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Title: THE FLEA BEETLE GENUS APHTHONA (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) OF SOUTH INDIA WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVEN NEW SPECIES

Author
item PRATHAPAN, K - UNIVERSITY, INDIA
item Konstantinov, Alexander - Alex

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Leaf beetles and in particular flea beetles are among the most agriculturally important insects to U.S. agriculture. Many are serious pests and feed on crops and destroy valuable plants, others are important biological control agents that can be used to control noxious weeds. Species of the genus Aphthona has been used extensively to control leafy spurge, a serious agricultural weed in North America. This work treats Aphthona species in southern India. Seven new species are described and keys and descriptions are provided to allow for their identification and thus make them available for potential use as biological control agents. This study will be useful to biological control workers, taxonomists, ecologists, and anyone interested in identifying phytophagous beetles.

Technical Abstract: Seven new species of Aphthona from South India are described and illustrated: chrozophorae, glochidionae, macarangae, mallotae, marataka, nandiensis, and phyllanthae. A key for adult identification, and geographical distribution and host plant data are provided.