Tortoise beetle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iTortoise Beetles

Cassida viridis

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Superfamily:	Chrysomeloidea
Family:	Chrysomelidae
Subfamily:	Cassidinae Stephens, 1831

Tribes

Aspidimorphini
Basiprionotini
Cassidini
Delocranini
Dorynotini
Eugenysini
Goniocheniini
Hemosphaerotini
Notosacanthini
Omocerini
Oncocephalini
Physenotini
Spilophorini
Stolaini

The tortoise beetles (Cassidinae) are a subfamily of the leaf beetles, or Chrysomelidae. Their common name arose from the superficial resemblance some species bear to tortoises, the elytra being analogised with the aforementioned reptile's carapace.

Golden Tortoise Beetles can be found on Morning Glory leaves which are their favorite food. They look like tiny jewels, or golden ladybugs, until you startle them or pick them up. Then they suddenly lose their golden color and become clear, revealing a ladybug type of red coloring with black spots. This color change is accomplished by certain valves which force and release moisture under the shell.