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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) » Eumolpinae » Eumolpini » Chrysochus » Dogbane Beetle (Chrysochus auratus)

Species Chrysochus auratus - Dogbane Beetle

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Iridescent beetle - Bay City, Michigan - Chrysochus auratus

Chrysomelidae: Chrysochus auratus - Chrysochus auratus

Dogbane Leaf Beetle - Chrysochus auratus

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 Eumolpinae

Tribe Eumolpini

Genus Chrysochus

Species auratus (Dogbane Beetle)

Explanation of Names

Chrysochus auratus (Fabricius 1775)

auratus = 'golden'

Numbers

8-11 mm

Identification

Oblong shape. Shiny, iridescent.

Range

transcontinental (ME-WA to GA-AZ)(1)

Food

hosts: Apocynaceae, incl. Apocynum cannabinum and Apocynum androsaemifolium; also reported in asso. w/ common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca, Asclepiadaceae) (2)

Life Cycle

They mate and lay eggs through the summer. They lay eggs on leaves and stems of host plants and nearby vegetation in masses of egg capsules

larvae are obligate root feeders; adults eat leaves of larval host

Eggs covered in frass

See Also

Gastrophysa cyanea

Print References

Peterson M.A., Dobler S., Holland J., Tantalo L., Locke S. (2001) Behavioral, molecular, and morphological evidence for a hybrid zone between Chrysochus auratus and C. cobaltinus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 94(1): 1-9.

Williams C.E. (1991) Host plant latex and the feeding behavior of Chrysochus auratus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Col. Bull. 45: 195–196.

Williams C.E. (1992) Movement of the dogbane beetle, Chrysochus auratus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in a patchy environment. Banisteria 1: 8–10.

Internet References

EoL

Museum State IL

Species profiles: Quinn (2007) | Tolchin (2013)(3)

Works Cited

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

2.	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.

3.	Animal Diversity Web: Phylum Arthropoda

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, v belov, marcie oconnor
Last updated 17 January, 2020 - 3:00pm

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