Leaf Beetles (Naturalists' Handbooks, Band 34) - Softcover

Hubble, Dave

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1784271500 ISBN 13: 9781784271503

Verlag: Pelagic, 2017

Inhaltsangabe

Leaf beetles are one of the largest groups of beetles, with tens of thousands of species worldwide and around 280 in Britain. They belong mainly to the family Chrysomelidae, but also to two small closely related families, the Megalopodidae and Orsodacnidae. This book provides a comprehensive overview with detailed and accessible coverage of the natural history, ecology and biology of leaf beetles.

Topics cover the life history of leaf beetles, biology, their environment, natural enemies and interactions with humans. There is a thorough discussion about identification of British species, including detail on the juvenile stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) and a concise key to adults. A chapter is dedicated to study techniques and materials. The book is illustrated throughout with colour photographs and line drawings.

Leaf beetles is a vital resource for entomology students and educators, naturalists, nature conservationists, those involved in agriculture, horticulture and the management of stored produce.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Dave Hubble is a freelance ecologist. He is the organiser of the UK's Chrysomelidae Recording Scheme and recently wrote the AIDGAP key to UK species. He also teaches Environmental Science at the Open University. Dave's blog can be found at davehubbleecology.blogspot.co.uk

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Leaf Beetles

Naturalists' Handbooks 34

By Dave Hubble

Pelagic Publishing

Copyright © 2017 Pelagic Publishing
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-78427-150-3

Contents

Editor's preface, v, 
Acknowledgements, vi, 
About the author, vii, 
About Naturalists' Handbooks, vii, 
1. Introduction, 1, 
2. Life history, 11, 
3. Leaf beetles in their environment, 19, 
4. Natural enemies of leaf beetles, 33, 
5. Distribution and abundance, 45, 
6. Identification of adults of British and Irish leaf beetles, 75, 
7. Study techniques and materials, 109, 
8. Useful addresses and links, 131, 
9. References and further reading, 134, 
Index, 141, 

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Leaf beetles are not as well known as ladybirds, but they too have many species that are distinctively patterned and dome-shaped. In addition, there are ten times more species and many of them are important crop pests. They are an attractive, fascinating and important group of beetles that deserves to be better known. The aim of this book is to introduce the leaf beetles and provide information to allow anyone to find and study them.

1.1 What are leaf beetles?

The leaf beetles are a large group with nearly 300 species in the British Isles (Table 1.1), and an estimated 40,000 worldwide in over 2,500 genera, making them one of the most diverse and regularly encountered beetle groups. As their common name suggests, they are all herbivorous and closely associated with plants, where they feed on various parts, not only leaves. Being beetles, they have biting mouthparts (unlike the piercing-sucking mouthparts of the Hemiptera or 'true bugs') and forewings that are hardened to form elytra (wing cases) covering the abdomen when viewed from above.

Most are in the family Chrysomelidae, with a small number of species in the closely related Megalopodidae and Orsodacnidae – collectively these three families constitute the leaf beetles and they are also generally referred to as 'chrysomelids', because previously, these three families were classified together in the Chrysomelidae. It is important to become familiar with the main features of the various subfamilies as this makes identification quicker, and a brief introduction to them follows.

Amblycerinae. These are similar in appearance to the Bruchinae and also associated with legumes. They were previously grouped with them as a separate family.

Bruchinae. Previously considered as part of a separate family, bruchines have been variously known as seed beetles, pea weevils, bean weevils, bean beetles and beanseed beetles because of their association with the seeds of leguminous plants. Many are pests of such crops, including dried and stored produce, especially in tropical and subtropical areas.

Cassidinae. Previously considered to be a tribe (Cassidini) of the subfamily Hispinae (which is not found in Britain), cassidines are now given subfamily status. They are commonly known as the 'tortoise beetles' owing to their dorsally flat-domed and more-or-less rounded appearance.

