New contributions to the knowledge of Chinese flea beetle fauna (III): Revision of Meishania Chen & Wang with description of five new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

Authors: RUAN, YONGYING - Shenzhen University; Konstantinov, Alexander - Alex; PRATHAPAN, K. - Kerala Agricultural University; ZHANG, MENGNA - Shenzhen University; XING-KE, YANG - Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Submitted to: ZooKeys
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2018
Publication Date: 4/3/2018
Citation: Ruan, Y., Konstantinov, A.S., Prathapan, K.D., Zhang, M., Xing-Ke, Y. 2018. New contributions to the knowledge of Chinese flea beetle fauna (III): Revision of Meishania Chen & Wang with description of five new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae). ZooKeys. 4403(1):186-200.

Interpretive Summary: Leaf beetles, especially flea beetles, are among the most important insects for U.S. agriculture. Many are serious pests and feed on crops destroying valuable plants costing millions of dollars annually. Others are important biological control agents that can be used to control unwanted and invasive weeds. This work documents a discovery of 5 flea beetle species previously unknown to science in China and Bhutan. All the species are described and illustrated. The study will be useful to biological control workers, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, and anyone interested in plant feeding beetles.

Technical Abstract: The flea beetle genus Meishania Chen & Wang is revised and five new species - M. cangshanensis sp. nov., M. flavipennis sp. nov., M. fulvotigera sp. nov., and M. sichuanica sp. nov. from China and M. bhutanensis sp. nov. from Bhutan - are described. All species of Meishania are illustrated and a key to species is provided.