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Project Noah Nature School
Microctenochira fraterna
Tortoise beetle. Four different individuals. I believe the differences in color are due only to differing light conditions - except for the last individual. That one was a dull brown color, not shiny at all, but appears to be the same species. Sexual dimorphism?
Forest nature trail, Arenal Observatory Lodge.
Possibly Microctenochira fraterna???
Spotted on Nov 3, 2013
Submitted on Dec 2, 2013
9 Comments
Wow you are so lucky.
Sorry to be so slow to update - my kids have been off school since late November and I haven't had much time for Project Noah. Hope to be spending more time here again soon...
Please, update, thanks!
Microctenochira fraterna confirmed!
Wow
Beautiful! He looks like a piece of jewelry. It looks like he's encased in a bubble in the 4th picture.
That Flickr photo of M. hectica really looks exactly like mine. But M. fraterna, as pictured here: http://www.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/kat..., also is very like.
I also thought the spotting by manuelariasarias77 might be the same one...
Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Cassidini, Microtenochira sp. and probably Microctenochira hectica or Microctenochira fraterna. I will try to find out more.
Correct ID?
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?searc...
ID confirmed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanba/8...
Same one?
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/111...
Color morphs DO happen among tortoise beetles, not necessarily associated to genders. In this site you'll find a lot of info about Cassidini: http://www.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/kat...