Chrysomelinae. Chrysomelines are the 'typical' (i.e. domed, relatively large and often metallic in colour) leaf beetles and include many of the more charismatic species within the British chrysomelid fauna, such as the rare tansy beetle Chrysolina graminis.

Criocerinae. In Britain, a small subfamily of relatively elongate, parallel-sided beetles represented by eight species including the introduced lily beetle Lilioceris lilii. All have a notch on the inner edge of the eye, although this may be slight.

Cryptocephalinae. A subfamily consisting of two tribes in Britain: the Clytrini (composed of one scarce and one recently extinct species) and the Cryptocephalini (all belonging to the genus Cryptocephalus). The genus Cryptocephalus includes several rare or endangered species and they are known colloquially as 'pot beetles' because of the appearance of the cocoons their larvae live in. These are initially built by the female during and immediately after egg laying, with the egg being held between the rear tarsi (feet) and covered by her faeces. Once covered, the pots are dropped to the ground among leaf litter, which often forms much of the larval diet, and the larvae add their own faecal material to their cocoons as they grow. The precise structure of these cocoons varies by species.

Donaciinae. Commonly known as the 'reed beetles' and associated with plants in or near water bodies and wetlands. Donaciines are more elongate than many other chrysomelids and many are distinctive, being brightly metallic in colour.

Eumolpinae. A small subfamily known by a single species in Britain, Bromius obscurus. They are superficially similar to the Chrysomelinae, but can be distinguished by features of the legs.

Galerucinae. A large subfamily comprising two tribes, the Galerucini and Alticini, both of which have previously been considered separate subfamilies. The Alticini are known as 'flea beetles' because of the well-developed flea-like jumping abilities of the adults and have been known as both the Halticinae and Alticinae. Examples include the cabbage-stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala.

Lamprosomatinae. A small subfamily known by a single species in Britain, Oomorphus concolor. Like the Cryptocephalinae, they form cocoons from faecal matter.

Orsodacninae. In Britain, this is the only subfamily within the family Orsodacnidae. There is a single genus Orsodacne in Britain, consisting of two species of relatively elongate beetles. The subfamily was previously placed within the Chrysomelidae.

Zeugophorinae. In Britain, this is the only subfamily within the family Megalopodidae. There is a single genus Zeugophora in Britain, consisting of three species of relatively elongate beetles. It was previously placed within the Criocerinae and later the Orsodacninae, which is now a separate family, the Orsodacnidae. Some authors (e.g. Zaitsev & Medvedev, 2009*) place it (along with the Orsodacninae) within the Chrysomelidae.

1.2 Adult external morphology

Chrysomelids are small to medium-sized beetles – in Britain ranging from a little over 1 mm in length (Mniophila muscorum and Longitarsus minusculus) to 18 mm in large specimens of Timarcha tenebricosa. Their overall shape varies from being somewhat elongate (e.g. Donaciinae) to oval and domed (in many subfamilies) or rounded and flattened (Cassidinae) (Figs. 1.1–1.5).

The antennae are usually thread-like (filiform), although in some taxa (e.g. Bruchidius) they may be saw-toothed (serrate) or have modified and expanded segments (e.g. males of Phyllotreta exclamationis and Phyllotreta nodicornis) (Fig. 1.6). There are 11 antennal segments except in Psylliodes species, which have 10. The antennae are never clubbed, unlike those of the ladybirds, which some leaf beetles resemble.

In the flea beetles (Alticini), the hind femora are enlarged (Fig. 1.7) and contain a chitinous 'metafemoral spring' which allows them to jump by releasing stored energy generated by the tibial extensor muscle (Fig. 1.8). The shape of the spring varies between genera and therefore could, in principle, be useful in identification. The tarsi are all 4-segmented and in most species at least some are bilobed (if not, then the final tarsal segment is elongate as in...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Pelagic
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2017
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1784271500
• ISBN 13: 9781784271503
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 160
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Simon and Schuster Netherlands BV; info@simonandschuster.nl; ; Herculesplein 96; Utrecht; 3584 AA; Niederlande