Diet

• Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves of plants in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae).

• Larvae: Feed on the foliage of their host plants, often remaining on the undersides of leaves.

• Members of Hilarocassis are closely associated with morning glories and related vines.

Range

• Hilarocassis exclamationis is a Neotropical tortoise beetle occurring in Mexico, Central America and northern South America.

• It is associated with tropical regions of Mexico, including the Pacific coast and Guerrero.

• The species can occur in the Zihuatanejo region where suitable Convolvulaceae host plants are present.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, tropical woodland, scrub, forest edges and secondary vegetation.

• Adults and larvae occur directly on morning glory vines and other host plants.

• Sunny forest edges and disturbed vegetation can provide particularly suitable habitat.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in).

• Body broadly oval and strongly convex, with expanded pronotal and elytral margins characteristic of tortoise beetles.