On the natural history of Pseudochlamys megalostomoides Lacordaire, 1848 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae)

Abstract The subfamily Cryptocephalinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is characterized by the behavior of constructing fecal shelters. Despite such a peculiar biology, there are few studies on their natural history. In view of this need, we present here for the first time the natural history of a species of Pseudochlamys Lacordaire, 1848. Adults were collected and reared in the laboratory at a temperature of around 25 °C. Eggs produced were individualized, and hatched larvae were fed and monitored daily until adult emergence. Emerged adults were monitored in couples for the reproductive performance of the females. Parasitoidism was also observed on eggs collected in the field. Pseudochlamys megalostomoides Lacordaire, 1848 has four larval instars. The preimaginal period lasted 89.95 days: 15.27 in the fecal egg capsule; 46.83 as a larva; and 28 days in the pupal chamber. The active period of the immature was about 39.61% of its development. Females lived for 71.25 days, ovipositing for 41 days. Of the eggs collected in the field, 49.31% were parasitized and only 23.43% were viable. Unlike most Cryptocephalinae taxa, P . megalostomoides is a monophagous species that feeds on Waltheria indica Linnaeus and Waltheria rotundifolia Schrank. This beetle is parasitized by Entedoninae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera). This species of Pseudochlamys probably has more than one generation per year.