Brontispa balakae

Brontispa balakae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Clade:	Pancrustacea
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Chrysomelidae
Genus:	Brontispa
Species:	B. balakae
Binomial name
	Brontispa balakae; Gressitt, 1957

Brontispa balakae is a species of beetle of the family Chrysomelidae. It is found on Samoa.

Description

Adults reach a length of about 6.7-8 mm. The body is reddish castaneous, but darker on the pronotum. The antennae partly reddish, partly pitchy to black. The elytra are slightly iridescent blue, becoming brownish towards the apex and black along the suture and basal margin.¹

Life history

The recorded host plants for this species are Balaka rechingeriana and Clinostigma oncorhyncha.²

References

Gressitt, J.L. (1957). "Chrysomelidae of Samoa (Coleoptera)" (PDF). Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. XVI (2). Entomology Department, Bishop Museum: 241–258. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
Staines, C.L. (2012). "Hispines of the World: Tribe Cryptonychini" (PDF). USDA/APHIS/PPQ Science and Technology and National Natural History Museum. Retrieved September 23, 2025.

[1] Gressitt, J.L. (1957). "Chrysomelidae of Samoa (Coleoptera)" (PDF). Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. XVI (2). Entomology Department, Bishop Museum: 241–258. Retrieved September 23, 2025.

[2] Staines, C.L. (2012). "Hispines of the World: Tribe Cryptonychini" (PDF). USDA/APHIS/PPQ Science and Technology and National Natural History Museum. Retrieved September 23, 2025.

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