Diet

• Adults: Feed primarily on leaves, often specializing on particular plant families or genera. Many species consume foliage of plants in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), nightshade family (Solanaceae), aster family (Asteraceae), and other broad-leaved plants.

• Larvae: Feed on the leaves of their host plants, often remaining on the underside of foliage where they are less exposed to predators.

• Some species are highly host-specific and complete their development on only one or a few closely related plant species.

Range

• The tribe Cassidini is distributed primarily throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

• Numerous species occur in Mexico, including the Pacific coast of Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region.

• The greatest diversity occurs in the Neotropics.

Habitat

• Inhabits tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, thorn scrub, woodland edges, secondary forests, grasslands, agricultural areas, gardens, and disturbed vegetation.

• Adults and larvae are found directly on their host plants, particularly on the undersides of leaves.

• Some species are especially common in areas with abundant vines and herbaceous vegetation.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 4–15 mm (0.16–0.6 in), depending on the species.

• Body generally broad, flattened, and shield-like, with the expanded margins of the pronotum and elytra giving many species their characteristic tortoise-like appearance.