Paracarsidara Heslop-Harrison

(Figs 16, 37, 44, 45, 50, 61, 78)

Diagnosis: Head about as wide as mesoscutum, deeply cleft; discal foveae as deep oblique grooves; median ocellus placed almost central on vertex (Fig. 16). Antenna usually longer than 2/3 forewing length. Forewing (Fig. 50) narrowing to a subacute apex, pterostigma present, costal break absent; M+Cu1 almost as long as R and Cu1; cell m1 large and wedge-shaped; cell cu1 without radular spinules; Cu2 distant from Cu1b. Metatibia with genual spine, apical spurs arranged as 1+3+1; metabasitarsus with single spur. Male subgenital plate with a laterodorsal appendage on either side (Fig. 45).

Biology and damage: Little is known about their biology. Briceño (2002) and Briceño & Hernández (2008) classified them as “trunk insects” (Spanish “insectos de fuste”) in reference to the damage found on branches of Bombacopsis quinata (Malvaceae) .

Host-plants: Species within the Malvaceae (Brown & Hodkinson 1988; Hodkinson 1989).

Distribution: Neotropical (Brown & Hodkinson 1988; Hodkinson 1989).— Colombia: Paracarsidara gigantea (Crawford) .

Remarks: This is the first record of Paracarsidara dugesii in Colombia. The report of Carsidara by Vélez (1973) concerns Paracarsidara which is the only genus of Carsidaridae occuring in the New World (Hollis 1987a).

Examined material: Paracarsidara dugesii: Magdalena: 1 (female), Bahia de Gairaca, Parque Tayrona, ca. 20 km N Santa Marta, 31-Oct-1985 (H.-G. Müller), MHNG; 1 (female), Villa de Culebra, nr. Bonda, ca. 10 km E Santa Marta, 01–11-Nov-1985 (H.-G. Müller), MHNG;— Paracarsidara sp. 1: Antioquia: 10 (female), La Pintada, 5°44'31"N, 75°36'19"W, 600 m, Oct-1971, Malvaceae (A. Madrigal), MEFLG 1917 (UNAB 1138); 10 (male, female), Medellín, 6°15'46"N, 75°34'40"N, 1479 m, Oct-1972, Malvaceae (A. Madrigal), MEFLG 2010 (UNAB 1378).— Paracarsidara sp. 2: Antioquia: 3 (male, female), San Jerónimo, 6°26'30"N, 75°43'40"W, 780 m, May- 1963, Ceiba (Malvaceae) (N. Delgado), MEFLG 2062 (UNAB 1375).— Paracarsidara sp. 3: Norte de Santander: 3 (female), El Zuila, May-1978 (G. Martinez), CTNI 61.