New species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from China: VI

Smaragdina schereri sp. n., Chrysolina jiangi sp. n., Ch. geae sp. n., Ch. gansuica sp. n., Sclerophaedon daccordii sp. n., Neophaedon sichuanicus sp. n., Oreomela inflata sp. n., Xingeina nigrolucens sp. n., Shaira hemipteroides sp. n. and Calomicrus atroviridis sp. n. from Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces of China are described. Types of the new species are deposited in the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.     

Anthophagy in the leaf beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae)

Laboratory experiments were performed on leaf beetles collected on flowers. Flower consumption (anthophagy) was demonstrated for adults of Donacia bicolora, D. brevitarsis, D. obscura, D. thalassina, Plateumaris discolor, Cryptocephalus laetus, C. sericeus, C. solivagus, Labidostomis longimana, Hydrothassa marginella, Phaedon concinnus, Galerucella nymphaeae, Neocrepidodera femorata, Altica oleracea, Aphthona lutescens, Longitarsus pellucidus, and larvae of Entomoscelis adonidis, H. marginella, and G. nymphaeae for the first time for all the species except for P. discolor, L. longimana, and C. sericeus. The feeding behavior was described, and the mouthparts of adults were studied. The mandibles and maxillae of the Donacia, Plateumaris, and Orsodacne species mentioned are adapted to consuming pollen. Some questions of ecology and evolution of anthophagy are discussed. An overview of literature on anthophagy in the leaf beetles is presented.     

Feeding behavior of leaf beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae)

The feeding behavior of adult leaf beetles (41 species from 18 genera and 8 subfamilies) was studied for the first time. Beetles of the genera Chrysolina, Chrysomela, Cryptocephalus, Galeruca, Gastrophysa, Labidostomis, Leptinotarsa, Timarcha, and Cassida stigmatica gnaw a leaf from the edge, whereas the representatives of Donacia, Galerucella, Lema, Lilioceris, Oulema, Phyllobrotica, Plagiodera, Zeugophora, Hypocassida, and most species of Cassida gnaw the leaf plane. In addition, adults of Lilioceris merdigera and Donacia clavipes feed on young leaves rolled into a tube. New host plants are reported for the first time: Hyoscyamus niger for the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle and Naumburgia thyrsiflora for Galerucella grisescens.     

New leaf-beetle species (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from China: IX

The following new species are described from Chinese provinces Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan, based on the material from the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, where the types are deposited: Zeugophora nigroaerea sp. n. (Zeugophorinae), Cryptocephalus pseudosplendens sp. n. (Cryptocephalinae), Chrysolina kippenbergi sp. n., Ch. irinae sp. n., Ch. sinica sp. n., Ch. nixiana sp. n., Ch. yunnana sp. n., Oreomela fulvicornis sp. n., O. multipunctata sp. n. (Chrysomelini), Geinula cheni sp. n., and Furosawaia continentalis sp. n. (Galerucini).     

New leaf-beetle species (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from China: VIII

Chrysolina baoshanica sp. n., Ch. amica sp. n., Ch. baimana sp. n., Ch. sergeyi sp. n., Ch. korotjaevi sp. n., Ch. volkovitshi sp. n., Ch. aeruginosa kabana subsp. n., and Phratora belousovi sp. n. from Chinese provinces Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan are described. Types of the new species are deposited in the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.     

New genera and new species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Chrysomelidae) from Lowermost Eocene French amber

Three new monotypical genera of leaf beetles are described: Aoriopsis eocenicus n. gen, n. sp. and Acolaspoides longipes n. gen., n. sp. from the subfamily Eumolpinae, and also Crepidocnema yantarica n. gen., n. sp. from the subfamily Alticinae. Short reviews of known fossil records of the mentioned subfamilies are given and position of the new genera discussed.     

New species of leaf-beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from China: X

New species of the subfamily Chrysomelinae, Chrysolina maximi from Yunnan Province, Ch. nesterovae, Ch. matruelis, and Ch. mikhailovi, Yunnaedon foveatus and Yu. belousovi, Oreomela magnifica and O. geae, all from Sichuan, Taipinus kabaki and T. magnus from Shaanxi, and also two new species of the subfamily Galerucinae, Meristoides rugosa and M. obscura spp. n. from Sichuan, are described.     

New species of Leaf-beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from China: XI

New species of the subfamilies Megalopodinae (Temnaspis humerosa sp. n.), Chrysomelinae [Chrysolina furialis sp. n., Ch. oxanae sp. n., Ch. pingchuana sp. n., Oreomelina (Oreomelina) obtusa sp. n., O. (Oreomelina) splendens sp. n. from Sichuan], and Galerucinae (Liroëtis obliquevirgata sp. n. from Sichuan, Hyphaenia lutescens sp. n. from Chongqing, H. potanini sp. n. from Sichuan, and H. kabaki sp. n. from Shaangxi) are described.     

New data on the leaf beetles of the subfamily Cryptocepalinae (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from Middle Asia and Afghanistan

A new leaf-beetle species, Acolastus paki sp. n., is described from Tajikistan. New data (including photographs of the aedeagus and habitus) on Acolastus afghanicus, A. anthracinus, A. karatavicus, A. lygaeus, A. nanus, A. nigrifrons, A. syrdariensis, and Tituboea elegantissima are reported.     

Contributions to the knowledge of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) of Russia

A new species, Macroplea skomorokhovi sp. n., is described from the Russian Far East, and a key to species of the genus Macroplea Curtis is given. Cryptocephalus oxysternus Jacobson (Primorskii Territory) and Longitarsus truncatellus Weise (northern Caucasus) are recorded for the Russian fauna for the first time.     

