The Ruteline Database is an index to the species of metallic Leaf Chafers in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History (USNM). The database documents the approximately 1,400 ruteline species in the USNM Leaf Chafer Collection and provides information on type material, general distributions, and classification. (To access, click on the gold disk above.)

Standards for classification, generic names, and species names are based on Machatschke (1972, 1974) and more recent revisions and monographs (e.g., Bader 1992; Jameson 1990, 1998; Jameson et al. 1994; Kuijten 1992; Morón 1983, 1987, 1990; Potts 1977a, 1997b).

The user may browse through the entire database, or search at any taxonomic level (i.e., genus, species, subtribe) or any category (i.e., type material, notes). The data is presented in the following format:

• Scientific name
• Author
• Region
• Higher classification
• Type material
• Notes

The scientific name is composed of the following fields with optional values marked by an asterisk: FIELD[Genus] (FIELD[Subgenus*]) FIELD[species] FIELD[subspecies or variety*]. The author field contains the last name of the author or authors who described the species. Parentheses surrounding an author name indicate that the species was originally described in a different genus.

"Region" refers to the biogeographic region where the material is represented. Abbreviations are: NEA = Nearctic region, NEO = Neotropical region, PAL = Palaearctic region, AFR = Afrotropical region, ORI = Oriental region, AUS = Australasian region.

"Higher Classification" contains the following fields: (FIELD[Order]: FIELD[Family]: FIELD[Subfamily]: FIELD[Tribe]: FIELD[Subtribe]). The first three fields have the same value (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) for all records in the Leaf Chafer Database.

The "Type material" field indicates the presence of type material. Much of the type material in the collection is older, and holotypes and allotypes were not designated by the author. Thus, "type" in this field refers to syntypes or cotypes. In most cases, lectotypes, lectoallotypes, and paralectotypes have not been assigned to this material. Type material is housed in the Casey Collection or in the main collection.

"Notes" contains general comments regarding the condition, sex, specific distribution, and determiner of the specimens as well as synonymical notes for type specimens.

The Ruteline Database was compiled by Mary Liz Jameson (University of Nebraska State Museum) with the assistance of Alex Harman (USDA summer intern for the Systematic Entomology Lab.), and the combined Coleoptera staff of the National Museum of Natural History. Curation and databasing of the collection was possible with support of a Smithsonian Institution Collection Improvement Grant (8633FO00; 1996) awarded to Natalia J. Vandenberg (USDA/ARS Systematic Entomology Lab), Terry Erwin and Gloria House (Smithsonian Institute, Department of Entomology). As with most databases, it is likely that there will be some errors and inconsistencies. We welcome comments and corrections so that we can continue to improve the database. Communications can be sent to Natalia J. Vandenberg, project coordinator (email: nvandenb@sel.barc.usda.gov]); Gloria House, curator in-charge of Scarabaeidae (email: house.gloria@mnhen.si.edu) or Mary Liz Jameson, ruteline specialist (email: mjameson@unlinfo.unl.edu).

After you have viewed our database, you may wish to investigate the holdings of Rutelinae at theW. R. Enns Entomology Collection (University of Missouri), or follow links to other on-line scarab databases (provided by University of Nebraska State Museum).

• Bader, A. M. 1992. A review of the North and Central American Strigoderma (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 118: 269-355.
  
  
• Jameson, M. L. 1990. Revision, phylogeny and biogeography of the genera Parabyrsopolis Ohaus and Viridimicus (new genus) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae). Coleopterist Bulletin 44: 377-422.
  
  
• Jameson, M. L., B. C. Ratcliffe, and M. A. Morón. 1994. A synopsis of the Neotropical genus Calomacraspis Bates with a key to larvae of the American genera of Rutelini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 87: 43-58.
  
  
• Jameson, Mary Liz. 1998. Phylogenetic analysis of the subtribe Rutelina and revision of the Rutela generic groups (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 14:1-184.
  
  
• Kuijten, P. J. 1992. A revision of the genus Parastasia in the Indo-Australian region (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae). Zoologische Verhandelingen, Leiden 275: 1-207.
  
  
• Machatschke, J. W. 1972. Scarabaeoidea: Melolonthidae, Rutelinae. Coleopterorum Catalogus Supplementa. 66(1): 1-361.
  
  
• Machatschke, J. W. 1974. Scarabaeoidea: Melolonthidae, Rutelinae. Coleopterorum Catalogus Supplementa. 66(2): 363-429.
  
  
• Morón R., M. A. 1983. A revision of the subtribe Heterosternina (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Rutelinae). Folia Entomologica Mexicana 55: 31-101.
  
  
• Morón, M. A. 1987. Adiciones a los Heterosternina (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae, Rutelinae). Folia Entomologica Mexicana 73: 69-87.
  
  
• Morón, M. A. 1990. Coleópteros del Mundo. Volume 10. Rutelini première partie. Sciences Nat, Venette, France.
  
  
• Potts, R. W. L. 1977a. Revision of the Scarabaeidae: Anomalinae. 2. An annotated checklist of the Anomala for the United States and Canada. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 53: 34-42.
  
  
• Potts, R. W. L. 1977b. Revision of the Scarabaeidae: Anomalinae. 3. A key to the species of Anomala of America North of Mexico. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 53: 129-134.

Comments or suggestions? Contact Natalia J. Vandenberg, Project Coordinator and Web Designer (email: nvandenb@sel.barc.usda.gov); Gloria House, Curator in-charge of Scarabaeidae (email: house.gloria@nmnh.si.edu) or Mary Liz Jameson, Ruteline Specialist and Author of this Database (email: mjameson@unlinfo.unl.edu).