A new Hispid Beetle injurious to the Oil Palm in the Gold Coast

TLDR: Examination of specimens of a beetle belonging to the subfamily Hispinae of the Chrysomelidae, which is reported to be injurious to oil palms in the Gold Coast, indicates that the extent of damage is considerable when the insect becomes numerous.

Abstract: Through the courtesy of Dr. G. A. K. Marshall I have had the opportunity of examining specimens of a beetle belonging to the subfamily Hispinae of the Chrysomelidae , which is reported to be injurious to oil palms ( Elaeis guineensis , Jacq.) in the Gold Coast. Concerning this insect Mr. W. H. Patterson, Government Entomologist in the Gold Coast, writers as follows:—“The beetle has suddenly become a pest, being reported as having destroyed all the expanded foliage of many thousands oil palms in one district. A similar epidemic occurred in 1909, but entirely disappeared during the following rainy season, since which time the beetle has been very rare”. From this it would appear that the extent of damage is considerable when the insect becomes numerous. Although Mr. Patterson does not indicate the nature of the damage there is no doubt that the larvae mine into the young shoots and the adults defoliate the young leaves. In a recent work (Hispinae and Cassidinae, Fauna of Brit. Ind., London 1919, pp. 10–18) I have reviewed all the Hispid pests of plants useful to man. Only two African Hispids have hitherto been noted as harmful, and these attack maize in East Africa.