Leaf beetle

Last updated

Leaf beetles
Temporal range: Aptian–Recent
Scarlet lily beetle lilioceris lilii.jpg
Scarlet lily beetle Lilioceris lilii in Oxfordshire, UK
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Chrysomeloidea
Family: Chrysomelidae
Latreille, 1802  [1]
Subfamilies

See text

The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 (and probably at least 50,000)[ citation needed ] species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, but the precise taxonomy and systematics are likely to change with ongoing research.

Contents

Leaf beetles are partially recognizable by their tarsal formula, which appears to be 4-4-4, but is actually 5-5-5 as the fourth tarsal segment is very small and hidden by the third. [2] As with many taxa, no single character defines the Chrysomelidae; instead, the family is delineated by a set of characters. [3] Some lineages are only distinguished with difficulty from longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae), namely by the antennae not arising from frontal tubercles.

Adult and larval leaf beetles feed on all sorts of plant tissue. Many are serious pests of cultivated plants, for example the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), the asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi), the cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus), the mustard beetle (Phaedon cochleariae) and various flea beetles, and a few act as vectors of plant diseases. Others are beneficial due to their use in biocontrol of invasive weeds. Some Chrysomelidae are conspicuously colored, typically in glossy yellow to red or metallic blue-green hues, and some (especially Cassidinae) have spectacularly bizarre shapes. Thus, they are highly popular among insect collectors.

Description

The imagos of leaf beetles are small to medium-sized, i.e. most species range from 1.0 to 18 mm in length, excluding appendages, with just a few larger species such as Alurnus humeralis, which reaches 35 mm. The bodies of most species are domed, and oval in dorsal view (though some are round or elongated), and they often possess a metallic luster or multiple colors. In most specimens, the antennae are notably shorter than head, thorax, and abdomen, i.e. not more than half their combined length. The second antennal segment is of normal size (which differentiates leaf beetles from the closely related longhorn beetles). In most species, the antennal segments are of a more or less equal shape, at most they gradually widen towards the tip, although some Galerucinae in particular have modified segments, mainly in males. The first segment of the antenna in most cases is larger than the following ones. The pronotum of leaf beetles varies between species. In most, it is slightly to highly domed and trapezoidal to rounded-squarish in dorsal view. In some subfamilies such as the Cassidinae and to a lesser extent the Cryptocephalinae, the head is covered by the pronotum and thus not visible from above. The first three sternites are not fused, instead being linked by mobile sutures. Most species possess wings, although the level of development and thus flight ability varies widely, including within a single species, and some are flightless with fused elytra. [4]

Subfamilies

The family includes these subfamilies:

Until recently, the subfamily Bruchinae was considered a separate family, while two former subfamilies are presently considered families (Orsodacnidae and Megalopodidae). Other commonly recognized subfamilies have recently been grouped with other subfamilies, usually reducing them to tribal rank (e.g., the former Alticinae, Chlamisinae, Clytrinae, and Hispinae). The extinct subfamily Protoscelidinae, containing fossils described from the Middle to Late Jurassic Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, has been transferred to the family Anthribidae. [5]

Diet

Chrysomelidae in general are herbivorous. Adults mostly feed on leaves and flowers of angiosperm plants, while larval diets are diverse. [6]

Natural enemies

A Finnish researcher published an exhaustive paper describing the natural enemies of the alder leaf beetle Plagiosterna aenea and other species of leaf beetles observed in the field. [18] Predators of chrysomelid eggs include true bugs such as Anthocorus nemorum and Orthotylus marginalis. [19] Hoverflies (e.g. Parasyrphus nigritarsis ) sometimes lay eggs adjacent to beetle egg clutches and when the fly larva hatches it consumes beetle eggs and young larvae. [19] Larval predators include A. nemorum, the bug Rhacognathus punctatus , [19] and the wasp Symmorphus bifasciatus . [20] Some species of wasps, such as Polistes carolina , have been known to prey upon Chrysomelidae larvae after the eggs are laid in flowers. [21] Adult beetles are consumed by R. punctatus. [19] More information about natural enemies can be found in the articles about the chrysomelid beetles Chrysomela aeneicollis, Phratora laticollis and Phratora vitellinae.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tansy beetle</span> Species of beetle

The tansy beetle is a species of leaf beetle. The common name derives from its main foodplant, Tansy, but it can also use other wetland plants such as Gypsywort and Water Mint. It measures 7.7–10.5 mm in length and has a characteristic bright metallic green colouration, with pitted elytra and a coppery tinge. In addition to the nominotypical subspecies, which repeats the specific name, C. graminis graminis, there are five further distinct subspecies of Tansy beetle, which, collectively, have a Palearctic distribution, although in the majority of countries where it is found the species is declining. In the United Kingdom it is designated as 'Nationally Rare'. The stronghold population here is located along the banks of the river Ouse in York, North Yorkshire. Other, small, fenland populations exist at Woodwalton Fen and at Welney Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flea beetle</span> Tribe of small jumping beetles

