Cassidinae Checklist: Tortoise Beetles
Tortoise beetles belong to the subfamily Cassidinae. They are characterised by a broad domed oval shaped elytra, like that of a tortoise shell. The larvae are flattened and spiny, often with a swollen “tail” which is an accumulation of their excrement and shedded exoskeletons.
Most species in this page were identified with the kind assistance of Michael Geiser, Dominik Hofer and Rob Westerduijn on Facebook.
All photos are of live subjects shot in the field, with the dorsal view selected where available. Click on individual photos for larger views and views from other angles. As specimens were not collected, identifications were done purely based on photographs and may not be 100% accurate.
Some useful references:
This page will be updated regularly, please let me know if you spot any mistakes.
View my complete Flickr photo set: Cassidinae – Tortoise Beetles.
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Class: Insecta Linnaeus, 1758
Order: Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Chrysomelidae Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Cassidinae Gyllenhal, 1813
Ecuador: Cassidinae P6154363
Thailand: Cassidinae PB215399
East Malaysia: Cassidinae P7073441
Tribe: Aspidimorphini Chapuis, 1875
Genus: Aspidimorpha Hope, 1840
Singapore: Aspidimorpha deusta (Fabricius, 1775)
Mozambique: Aspidimorpha cf. ertli Spaeth, 1906
East Malaysia: Aspidimorpha cf. furcata (Thunberg, 1789)
Singapore: Aspidimorpha cf. furcata (Thunberg, 1789)
Singapore: Aspidimorpha miliaris (Fabricius, 1775)
Thailand: Aspidimorpha sp.
Genus: Laccoptera Boheman, 1855
Singapore: Laccoptera nepalensis (Boheman, 1855)
Tribe: Basiprionotini Gressitt, 1952
Genus: Basiprionota Chevrolat, 1836
Thailand: Basiprionota sp.
Tribe: Callispini Chapuis, 1875
Genus: Callispa Baly, 1858
Singapore: Callispa elegans Baly, 1876
Tribe: Cassidini Gyllenhal, 1813
Genus: Cassida Linnaeus, 1758
Singapore: Cassida cf. circumdata (Herbst, 1799)
Thailand: Cassida sp.
Thailand: Cassida sp.
Genus: Charidotella Weise, 1896
Ecuador: Charidotella sp. P6067305
Genus: Charidotis Boheman, 1854
Ecuador: Charidotis ambigua Boheman, 1855
Genus: Chiridopsis Spaeth, 1922
Singapore: Chiridopsis scalaris (Weber,1801)
Genus: Hybosa Duponchel, 1842
Ecuador: Hybosa sp.
Genus: Ischnocodia Spaeth, 1942
Belize: Ischnocodia annulus (Fabricius, 1781)
Belize: Ischnocodia annulus (Fabricius, 1781)
Genus: Malayocassis Spaeth, 1952
East Malaysia: Malayocassis hilaris (Boheman, 1855)
Genus: Plagiometriona Spaeth, 1899
Ecuador: Plagiometriona phoebe (Boheman, 1855)
Genus: Rhacocassis Spaeth, 1904
East Malaysia: Rhacocassis flavoplagiata (Baly, 1863)
Genus: Silana Spaeth, 1914
Singapore: Silana farinosa (Boheman, 1856)
Genus: Thlaspida Weise, 1899
West Malaysia: Thlaspida biramosa (Boheman, 1855)
Genus: Thlaspidosoma Spaeth, 1901
Indonesia (Kalimantan): Thlaspidosoma dohrni Spaeth, 1901
Tribe: Coelaenomenoderini Weise, 1911
Genus: Javeta Baly, 1858
West Malaysia: Javeta sp. P1230769
Tribe: Gonophorini Chapuis, 1875
Genus: Agonita Strand, 1942
East Malaysia: Agonita sp. P3114140
Genus: Gonophora Chevrolat, 1836
West Malaysia: Gonophora haemorrhoidalis (Weber, 1801)
West Malaysia: Gonophora haemorrhoidalis (Weber, 1801)
Indonesia (Kalimantan): Gonophora haemorrhoidalis (Weber, 1801)
Singapore: Gonophora pulchella Gestro, 1888
East Malaysia: Gonophora sp. DSC_3753
Tribe: Hemisphaerotini Monrós & Viana, 1951
Genus: Spaethiella Barber & Bridwell, 1940
Peru: Spaethiella sp.
Tribe: Hispini Gyllenhal, 1813
Genus: Dactylispa Weise, 1897
East Malaysia: Dactylispa bipartita (Guérin-Méneville, 1830)
East Malaysia: Dactylispa cf. bipartita (Guérin-Méneville, 1830)
East Malaysia: Dactylispa sp. DSC_6865
Singapore: Dactylispa sp. DSC_3168
Singapore: Dactylispa sp. DSC_1603
Tribe: Imatidiini Chapuis, 1875
Genus: Aslamidium Borowiec, 1984
Peru: Aslamidium cf. bolivianum Borowiec & Sassi, 2001
Tribe: Notosacanthini Hincks, 1952
Genus: Notosacantha Chevrolat, 1836
West Malaysia: Notosacantha circumdata (Wagener, 1881)
Singapore: Notosacantha rufa (Wagener, 1881)
Tribe: Oncocephalini Chapuis, 1875
Genus: Oncocephala Agassiz, 1846
Singapore: Oncocephala sp. DSC_7681
Genus: Prionispa Chapuis, 1875
Thailand: Prionispa sp. P5262088
Tribe: Physonotini Spaeth, 1942
Genus: Platycycla Boheman, 1854
Belize: Platycycla deruta Boheman, 1854
Tribe: Sceloenoplini Uhmann, 1930
Genus: Sceloenopla Chevrolat, 1836
Ecuador: Sceloenopla sp. P6099797
Ecuador: Sceloenopla sp. P6111603
Tribe: Spilophorini Chapuis, 1875
Genus: Calyptocephala Chevrolat, 1836
Belize: Calyptocephala gerstaeckeri Boheman, 1862
Eggs
Singapore: Silana farinosa (Boheman, 1856)
Larvae
Singapore: Silana farinosa (Boheman, 1856)
Singapore: Silana farinosa (Boheman, 1856)
Singapore: Unidentified
Singapore: Aspidimorpha cf. miliaris (Fabricius, 1775)
Singapore: Aspidimorpha deusta (Fabricius, 1775)
Pupae
Singapore: Silana farinosa (Boheman, 1856)
Singapore: Aspidimorpha sp.
Singapore: Aspidimorpha deusta (Fabricius, 1775)
Pedro Castillo carrillo
Excelente
Nate Sorensen
Hello Nicky you have a nice arrangement of Beatles here! I found one today that I cannot find anywhere on Google I was wondering if you had an idea it’s a type of Is tortoise beetle but I have not seen anything exactly like it on Google. If you would like to email me back to see a picture dear picture I could send it to you.. Thank you…nate