Diet

• Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on the leaves of morning-glory vines and related plants (Convolvulaceae).

• Important host plants include Merremia dissecta and Ipomoea wolcottiana.

• Larvae: Feed on the foliage of their host plants and develop on or around the same vegetation as the adults.

Range

• Microctenochira bonvouloiri occurs from southern Texas through Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica.

• Around Zihuatanejo, it is likely to be fairly common where its Convolvulaceae host plants are present, particularly in warm, low-elevation habitats.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, scrub, woodland edges, roadsides, gardens and disturbed vegetation.

• Around Zihuatanejo, look particularly for it on morning-glory vines and other climbing plants, especially in sunny forest margins and areas of secondary vegetation.

• The species is associated primarily with coastal and low-elevation habitats, making the warm lowlands around Zihuatanejo particularly suitable.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in).

• Body broadly oval and strongly convex, with the characteristic shield-like form of tortoise beetles.

• The outer margins of the pronotum and elytra are expanded and translucent, partially concealing the head and legs when viewed from above.

• The upper surface can show striking dark brown, reddish and metallic silvery-green coloration, with the translucent margins giving the beetle a glass-like appearance.