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Family Chrysomelidae - Leaf Beetles
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Long-horned and Leaf Beetles)
Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Alticinae - + Now a tribe (Alticini) of Galerucinae
Bruchinae - + Now a subfamily of Chrysomelidae, formerly its own family
Chlamisinae - + Now a tribe (Chlamisini) of Cryptocephalinae
Clytrinae - + Now a tribe (Clytini) of Cryptocephalinae
Hispinae - + Now part of the Cassidinae Numbers One of the largest beetle families and among the phytophagous (plant-eating) families, Chrysomelids are second in number of species only to the Curculiondiae (or weevils). (1)
As many as 35,000 described species and perhaps up to 60,000 total species. (1)
Presently, there are 195 genera and approximately 1,720 valid species and subspecies (plus 149 Bruchinae species) accepted as occurring in North America north of Mexico. (1)Range Recorded from all areas of the world except the antarctic and most of the high arctic. (1)Habitat 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. (1)Season Most Nearctic species are probably univoltine, having one generation per year. (1)Food Most species are fairly specific in their food plant preferences, being either monophagous or more commonly oligophagous, consuming a few closely related plants. (1)Life Cycle It is probable that most Nearctic species overwinter as adults. (1)
Larvae have a wide variety of life histories. A good summary is in this article at Canadian National Collection of Insects.
TBA Remarks A fair number of leaf beetles are of some economic importance. Others have proven to be beneficial as agents for the biological control of invasive weeds in various areas of the world. (1)Print References Clark, S.M., D.G. LeDoux, T.N. Seeno, E.G. Riley, A.J. Gilbert & J.M. Sullivan. 2004. Host plants of leaf beetle species occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae, Chrysomelidae exclusive of Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 2, 476 pp. (2)
Riley, E.G., S.M. Clark, and T.N. Seeno. 2003. Catalog of the leaf beetles of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae and Chrysomelidae, excluding Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 1, 290 pp. (3)
American Beetles, Vol. 2, Chapter 121 [Bruchids]
Riley, E.G., S.M. Clark, R.W. Flowers, and A.J. Gilbert. 2002. Family 124. Chrysomelidae Latreille 1802, pp. 617-691 in Arnett, et al., American Beetles vol. 2, Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press, xiv + 861 pp. (1)
Ciegler, J. 2007. Leaf and Seed Beetles of South Carolina. Clemson University (4)Internet References The Leaf Beetles of Alabama - Edward U. Balsbaugh, Jr., and Kirby L. Hays
Canadian National Collection of Insects--checklist for Candada with desription of life-histories at subfamily level
Works Cited | 2. | Host Plants of Leaf Beetle Species Occuring in the United States and Canada
By Shawn M. Clark, Douglas G. LeDoux, Terry N. Seeno, Edward G. Riley, Arthur L. Gilbert, and James M. Sullivan | |
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