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Species Charidotella sexpunctata - Golden Tortoise Beetle

Golden tortoise - Charidotella sexpunctata From Gold to Red - Charidotella sexpunctata Tortoise Beetle Larva? - Charidotella sexpunctata Golden Tortoise Beetle  - Charidotella sexpunctata Golden Tortoise Beetle - Charidotella sexpunctata Golden Tortoise Beetle - Charidotella sexpunctata Golden Tortoise Beetle - Charidotella sexpunctata Golden Tortoise Larva - Charidotella sexpunctata
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 Charidotella
No Taxon (Subgenus Charidotella)
Species sexpunctata (Golden Tortoise Beetle)
Other Common Names
Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle
Explanation of Names
Charidotella sexpunctata (Fabricius 1781)
Numbers
2 subspecies in our area(1)
Size
5-7 mm(2)
Identification
Overall golden-orange or golden-yellow with or without black elytral spots; legs mostly yellow, body oval or almost circular-shaped, elytral margins transparent, elytra and pronotum highly reflective in living specimens(3); change color when disturbed(4)
Larvae carry a fecal shield
Range
transcontinental, BC-NS to CA-FL to S. America(1); C. s. sexpunctata: TX to S. America, Ch. s. bicolor e NA to IA-TX(2) and w NA (BC-)
Food
leaves of various Convolvulaceae
Life Cycle
1. Mating pair. 2. Larva under the fecal shield. 3. Larva adding material to fecal shield. 4. Pupa. 5. Adult.

See Also
Blackfoot Tortoise Beetle (Jonthonota nigripes) also has 3 black spots on each elytron and overall orange color but is larger (8-9 mm), has mostly black legs, a more oblong shape, a duller surface, and elytral margins are opaque or translucent, not transparent. Also scutellum black
- Range: mostly Great Plains to Rockies
Internet References
Featured Creatures - Capinera 1997-2012(5)
Texas Entomology - Mike Quinn 2007
Works Cited
1.Catalog of Leaf Beetles of America North of Mexico
Ed Riley, Shawn Clark, and Terry Seeno. 2003. Coleopterists Society.
2.Beetles of Eastern North America
Arthur V. Evans. 2014. Princeton University Press.
3.The leaf beetles of Alabama
Edward Balsbaugh and Kirby Hays. 1972. Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University.
4.A Field Guide to Common Texas Insects
Bastiaan M. Drees, John A. Jackman. 1998. Gulf Publishing.
5.University of Florida: Featured Creatures