Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Long-horned and Leaf Beetles (Chrysomeloidea) » Leaf Beetles (Chrysomelidae) » Eumolpinae » Chrysochus » Dogbane Beetle (Chrysochus auratus)

Species Chrysochus auratus - Dogbane Beetle

Iridescent beetle - Bay City, Michigan - Chrysochus auratus

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)

Subfamily Eumolpinae

Genus Chrysochus

Species auratus (Dogbane Beetle)

Numbers

There are two species in this genus in North America. (1)

Range

Primarily Rocky Mountains eastwards. (1)

Food

C. auratus feeds exclusively on plants in the Dogbane family Apocynaceae, including Apocynum cannabinum and Apocynum androsaemifolium. (2)

Life Cycle

Larvae are obligate root feeders, and adults eat the leaves of larval host plants.

See Also

Gastrophysa cyanea - Green Dock Beetle is similar, but more punctate.

Internet References

Texas Beetles

Works Cited

1.	Catalog of Leaf Beetles of America North of Mexico By Ed Riley, Shawn Clark, and Terry Seeno

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. 2004.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Mike Quinn
Last updated 28 July, 2007 - 9:32am

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