Leaf beetle
| Leaf beetle | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Scarlet lily beetle, Lilioceris lilii | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Superfamily: | Chrysomeloidea |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae Latreille, 1802 [1] |
| Subfamilies | |
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See text. |
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Beetles in the family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles. This is a family of over 35,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families.
Leaf beetles are partially recognizable by their tarsal formula, which appears to be 4-4-4, but is actually 5-5-5.[2] They are distinguished with difficulty from long-horned beetles (family Cerambycidae) by the antennae not arising from frontal tubercles. Adult and larval leaf beetles feed on all sorts of plant tissue. Many are economically important pests of agriculture, for example the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), the asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi), the cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus), and various flea beetles.
Contents |
Classification [edit]
- Subfamily Bruchinae Latreille, 1802 - includes the bean weevils or seed beetles
- Subfamily Chrysomelinae Latreille, 1802 - includes the broad-bodied leaf beetles
- Subfamily Criocerinae Latreille, 1804 - includes the asparagus beetles and lily beetles
- Subfamily Cryptocephalinae Gyllenhal, 1813 - includes cylindrical leaf beetles and warty leaf beetle
- Subfamily Donaciinae Kirby, 1837 - includes the longhorned leaf beetles
- Subfamily Eumolpinae Hope, 1840 - includes the oval leaf beetles
- Subfamily Galerucinae Latreille, 1802 - includes the flea beetles
- Subfamily Hispinae Gyllenhal, 1813 - includes the tortoise beetles and prickly leaf beetles
- Subfamily Lamprosomatinae Lacordaire, 1848
- Subfamily Sagrinae Leach, 1815 - includes the frog-legged leaf beetle
- Subfamily Spilopyrinae Chapuis, 1874
One of the present subfamilies (Bruchinae) was, until recently, 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 Cassidinae, Alticinae, Chlamisinae, and Clytrinae).
Gallery [edit]
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Bruchinae: a bean weevil, Bruchus pisorum
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Bruchinae: a bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus
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Chrysomelinae: bloody-nosed beetle, Timarcha tenebricosa
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Chrysomelinae: Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
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Criocerinae: cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus
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Criocerinae: common asparagus beetle, Crioceris asparagi
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Cryptocephalinae: a warty leaf beetle, Neochlamisus bebbianae
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Cryptocephalinae: a cylindrical leaf beetle, Cryptocephalus sericeus
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Eumolpinae: dogbane leaf beetles, Chrysochus auratus
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Hispinae: golden tortoise beetle, Charidotella sexpunctata
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Hispinae: prickly leaf beetle, Hispa atra
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Galerucinae: a flea beetle, Altica lythri
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Galerucinae: alder leaf beetle, Agelastica alni
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Galerucinae: northern tamarisk beetle, Diorhabda carinulata
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Sagrinae: a frog-legged leaf beetle, Sagra buqueti
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References [edit]
- ^ "Chrysomelidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- ^ "Family Identification - Chrysomeloidea". University of Florida. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
External links [edit]
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Chrysomelidae |
Media related to Chrysomelidae at Wikimedia Commons
- Chyrsomelidae of northwest Europe
- List of subfamilies of European Chrysomelidae from University of Wrocław
- Brisbane leaf beetles
- Key to the British genera and species of Cryptocephalinae
- Key to the British genera of Chrysomelinae
- Key to the British genera and species of Criocerinae
