| Taophila | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Subfamily: | Eumolpinae |
| Tribe: | Eumolpini |
| Genus: | Taophila Heller, 1916 |
| Type species | |
| Taophila subsericea Heller, 1916 | |
Taophila is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. [1] The genus is endemic to New Caledonia. [2] [3]
Taophila was first established in 1916 by the Austrian entomologist Karl Borromaeus Maria Josef Heller for a single described species, Taophila subsericea. The genus remained monotypic for nearly a century, until two further species were described in 2007. In 2010, the genus was revised by G. Allan Samuelson, who added another nine species. [2]
In 2014, entomologists Jésus Gómez-Zurita and Anabela Cardoso made a morphological and molecular phylogenetic study of the genus, using the results to propose two new subgenera: Jolivetiana and Lapita. [3] The subgenus Lapita was later found to be a junior homonym of the fly genus Lapita Bickel, 2002, and moreover the group has many morphological differences to Taophila s. str., so it was renamed to Tricholapita and elevated in rank to genus in 2020. [4]
Taophila contains 21 species, which are divided into two subgenera: [2] [3] [5] [4] [6]
Species now in Tricholapita Gómez-Zurita & Cardoso, 2020 (formerly the subgenus LapitaGómez-Zurita & Cardoso, 2014 nec Bickel, 2002 [3] ): [4]
T. cancellataSamuelson, 2010 [2] was tentatively transferred to Dematochroma in 2014, [3] then was proposed as a synonym of Dumbea striata in 2023. [1]
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.
The Spilopyrinae are a small subfamily of the leaf beetles, or Chrysomelidae. They occur in Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and Chile. They were formerly considered a tribe of the subfamily Eumolpinae. The group was elevated to subfamily rank by C. A. M. Reid in 2000. However, some authors have criticised this placement, preferring to retain them within the Eumolpinae.
Calligrapha is a genus of large American Chrysomelinae of imprecise taxonomic boundaries. Most species occur in Central and South America.
Colaspoides is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is one of the largest genera in the subfamily, containing over 260 species worldwide. It is an extant genus but there is at least one species, C. eocenicus, found in Baltic amber from the Upper Eocene of Russia, and the genus has also been reported from the Miocene of the Dominican Republic.
Acronymolpus is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. There are two species placed in the genus, both of which are sexually dimorphic; the females are large and reddish, and the males are small and black. A member of the tribe Eumolpini, Acronymolpus is distinguished from other members of the tribe in New Caledonia by its enlarged metacoxae, which occupy most of the first abdominal ventrite and nearly reach its posterior margin.
Eumolpini is a tribe of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is the largest tribe in the subfamily, with approximately 170 genera found worldwide. Members of the tribe almost always have a longitudinal median groove on the pygidium, which possibly helps to keep the elytra locked at rest. They also generally have a subglabrous body, as well as appendiculate pretarsal claws.
Typophorini is a tribe of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. The tribe contains approximately 100 genera, which are found worldwide. Members of the tribe are mainly characterized by notches on the tibiae of the middle and hind legs, which are sometimes referred to as antenna cleaners. They also generally have a subglabrous body, as well as bifid pretarsal claws.
Eupales is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. The genus contains only one species, Eupales ulema, which is found in Southeast Europe, mostly in Hungary, the Balkan Peninsula, and Turkey. Eupales is recognised as a primitive member of Eumolpinae, and it shares some features with the Spilopyrinae.
Rhyparida is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is distributed in the Australasian and Indomalayan realms, though some species are also known from the African islands of Madagascar and Seychelles.
Dumbea is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is known from the South Province and Mont Panié of New Caledonia, and is named after Dumbéa, a town nearby Nouméa. This name was originally used by the French entomologist Charles Adolphe Albert Fauvel to house several species of Eumolpinae from New Caledonia, but Fauvel's Dumbea was unpublished and is a nomen nudum. The genus was established based on general proportions and body size, and may be polyphyletic or paraphyletic.
Montrouzierella is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is known from the South Province and Mont Panié of New Caledonia, and is named after Xavier Montrouzier, the pioneer entomologist of New Caledonia. The genus was established based on general proportions and body size, and may be polyphyletic or paraphyletic.
Samuelsonia is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is known from the South Province and Mont Panié of New Caledonia, and is named after Dr. G. Allan Samuelson of the Bishop Museum. The genus was established based on general proportions and body size, and may be polyphyletic or paraphyletic.
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.
Stethotes is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is distributed in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.
Dematochroma is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is mostly distributed in New Caledonia, though it is also found on Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and Timor. Adult beetles are often found at night feeding on leaves, and the larvae eat roots.
Bohumiljania is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Spilopyrinae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. It is named after Czech entomologist Bohumila Špringlová.
Kumatoeides is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. The genus is endemic to New Caledonia. The genus was first erected in 2018 by Spanish entomologist Jesús Gómez-Zurita. The generic name is the Latin transliteration of the Greek adjective κυματοειδής, meaning "corrugated", referring to the regular striae on the elytra of the beetles.
Tricholapita is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. The genus is endemic to New Caledonia.
Thasycles is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. For a long time it was treated as a synonym of Dematochroma, until it was reinstated as a valid genus in 2022.