Family Chrysomelidae - Leaf Beetles

With 35,000 described spp. and up to 60,000 estimated spp. worldwide and ca. 1900 valid species and subspecies in ~220 genera in our area, this is one of the five largest beetle families and second largest (after Curculiondiae) among phytophagous beetle families(2)(1)

Overview of our fauna:

Family CHRYSOMELIDAE

Taxa not yet in the guide are marked (*)

Subfamily Bruchinae

Tribe Pachymerini

   Subtribe Pachymerina Caryobruchus, Pachymerus

   Subtribe *Caryedontina *Caryedon

Tribe Amblycerini

   Subtribe Amblycerina Amblycerus

   Subtribe Spermophagina Zabrotes

Tribe *Kytorhinini *Kytorhinus

Tribe Bruchini

   Subtribe Bruchidiina Bruchidius, Callosobruchus

   Subtribe Bruchina Bruchus

   Subtribe Megacerina Megacerus

   Subtribe Acanthoscelidina *Abutiloneus, Acanthoscelides, Algarobius, Althaeus, *Caryedes, Gibbobruchus, Meibomeus, Merobruchus, Mimosestes, Neltumius, Sennius, Stator, Stylantheus

Subfamily Donaciinae

Tribe Plateumarini Plateumaris, *Poecilocera

Tribe Donaciini Donacia, *Donaciella

Tribe Haemoniini Neohaemonia

Subfamily Criocerinae

Tribe Criocerini Lilioceris, Crioceris

Tribe Lemiini Lema, Neolema, Oulema

Subfamily Cassidinae

Tribe Cephaloleiini Stenispa

Tribe Chalepini Anisostena, Sumitrosis, Odontota, Chalepus, Xenochalepus, Baliosus, Octotoma, Stenopodius, Brachycoryna, Glyphuroplata, *Platocthispa, Pentispa, Microrhopala, Heptispa

Tribe Hemisphaerotini Hemisphaerota

Tribe Mesomphaliini *Hilarocassis, Chelymorpha

Tribe Ischyrosonychini Physonota

Tribe Cassidini Cassida, Coptocycla, Deloyala, Parorectis, Gratiana, Plagiometriona, Agroiconota, Floridocassis, Jonthonota, Opacinota, *Erepsocassis, Strongylocassis, Metrionella, Charidotella, Microctenochira

Subfamily Chrysomelinae

Tribe Timarchini Timarcha

Tribe Chrysomelini

   Subtribe Entomoscelina Entomoscelis, Microtheca

   Subtribe Paropsina Chrysophtharta, Gonioctena, Trachymela

   Subtribe Doryphorina Chrysolina, Calligrapha, Zygogramma, Leptinotarsa, Labidomera

   Subtribe Chrysomelina Gastrophysa, Phaedon, Prasocuris, Phratora, Chrysomela, Plagiodera

   Incertae sedis *Cadiz

Subfamily Galerucinae

Tribe Galerucini

     Section Coelomerites Monocesta, Coraia, Derospidea, Trirhabda, Miraces

     Section Atysites Diorhabda, Galerucella, Neogalerucella, Tricholochmaea, Pyrrhalta, Xanthogaleruca

     Section Schematizites Brucita, Erynephala, Monoxia, Ophraella, Ophraea, Neolochmaea

     Section Galerucites Galeruca

Tribe Metacyclini Malacorhinus

Tribe Luperini

   Subtribe Diabroticina

     Section Diabroticites Diabrotica, Paranapiacaba, Amphelasma, Acalymma, Paratriarius

     Section Cerotomites Neobrotica, Cyclotrypema, Cerotoma

     Section Phyllecthrites Phyllecthris, Luperosoma

     Section *Trachyscelidites *Trachyscelida

   Subtribe Luperina

     Section Scelidites Synetocephalus, Pseudoluperus, Keitheatus, *Lygistus, Triarius, Scelida, Androlyperus, Scelolyperus

     Section Phyllobroticites Phyllobrotica

     Section Exosomites Pteleon

     Section Monoleptites *Eusattodera, Metrioidea

Tribe Alticini Blepharida, *Acrocyum, Pseudorthygia, Phydanis, Luperaltica, Lupraea, Phyllotreta, Aphthona, Cerataltica, Glyptina, *Pseudodibolia, Longitarsus, Systena, Dysphenges, Glenidion, Hemiphrynus, Syphrea, Lysathia, Altica, Strabala, Orthaltica, Epitrix, Acallepitrix, *Hippuriphila, Hornaltica, Margaridisa, Crepidodera, Derocrepis, Neocrepidodera, Trichaltica, Hemiglyptus, Mantura, Chaetocnema, Disonycha, Agasicles, Parchicola, Monomacra, Omophoita, Asphaera, *Pachyonychis, Capraita, Kuschelina, Distigmoptera, Pachyonychus, Pseudolampsis, Dibolia, Argopistes, Psylliodes, Nesaecrepida, Cornulactica

Subfamily Eumolpinae

Tribe Synetini Syneta, *Thricolema

Tribe Typophorini

     Section Metachromites Metachroma

     Section Typophorites Paria, Typophorus

     Section Scelodontites Graphops

Tribe Eumolpini

     Section Iphimeites Spintherophyta, Metaparia, *Chrysodinopsis, Brachypnoea, Euphrytus, Promecosoma, Colaspis, *Percolaspis, Rhabdopterus, Tymnes, Zenocolaspis, Myochrous, Glyptoscelis

     Section *Eumolpites *Eumolpus

     Section Corynodites Chrysochus

Tribe Megasceliini Megascelis

Tribe Adoxini

     Section Leprotites Xanthonia, Demotina, Fidia, Colaspidea

     Section Adoxites Bromius

Subfamily Lamprosomatinae

Tribe Lamprosomatini Oomorphus

Subfamily Cryptocephalinae

Tribe Cryptocephalini

   Subtribe Pachybrachina Griburius, Pachybrachis

   Subtribe Monachulina Lexiphanes

   Subtribe Cryptocephalina Cryptocephalus, Bassareus, Diachus, Triachus

Tribe Clytrini

   Subtribe Clytrina Anomoea, Smaragdina

   Subtribe Megalostomina Megalostomis, Coscinoptera, Coleothorpa, Coleorozena

   Subtribe Babiina Babia, Urodera, Saxinis

Tribe Chlamisini Pseudochlamys, Chlamisus, Diplacaspis, Neochlamisus, Exema

helpful online keys good for most of the southeast provided in(3)(4)(5)

throughout the world except the antarctic and most of the high arctic(2)

Chrysomelids are phytophagous and are among the most diverse and conspicuous insect families on plants. The adults feed on living plant material, usually consuming leaves or sometimes various flower parts including pollen. Many chrysomelid larvae feed on leaves, but a great number are subterranean, attacking roots and underground stems.(2)

Most NA species are probably univoltine(2)

Most are fairly specific in host preferences, being either monophagous or more commonly oligophagous(2)(6)

most Nearctic spp. overwinter as adults(2)

Larvae have a wide variety of life histories.

A fair number of leaf beetles are of some economic importance; some are used to control invasive weeds in various areas of the world(2)