tortoise beetles (Omaspides sp.)

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Photo by Dan Doucette

Published on Project Noah

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3.85603, -76.7814

Field Notes

Description:

tortoise beetles mating

Habitat:

pacific coast rainforest

Notes:

I was so lucky to spot these tortoise beetles. Seeing a tortoise beetle was near the top of my insect wishlist for Colombia. Not only did I see multiple different species, I even saw them mating! It was more than I could ask for. I even spotted a different species of tortoise beetle while I was photographing these two.

Species ID Suggestions

Tortoise Beetle

Omaspides sp.

Reference Link

Jacob Gorneau

+ vote

Comments (8)

Dan Doucette

Thanks for all your work J. Those species look incredibly similar, not sure which it could be. I will try to email them for a more specific ID.

Jacob Gorneau

If the all of the black lines continued to the bottom of the elytra, I would be inclined to call this O. bistriata. The location also fits, with one of the locations of distribution being Valle del Cauca. Here is information on O. bistriata: http://culex.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/katalog%20internetowy/omaspidesbistriata.htm Here is a photo of O. bistriata: http://culex.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/katalog%20internetowy/omaspidesbistriatafig.htm However, O. nitidicollis is also very similar, but also has all of the black lines extending to the bottom of the elytra like O. bistriata. Here is information on O. nitidicollis: http://culex.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/katalog%20internetowy/omaspidesnitidicollis.htm Here is a photo of O. nitidicollis: http://www.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/katalog%20internetowy/omaspidesnitidicollisfig.htm It could be neither of them, considering two black lines continue only partway down the elytra. I would contact Lech Borowiec and Jolanta więtojańska, who head up this site and may be able to give you a species name for this one, and your other tortoise beetles: [email protected]

ToshimiDowaki

Very nice!

LarryGraziano

Cool!

Dan Doucette

Hahaha! Thanks cullen.

cullenb1

really interesting- slightly scarring

Dan Doucette

Thanks Lauren. Yeah, looks like something took a bite out of the female.

LaurenZarate

Very unique tortoise beetles, looks like something took a bite out of one of them!