ARS | Publication request: New genera and species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from China and South Korea

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 2, 2009
Publication Date: April 27, 2009
Citation: Lopatin, I.K., Konstantinov, A.S. 2009. New genera and species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from China and South Korea. Zootaxa. 2083:1-18.

Interpretive Summary: Leaf beetles, and in particular flea beetles, are among the most important insects for US agriculture. Many are serious pests, feed on crops, and destroy valuable plants; many are important biological control agents that can be used to control unwanted weeds. This work describes new leaf beetle genus species from China and South Korea, providing key characters, descriptions, and illustrations so that they can be identified. One of the newly described species feeds on skunk vine, an important, invasive weed in the US, and potentially could be used for biological control. This study will be useful to biological control workers, taxonomists, ecologists, and anyone interested in plant feeding beetles.

Technical Abstract: Two new genera from China (Taumaceroides Lopatin and Yunnaniata Lopatin) and 11 new species (Smaragdina quadrimaculata Lopatin, Smaragdina oblongum Lopatin, Hyphaenia volkovitshi Lopatin, Arthrotus daliensis Lopatin, Taumaceroides sinicus Lopatin, Yunnaniata konstantinovi Lopatin, Calomicrus yunnanus Lopatin, Calomicrus minutissimus Lopatin, Hermaeophaga belkadavi Konstantinov, H. dali Konstantinov from China, and H. kototyaevi Konstantinov from South Korea) are described and illustrated. A key to Hermaeophaga species of Eurasia is presented. Since Hermaeophaga dali was collected feeding on Paederia foetida L. (Rubiaceae), an invasive noxious weed in the United States, this species has potential as a biological control agent of this weed.