The flea beetle is a small, jumping beetle of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae), that makes up the tribe Alticini which is part of the subfamily Galerucinae. Historically the flea beetles were classified as their own subfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrysomelinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

The Chrysomelinae are a subfamily of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), commonly known as broad-bodied leaf beetles or broad-shouldered leaf beetles. It includes some 3,000 species around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cryptocephalinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

The Cryptocephalinae are a subfamily of the leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), and belong to the group of case-bearing leaf beetles called the Camptosomata. The cases are made from the feces of larvae, passed from one instar to the next, and ultimately serves as a pupation chamber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eumolpinae</span> Subfamily of leaf beetles

The Eumolpinae are a subfamily of the leaf beetles, or Chrysomelidae. It is one of the largest subfamilies of leaf beetles, including more than 500 genera and 7000 species. They are oval, and convex in form, and measure up to 10 mm in size. Typical coloration for this subfamily of beetles ranges from bright yellow to dark red. Many species are iridescent or brilliantly metallic blue or green in appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassidinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

The Cassidinae are a subfamily of the leaf beetles, or Chrysomelidae. The antennae arise close to each other and some members have the pronotal and elytral edges extended to the side and covering the legs so as to give them the common name of tortoise beetles. Some members, such as in the tribe Hispini, are notable for the spiny outgrowths to the pronotum and elytra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megalopodidae</span> Family of beetles

The Megalopodidae are a small family of leaf beetles, previously included as a subfamily within the Chrysomelidae. One of its constituent subfamilies, Zeugophorinae, has also frequently been treated as a subfamily within Chrysomelidae. The family contains approximately 30 genera worldwide, primarily in the nominate subfamily Megalopodinae, and mostly circumtropical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camptosomata</span> Case-bearing leaf beetles

Camptosomata are the case-bearing leaf beetles or camptosomates, named for their larval habit of carrying a case of waste material. This group consists of two subfamilies of Chrysomelidae : Lamprosomatinae and Cryptocephalinae.

Samarendra Nath Maulik was an Indian entomologist who worked at the Natural History Museum, London and specialized in the systematics of the leaf beetles. He worked briefly at the University of Calcutta as a professor of Zoology. A structure on the hind femur, particularly of flea beetles, and used in their leaping motion has sometimes been called as "Maulik's organ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thistle tortoise beetle</span> Species of beetle

The thistle tortoise beetle is a species of beetle in the subfamily Cassidinae and the genus Cassida. The thistle tortoise beetle can be recognized by its green, rounded back and it can be found on thistle plants in many regions of North America and Europe. The thistle tortioise beetle was first discovered in 1902 in Lévis, Quebec. In 1931, Nellie F. Paterson was the first to document the mature larva. Later, the instar larva of this species was first recorded in 2004 by Jolanta Świętojańska. The thistle tortoise beetle exhibits multiple defense behaviors, such as a flexible shield, providing a barrier against the mandibles of predators, and an excretion that protects the eggs as well.

<i>Galerucella</i> Genus of beetles

Galerucella is a genus of leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae described by George Robert Crotch in 1873. It is widely distributed but absent in the Neotropics. Some species feed on waterlilies and are used as biocontrol of introduced, invasive waterlilies. Galerucella tenella feed on strawberry plants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fecal shield</span>

The fecal shield is a structure formed by the larvae of many species of beetles in the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae. It is composed of the frass of the insect and often its exuviae, or bits of shed exoskeleton. The beetle may carry the shield on its back or wield it upon its posterior end. The main function of the fecal shield is defense against predators. Other terms for the fecal shield noted in the literature include "larval clothing", "kotanhang", "faecal mask", "faecal pad", and "exuvio-faecal annex".

<i>Phratora vitellinae</i> Species of beetle

Phratora vitellinae, the brassy leaf beetle, formerly Phyllodecta vitellinae, is a beetle of the family Chrysomelidae found in Europe and Asia. It feeds on Populus and Salix species. The evolution of its host plant preferences and the mechanism by which it uses host plant chemicals to make a larval defensive secretion have been the subject of intense study by research groups in Europe and the Nordic countries.

<i>Chrysolina coerulans</i> Species of beetle

Chrysolina coerulans, also known as the blue mint beetle or blue mint leaf beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is a member of the subgenus Synerga of the genus Chrysolina. It is native to a wide range of countries between mid and eastern Europe and lives alongside rivers and in meadows, it feeds on various plant members of the mint family.

<i>Phratora laticollis</i> Species of beetle

Phratora laticollis is a species of leaf beetle found in Europe and Asia. This beetle is found on Populus species and the chemistry and production of its larval defensive secretions and host plant relationships have been studied extensively.

Brachycoryna is a genus of tortoise beetles and hispines in the family Chrysomelidae. There are seven described species in Brachycoryna.

Cazeresia is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It contains only one species, Cazeresia montana, found at 1,450 m and above on Mount Humboldt in the South Province of New Caledonia. Adults of C. montana were found on Dracophyllum involucratum, a species of plant in the family Epacridaceae. According to Jolivet et al. (2005), most probably the larvae feed on the roots of this plant. The genus is named after Sylvie Cazères, an assistant to the Pocquereux entomological group from the Institut Agronomique néo-Calédonien. Sylvie Cazères collected specimens of C. montana and other species of leaf beetles.

