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Species Phaedon desotonis

Pool beetle 3 - Phaedon desotonis Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh - Phaedon desotonis Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh - Phaedon desotonis Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh - Phaedon desotonis Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh - Phaedon desotonis Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh - Phaedon desotonis Unknown insect eating plant - Phaedon desotonis Unknown insect eating plant - Phaedon desotonis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Longhorn and Leaf Beetles)
Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Subfamily Chrysomelinae
Tribe Chrysomelini
Subtribe Chrysomelina
Genus Phaedon
No Taxon (subgenus Phaedon)
Species desotonis (Phaedon desotonis)
Other Common Names
Coreopsis Leaf Beetle, Bronze-fronted Leaf Beetle, Desoto Leaf Beetle
Explanation of Names
Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh 1983
Described from a single spmn coll'ed in in 1963 in DeSoto State Park, DeKalb Co., AL (1)(2)(Wheeler and Hoebeke, 2001)
Size
3‒5 mm(3)
Identification
Similar to P. virdis; see habitus photos of both and diagnostic features(3)
Range
se US (SC‒FL to OK‒TX) - Map (3)(4), most records from s. Great Plains
possibly adventive to NA (S.M. Clark, pers.comm. to =v=, 29.v.2014)
Food
Hosts: Asteraceae: Coreopsis spp. and Bidens aristosa(3); common on Greenthread (Thelesperma filifolium, Asteraceae) in TX & AR (Smith-Rodgers 2012)(5)
Life Cycle
Adults overwinter (Wheeler & Hoebeke 2001)
Remarks
a case where an uncommon insect herbivore has 'jumped' from its rare native host to related common hosts and is spreading (Smith-Rodgers 2012)
Print References
Balsbaugh, E.U., Jr. (1983) A taxonomic revision of the genus Phaedon north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). North Dakota Insects Schaefer-Post Series 15, 73 pp.
Balsbaugh, E.U., Jr., and K.L. Hayes. (1972) The leaf beetles of Alabama (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 441, 223 p. (1)
Braman S.K., Pendley A., Corley W. (2002) Plant susceptibility to and seasonal occurrence of Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh, a leaf beetle attacking Coreopsis. J. Env. Hortic. 20: 220‒223.
Thomas, M.C. (2004) Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Coreopsis (Asteaceae) pest new to Florida. Florida Division of Plant Industry, DACs-P-01670. 2 pp. (Full PDF) (3)
Wheeler A.G., Jr., Hoebeke E.R. (2001) Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): New distribution records, first host-plant associations, and seasonality of a seldom-collected beetle of rock-outcrop communities. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 103: 826‒831. (Full text)
Internet References
Photos of central Texas outbreak - S. Smith-Rodgers, 2012 (with comments by E.G. Riley)
Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Coreopsis (Asteaceae) pest new to Florida - Michael C. Thomas, Entomologist, Florida Dept of Agriculture, 2004
Works Cited
1.The leaf beetles of Alabama
Edward Balsbaugh and Kirby Hays. 1972. Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University.
2.A taxonomic revision of the genus Phaedon north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Balsbaugh E.U. 1983. North Dakota Insects Schafer-Post Series 15, 73 pp.
3.Thomas M.C. (2004) Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Coreopsis (Asteraceae) pest new to Florida
4.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
5.Host plants of leaf beetle species occurring in the United States and Canada
Clark et al. 2004. Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 2, 476 pp.