SYNONYMY
Hispa scutellaris Olivier, 1808:771
Hispa suturalis Harris, 1835:147 [not Fabricius, 1801]
Odontota harrisii Crotch, 1873a:80 [in key only, Odontota scutellaris Olivier used in text]
CLASSIFICATION
Cassidinae
Chelpini
DIAGNOSIS
Eleven-segmented antennae, broad body, 10 rows of punctures at mid-length of each elytra, and the coloration will distinguish this species from others in the park. Odontota horni, a species that may also occur in GSMNP, is similar but the pale ground color is strongly reddish and the black sutural area of the elytra is much narrower.
DISTRIBUTION
MB, ON, PQ / AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI, WV, [id] / [s. amer.] (Riley, et al., 2003). Confirmed for GSMNP.
FOOD PLANTS
This species associated with Fabaceae, having been reported from acacia [Acacia], Amorpha fruticosa L., peanut [Arachis hypogaea L.], Falcata comosa (L.) Kuntze [Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fern.], Cercis canadensis L., Cladrastis lutea (Michx.) K. Koch, Desmodium, honeylocust [Gleditsia triacanthos L.], Glycine max (L.) Merr., Laburnum anagyroides Medik., L. x watereri Dippel, alfalfa [Medicago sativa L.], lima bean [Phaseolus lunatus L.], bean [likely Phaseolus vulgaris L.], Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr., Robinia hispida L., R. pseudoacacia L., Sophora japonica L., red clover [Trifolium pratense L.], and Wisteri. Apart from the Fabaceae, this beetle species has been recorded from many other plants, some of which are fed upon by adult beetles, but most are probably incidental. Robinia pseudoacacia is an especially favored larval and adult host (Clark, et al., 2003).
COMMENTS
This species is perhaps the most common leaf beetle found in GSMNP.
REFERENCES
Butte, J. G. 1968c. The revision of the tribe Chalepini of America north of Mexico. III. GenusOdontota Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 22(4): 101-124.
Clark, S. M., D. G. LeDoux, T. N. Seeno, E. G. Riley, A. J. Gilbert and J. M. Sullivan. 2004. Host plants of leaf beetle species occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae, Chrysomelidae exclusive of Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 2, 476 pp.
Riley, E. G., S. M. Clark, and T. N. Seeno. 2003. Catalog of the leaf beetles of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae and Chrysomelidae, excluding Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society Special Publication no. 1, 290 pp.
Thunberg, C. P. 1805. in Göttingen gelehrte Anzeiger, 1805. 281-282. [reference not seen]