Shinsaku Kimoto was a Japanese entomologist specialising in the Leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae).

<i>Parasyrphus melanderi</i> Species of fly

Parasyrphus melanderi is a flower fly that is best known as a larval predator on the leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis in the Sierra Nevada range of California.

<i>Phratora tibialis</i> Species of beetle

Phratora tibialis is a species of leaf beetle found in Europe and parts of Asia. This beetle is found on willows and the chemistry and production of its larval defensive secretions and host plant relationships have been studied extensively.

References

  1. "Chrysomelidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. "Family Identification – Chrysomeloidea". University of Florida. Archived from the original on 2006-10-13. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
  3. Jolivet, Pierre; Verma, Krishna K. (2002). Biology of Leaf Beetles. Andover: Intercept. pp. 5–9. ISBN   1-898298-86-6.
  4. Stresemann, Erwin (1994). Exkursionsfauna von Deutschland. Wirbellose Insekten. Erster Teil (8th ed.). Jena: Gustav Fischer Verlag. ISBN   3-334-60823-9.
  5. Legalov, A.A. (2013). "Review of the family Anthribidae (Coleoptera) from the Jurassic of Karatau: subfamily Protoscelinae. Genus Protoscelis Medvedev". Paleontological Journal. 47 (3): 292–302. doi:10.1134/S0031030113030064. S2CID   83960406.
  6. 1 2 "Family CHRYSOMELIDAE". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  7. "Bruchinae". uk beetles. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  8. "handbook on seed insects of Prosopis species". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jolivet, Pierre (1988), Jolivet, P.; Petitpierre, E.; Hsiao, T. H. (eds.), "Food Habits and Food Selection of Chrysomelidae. Bionomic and Evolutionary Perspectives", Biology of Chrysomelidae, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 1–24, doi:10.1007/978-94-009-3105-3_1, ISBN   978-94-010-7896-2 , retrieved 2023-02-23
  10. "Australian Faunal Directory". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  11. Vencl, F. V.; Nishida, K. (2008). "A new gall-inducing shining leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Thailand and its relevance to the evolution of herbivory in leaf beetles" (PDF). In Jolivet, P.; Santiago-Blay, J.; Schmitt, M. (eds.). Research on Chrysomelidae. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. pp. 246–259.
  12. "Subfamily Cryptocephalinae - Case-bearing Leaf Beetles". bugguide.net. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  13. Agrain, Federico; Buffington, Matthew; Chaboo, Caroline; Chamorro, Maria; Schöller, Matthias (2015-12-17). "Leaf beetles are ant-nest beetles: the curious life of the juvenile stages of case-bearers (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae)". ZooKeys (547): 133–164. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.547.6098 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   4714338 . PMID   26798319.
  14. Reis, Frank; Kirsch, Roy; Pauchet, Yannick; Bauer, Eugen; Bilz, Lisa Carolin; Fukumori, Kayoko; Fukatsu, Takema; Kölsch, Gregor; Kaltenpoth, Martin (2020-06-11). "Bacterial symbionts support larval sap feeding and adult folivory in (semi-)aquatic reed beetles". Nature Communications. 11 (1): 2964. Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.2964R. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16687-7. ISSN   2041-1723. PMC   7289800 . PMID   32528063.
  15. "Subfamily Lamprosomatinae". bugguide.net. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  16. Reid, Chris A.M.; Beatson, Max (2019-10-17). "Descriptions of the larva and pupa of Mecynodera balyi Clark, 1864, with notes on its life history (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Sagrinae)". Zootaxa. 4686 (4). doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4686.4.5 . ISSN   1175-5334.
  17. "Subfamily Sagrinae Leach, 1815". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  18. Kanervo, V. (1946). "Tutkimuksia lepän lehtikuoriaisen, Melasoma aenea L. (Col., Chrysomelidae), luontaisista vihollisista. (Ref.: Studien über die natürlichen Feinde des Erlenblattkäfers, Melasoma aenea L. (Col., Chrysomelidae)". Annales Zoologici Societatis Zoologicae Botanicae Fennicae "Vanamo". 12 (3): 1–202..
  19. 1 2 3 4 Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J. T.; Köpf, A. (1996). "Natural enemies and host plant relationships for chrysomeline leaf beetles feeding on Salicaceae". In P. H. Jolivet; M. L. Cox (eds.). Chrysomelidae Biology. Vol. 2: Ecological Studies. Amsterdam: SPB Publishing. pp. 147–171.
  20. Blüthgen, P. (1961). Die Faltenwespen Mitteleuropas (Hymenoptera, Diploptera). Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
  21. "Polistes carolina (Linnaeus, 1767)". Biology. 05. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification. 2008. doi:10.3752/cjai.2008.05 . Retrieved 2014-09-17.

Bibliography