Green Tortoise Beetle - Cassida compuncta

FAMILY CHRYSOMELIDAE

This page contains information and pictures about Green Tortoise Beetles that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

Body length 4mm

 

The beetles are broadly ovate shaped with wing-covers and prothorax broadly extended. The prothorax cover the head from above. They have the green body. On wing covers there are the gold patterns on brownish-purple background colour. The gold patterns are vary between individuals. 

 

 

 

The beetles were mating on grass.  They were found on different plants.

 

 

Pictures were taken in Wishart Bushland during mid summer 2008. 

 

 

They were actively moving on plants, seems not the active flier.  

 

 

We miss-identified this species as Cassida sexguttata, Chris Reid send us emails advised that this should be the Cassida compuncta – feeds on Ipomoea cairica (Mile-a-minute, a common weed in forest edge and cleared area) etc.

 

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Reference:

1. Beetles of Australia - Trevor J Hawkeswood, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1987, plate 158.

2. Cassida sexguttata Boisduval, 1835 - Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia 2005. 

3. Cassida compuncta (Boheman, 1855) - Cassidinae of the world - an interactive manual. 2008.

4. Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane -  Queensland Museum, 2003, p341.

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Last updated: October 05, 2008.