The pupation takes place in a separate pupal mine. Emergence from the larval mine and construction of the pupal mine were observed in Assam. The mature larva (Fig.
About 20 pupal mines were observed on
The adults (n = 10; length 4.29–5.24 mm) were observed feeding mainly by scraping on adaxial surface of leaves. Sexual dimorphism was not distinct to the naked eye. Copulation was recorded in the morning as well as in the evening. Pairs were in copula for more than an hour.
In Assam, the adults were seen until the first week of December 2019, after which they were not found anymore. They appeared on the same plant in the first week of March 2020. Further south, at Vellayani in Kerala, the population of
Although our observations are still in progress, we noticed that adults emerging in September 2019 in Assam were active, with mating and egg laying observed during March 2020. We suspect that the adults survive for at least one year.
Copulation was observed in the third week of March after several thunder showers in Assam. On 23 March, we noted four pairs on
At the Vellayani site, we observed a
All life stages of
Information is limited on the eggs and associated maternal behaviour for leaf-mining hispines. In
We observed all larvae of the four Indian species of
In our
The structure of the pupal mine appeared very similar in our observed
The pupal mines of
This paper provides a first step in ongoing fieldwork and study of the four Indian species of
We thank Ayilliath Kuttiyeri Pradeep, Calicut University, for confirming the identity of the plant
Movie S1
multimedia
Natural History of <em full-name="Platypria">Platypria</italic> (<em full-name="Platypria">P.</italic>) <em full-name="hystrix">hystrix</italic> (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Hispini) on <i><em full-name="Erythrina">Erythrina</italic></i>, Assam, India. (MP4 format, 3.41 min; film made and narrated by S. Ranade, 2020).