Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Gratiana pallidula - Eggplant Tortoise Beetle

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Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Longhorn and Leaf Beetles)
Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Subfamily Cassidinae (Tortoise Beetles and the Hispines)
Tribe Cassidini (Tortoise Beetles)
Genus Gratiana
Species pallidula (Eggplant Tortoise Beetle)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Gratiana pallidula (Boheman)
Orig. Comb: Cassida pallidula Boheman, 1854
Explanation of Names
pallid (L). 'pale' (1)
Numbers
2 spp. (incl. one recently introduced) n. of Mex. (2) (2nd sp. in se US)
Identification

Adult: in most live individuals, pronotum light green, elytra light golden brown with explanate, transparent margins; color of dead specimens mostly medium brown with lighter brownish-yellow margins; body oblong; elytral margins almost parallel-sided for more than half of their length; elytral disc with many small surface pits arranged in several longitudinal rows
Larva: may be at least partly green, and carry a fecal shield above its back (photo B)
Range
e. US to s. CA (CA-FL-NY-NE) / Mex. - Map (3)(4), less common back east
Habitat
In fields and areas where Solanum grows, usually on the upper side of leaves and often hidden inside curled leaves.
Season
Feb-Oct, peaking in May (4)
Food
Hosts: Solanum spp. (Solanaceae) (2)
Species include Solanum melongena, Solanum carolinese, Solanum xantii, Solanum elaegnifolium.(5)
Life Cycle
See article on Rearing Gratiana pallidula with images of habitat, life cycle, and more.
Print References
Boheman, C. H., 1854. Monographia Cassididarum. Tomus secundus. Holmiae, 506 pp. + 2 tab.
White, R.E. 1975. The identity of Gratiana lutescens (Boh.) and G. pallidula (Boh.) (Cassidinae: Chrysomelidae). USDA Coop. Econ. Ins. Rpt., 25 (10): 166.
Internet References
Texas Entomology - Mike Quinn, 2006
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
2.Cassidinae of the world - an interactive manual (by Lech Borowiec and Jolanta Świętojańska)
3.Catalog of Leaf Beetles of America North of Mexico
Ed Riley, Shawn Clark, and Terry Seeno. 2003. Coleopterists Society.
4.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
5.Gratiana pallidula
Jaclyn Tolchin. 2013. Animal Diversity Web.