(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae)
Phyllotreta Chevrolat
Phyllotreta psuedoexclamationis |
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Phyllotreta psuedoexclamationis |
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Distribution: Worldwide.
Statistics: One of the largest alticine genera with approximately 150 species in the Palearctic region and more than 250 species worldwide.
Host Plants: Agropyron, Alliaria, Anabasis, Arabis,
Atriplex, Avena, Berteroa, Biscutella, Brassica, Bunias,
Camelina, Cardamine, Dentaria, Diplotaxis, Festuca, Hirschfeldia,
Hordeum, Lepidium, Nasturtium, Nitraria, Panicum, Raphanus,
Raphanicus, Reseda, Rorippa, Salsola, Secale, Setaria,
Sinapis, Sisymbrium, Thlaspi, Triticum, Zea (Gressitt &
Kimoto 1963; Medvedev & Roginskaya 1988).
Comments: The generic name Phyllotreta was used
for the first time according to the provisions of availability
(International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, third ed. 1985)
by Chevrolat in the Dejean Catalog (1836). The name was
accompanied by an indication of "one or more available
species-group names in combination with it, or clearly included
under it, ... " (International Code ..., 1985, page 35).
Therefore we agree with White (1970) and consider the author of
the genus to be Chevrolat. Additional arguments for availability
of Chevrolat names are proposed by Barber & Bridwell (1940).
Madge (1988) found evidence that the last part of the Dejean
Catalog second edition was published before the end of 1836, and
before the last part of the third edition. That means that the
date of so-called Chevrolat genera is 1836. Because this edition
had no evidence that Chevrolat alone was responsible for the
generic names and their lists of included species, Pope (1992)
recommended using the complete citation: Chevrolat in
Dejean .
Diagnosis: Body small, oblong-oval
or elongated, usually dorsally flat. Color entirely black,
or black with bronze, metallic green or blue lustre; elytron
sometimes with yellow longitudinal stripe or yellow spots; rarely
elytron and pronotum entirely yellow.
Head pro-hypognathous, small, convex from lateral
view, frontal ridge narrow forming right angle with clypeus
(viewed laterally). Antennal calli raised, not delineated from
vertex by furrow. Interantennal space narrower than transverse
diameter of eye. Vertex more or less flat. Eye small. Antenna
11-segmented, filiform; sometimes segment 4 and 5 thickened in
male.
Pronotum without basal transverse or longitudinal
impressions. Narrowly explanate laterally. Procoxal cavity open
behind. Intercoxal prosternal process and mesosternum usually
narrow.
Elytra dorsally flat, sometimes almost parallel
sided, with or without humeral calli, and without striae.
Epipleuron broad, more or less vertical, reaching posterolateral
elytral margin.
Femora typical. Metatibia with apical 1/3 flat; basal
part usually thickened with spine inserted medially. First
metatarsal segment comparatively long, as long as following two
segments combined, rarely as long as 1/2 of metatibia.
