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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Longhorn and Leaf Beetles (Chrysomeloidea) » Leaf Beetles (Chrysomelidae) » Tortoise Beetles and the Hispines (Cassidinae) » Chalepini » Microrhopala » Goldenrod Leaf Miner (Microrhopala vittata)

Species Microrhopala vittata - Goldenrod Leaf Miner

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · Range · Food · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Microrhopala vittata? - Microrhopala vittata Unknown Beetle - Microrhopala vittata Beetle - Microrhopala vittata Autumnal Beetle - Microrhopala vittata Chalepini - Microrhopala vittata Goldenrod Leaf Miner - Microrhopala vittata Microrhopala vittata - male - female Microrhopala vittata - male - female
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 Cassidinae (Tortoise Beetles and the Hispines)
Tribe Chalepini
Genus Microrhopala
Species vittata (Goldenrod Leaf Miner)
Explanation of Names
Microrhopala vittata (Fabricius 1798)
vittata 'striped'
Identification
The dull reddish stripes on the elytra, the 8-segmented antennae and the smooth (not serrate/toothed) elytral margins distinguish this species(1)
Fairly variable in coloration: specimens from different host plants having different color patterns which has led to a number of synonyms (Comment by Dr. Staines)
Range
transcontinental (BC-NB to CA-GA) - Map (2)(3)(4), mostly e. NA to PNW, uncommon along Gulf coast
Food
Goldenrod (Solidago, Asteraceae)(5)
Remarks
adults often found crawling among the leaves of goldenrod bunch galls made by Rhopalomyia solidaginis
See Also
Microrhopala laetula LeConte - on rosinweeds (Silphium spp., Asteraceae)
- Range: Upper Plains
Det. john and jane balaban, 2025
Print References
Cappuccino, N. (1991) Mortality of Microrhopala vittata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in outbreak and nonoutbreak sites. Environmental Entomology 20(3): 865-871.
Hendrickson, G.O. (1930) Biologic notes on Microrhopala vittata Fabr. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The Canadian Entomologist 62: 98-99.
Internet References
Fact Sheet (Riley 2006)
Works Cited
1.Identification guide to the Leaf Beetles of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
2.Annotated list of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Kentucky: Subfamily Cassidinae
Barney R.J., Clark S.M., Riley E.G. 2007. J. Kentucky Acad. Sci. 68: 132-144.
3.Checklist of beetles (Coleoptera) of Canada and Alaska. Second edition
Bousquet Y., Bouchard P., Davies A.E., Sikes D.S. 2013. ZooKeys 360: 1–402.
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.
Contributed by Mike Quinn on 10 January, 2006 - 5:29pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Matthew Roth, Chuck Entz, v belov
Last updated 24 May, 2025 - 12:12pm

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