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Species Epitrix fasciata - Southern Tobacco Flea Beetle

Epitrix fasciata Blatchley - Epitrix fasciata

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 Galerucinae (Skeletonizing Leaf Beetles and Flea Beetles)

Tribe Alticini (Flea Beetles)

No Taxon (Crepidodera Genus Group)

Genus Epitrix (Nightshade Flea Beetles)

Species fasciata (Southern Tobacco Flea Beetle)

Explanation of Names

Epitrix fasciata Blatchley 1918

'banded'

Size

1.34-1.79 mm (1)

Identification

shorter, rounder dorsal profile than E. hirtipennis (1)

Dets. A. Deczynski

Range

eastern coastal states (NJ‒FL‒c.TX, plus OK, MO) to S.Amer. / W.Indies - Map (2)(1)(3), other states need confirmation

Food

Normal hosts are Solanaceae, reported from Datura stramonium, Lycopersicon esculentum, Nicotiana tabacum, Physalis angulata, P. heterophylla, Solanum nigrum (4)

Life Cycle

Considered invasive in the US(5)

Remarks

Type Locality: Hog Island, Florida

Print References

Blatchley, W.S. (1918). On some new or noteworthy Coleoptera from the west coast of Florida. IV. Canadian Entomologist 50(2): 52-59. (6)

Deczynski, A. M. (2016). Morphological systematics of the nightshade flea beetles Epitrix Foudras and Acallepitrix Bechyné (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) in America North of Mexico. Unpublished Master of Science thesis 2479. Clemson University, Clemson, SC. ix + 175 pp. (1)

Works Cited

1.	Morphological Systematics of the Nightshade Flea Beetles Epitrix Foudras and Acallepitrix Bechyné ... Deczynski AM. 2016. Clemson University.

2.	Catalog of Leaf Beetles of America North of Mexico Ed Riley, Shawn Clark, and Terry Seeno. 2003. Coleopterists Society.

3.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

4.	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.

5.	North American vegetable pests: The pattern of invasion Capinera J.L. 2002. Am. Entomol. 48(1): 20‒39.

6.	On some new or noteworthy Coleoptera from the west coast of Florida. IV. Blatchley, W.S. 1918. Canadian Entomologist 50(2): 52-59.

Contributed by Mike Quinn on 8 April, 2009 - 12:09pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, v belov
Last updated 9 August, 2025 - 9:32am

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