Aproida cribrata Lea, 1929

Monteith, Caroline S. Chaboo Vivian E. Sandoval-Gómez Mariana Hopper Geoff B., 2024, Biology of Aproida balyi Pascoe, 1863 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Aproidini) on its host plant, Eustrephus latifolius R. Br. ex Ker-Gawl (Asparagaceae) in Australia, Insecta Mundi 2024 (74), pp. 1-28 : 29

Notes on Aproida cribrata Lea, 1929 ( Fig. 1–3 )

For 100 years, only the holotype ( Fig. 1–3 ) has been known with data label: National Pk, Q., H. Hacker, Dec., 1921 [QM]. As also suggested by Samuelson (1989) we assume that the type locality is Lamington National Park, one of the earliest National Parks in Queensland. Further, it is known from Queensland Museum records that the collector, Henry Hacker, then insect curator at the Queensland Museum, often visited Lamington via O’Reilly’s Guest House which was the only easy access point at that time (by horseback) to the Park. For this reason, it is assumed that the type locality is near the Guest House from which a second specimen has been recorded in recent times (see below).

Lea (1929: 239) reported A. cribrata as flightless without details or illustrations, but Samuelson (1989: 602– 602) figured the species and determined that flightlessness is due to brachyptery with the wing length reduced and simplified and the metasternum very short and distorted.

Chris Reid, Australian Museum, Sydney, identified a second specimen of A. cribrata ( Fig. 12 ), among chrysomelids received from Roger Kitching’s pyrethrin canopy fogging for insect diversity studies in 1989–1990 ( Kitching et al. 1993). This specimen was found at: ‘Green Mountains’, an alternative name for the area around O’Reillys’ Guesthouse (28°13′S; 153°07′E) where the type was taken. The specimen label says: “pyrethrin fogging host ‘H-16-7’, O’Reillys, Jan–Feb 1991, R. Kitching”. Kitching et al. (1993) describe the vegetation as notophyll rainforest. Kitching (pers. comm.) advises that his pyrethrin-spray protocol used two sprays at each place, a low (L) spray below the main canopy and a high (H) one in the main canopy as indicated on the labels. Thus, this A. cribrata specimen was from the main canopy, ~ 20–30 m high at that location. Although details about the host tree or epiphytes are lacking, the site was on the Wishing Tree Track close to O’Reillys’ Guesthouse. It is likely that Henry Hacker obtained the holotype from the same general area. If A. cribrata is a regular canopy dweller, its host may be some epiphytic monocot.

Figures

Figure 12. Dorsal habitus of Aproida cribrata Lea, 1929, collected by pyrethrin spray of forest canopy at Green Mountains, Australia (Photo: Geoff Thompson and Natalie Tees, Australian Museum).

Figures 1–3. Type specimen of Aproida cribrata Lea, 1929 (QM; Photos: Geoff Thompson). 1) Dorsal view. 2) Lateral view. 3) Type labels. Scale bar = 1 mm. Note the left elytron appears to have been removed and glued back in position; the protibial apex has shallow notch and a small process.