The chiasmatic systems in populations of two spiny leaf beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae)

The number and distribution of chiasmata per cell at diakinesis has been analyzed in four populations ofDicladispa testacea (L.) and in two ofPolyconia caroli Lepr. both having 2n=16 and a 7+Xy_p male melotic formula. Most bivalents were unichiasmate and the distal chiasma position was the one most frequently encountered. One population ofDicladispa testacea could be distinguished from the remaining ones by the total number of chiasmata per cell. This intraspecific difference is discussed in relation with the degree of isolation between the four populations and other geographical characteristics.     

On the laboratory rearing of green dock leaf beetles Gastrophysa viridula (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract Leaf beetles Gastrophysa viridula have attracted recently increased research interest from various points of view, since they are: (i) pest insects in rhubarb crops; (ii) potential biocontrol agents of dock plants Rumex spp. in grasslands; and (iii) a model species in ecological studies on insect population dynamics, biochemistry, behavior, biomechanics and biomimetics. The continuous rearing of beetles at standardized conditions may help to unify the fitness state of different individuals, allowing a better comparison of experimental results. The present communication suggests a modular space‐ and time‐saving rearing method of G. viridula in stackable faunariums under laboratory conditions, which has been successfully established and continuously used over the last 5 years. Several developmental stages were kept in separate boxes, and multiple generations were kept simultaneously, depending on the required number of beetles.     

Immature stages of leaf beetles of the genera Octodonta and Pystosia (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Hispinae) from Vietnam

The morphology of larvae and pupae of two leaf beetle species, Octodonta depressa Chap. and Pystosia dactyliferae Maulik, is described. Some aspects of their ecology are considered.     

New mesozoic diving beetles (Coleoptera,Dytiscidae) from China

A new subfamily of predaceous diving beetles, Liadytiscinae subfam. nov., including two genera and four species, Liadytiscus gen. nov. (L. cretaceus sp. nov., L. longitibialis sp. nov., and L. latus sp. nov.) and Liadroporus gen. nov. (L. elegans sp. nov.), from the Late Tithonian-Berriasian (Huangbanjigou, Yixian Formation) of China is described. Two new genera, Mesoderus gen. nov. with two species, M. magnus sp. nov. and M. ventralis sp. nov., and Sinoporus gen. nov. with one species, S. lineatus sp. nov., are also described; their position in the system of Dytiscidae remains uncertain. Relationships of the taxa described with Recent and fossil taxa of the same rank and some presumable ecological features of the new taxa are discussed.     

Mesozoic leaf beetles of the tribe Mesolpinini trib. nov. (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from the Lower Cretaceous

This publication is based on recent studies of Lower Cretaceous leaf beetles from the Yixian Formation (Liaoning, China), which are represented by five new species of one new genus Mesolpinus gen. nov. (M. antenattus sp. nov. [type species], M. adapertilis sp. nov., M. angusticollis sp. nov., M. basicollis sp. nov., and M. trapezicollis sp. nov.) assigned to a new tribe, Mesolpinini trib. nov. of the subfamily Chrysomelinae. This tribe, which includes only species from the Jehol biota, is the oldest known group of the family in the fossil record. A key to species of the genus Mesolpinus gen. nov. is provided and the position of the new tribe is discussed. A brief overview of the Mesozoic data on the subfamily Chrysomeloidea is given.     

New species of variegated mud-loving beetles (Coleoptera: Heteroceridae) from mesozoic deposits of China

A new species of variegated mud-loving beetles, Heterocerites magnus, sp. nov., is described from the Late Tithonian-Berriasian of China (Huangbanjigou, Yixian Formation). This is a second known representative of the family in the Mesozoic.     

A review of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Province

A total of 245 species of 59 genera and 12 subfamilies of Chrysomelidae are recorded for St. Petersburg and Leningrad Province. The distribution of 219 species is proved by the author, 30 species are recorded for the region for the first time. For most species data on the phenology and ecology are given.     

Geographical variation and diversification in the flightless leaf beetles of the Chrysolina angusticollis species complex (Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera) in northern Japan

Geographical variation and differentiation of flightless leaf beetles of the Chrysolina angusticollis species complex were analysed. Nine morphological groups were recognized on the basis of metric characters relating to body size, shape of hind wing and shape of male genitalia, and binary characters relating to females' elytral surface and larval pubescence. The nine groups were essentially parapatric or allopatric to each other. Five groups occupied a continuous geographical range each, whereas another four groups were disjunctively distributed. Morphometric distance and geographical distance between populations were significantly correlated. Analyses based on 13 allozyme loci demonstrated that six out of the nine morphological groups were further divided into more than one genetically distinct group each. Genetic similarity between populations was significantly correlated with morphometric similarity and geographical closeness. Disjunctively distributed populations of a single morphological group more often resembled geographically adjacent populations of different morphological groups than geographically remote populations of the same group. In a morphological group that occupied a wide continuous range, remote populations substantially differed genetically from each other. The results suggest that there exist at least 19 morphologically and/or genetically differentiated units in the C. angusticollis complex in northern Japan. The C. angusticollis complex is likely a superspecies composed of a number of semispecies. We postulate that the diversification of this species complex might have resulted from the repeated range contraction and expansion during the ice ages. Movement of tension zones that separate two adjacent forms might contribute to enhance their geographical differentiation.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 93 , 557–578.     

Comparative morphological characteristics of Palaearctic leaf beetles of the subtribe Entomoscelina (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae): I. Mouthparts

A comparative morphological characteristic of the mouthparts of representatives of five Palaearctic genera of the subtribe Entomoscelidina is given.