Chrysomelidae

Chrysomelidae [‚kris·ə′mel·ə‚dē]

(invertebrate zoology)

The leaf beetles, a family of coleopteran insects in the superfamily Chrysomeloidea.

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Chrysomelidae 

(leaf beetles), a family of small and medium-sized beetles (body length, up to 1 cm). The larvae are elongated and fleshy and often have glandular papillae. Chrysomelids usually live exposed; less frequently they are found in the soil or in plant tissues. There are approximately 40,000 species, of which 1,400 are found in the USSR. The larvae and adults feed primarily on leaves; some bore in stems and roots. Many species damage field, vegetable, and fruit crops, as well as forest trees. The Colorado potato beetle is extremely injurious to the potato. Vegetables are damaged by the beetles Entomoscellus adonidis, Phaedon armoraciae, and Colaphellus. The aspen leaf beetle, the poplar leaf beetle, and Algelastica alni attack aspen, poplar, and green alder trees. The tortoise beetle Cassida nebulosa feeds on beets, and the leaf beetle Lema melanopus damages grain crops. Countermeasures include spraying and dusting with insecticides. Some species of Chrysomelidae are used for the biological control of weeds.

REFERENCES

Opredelitel’ nasekomykh Evropeiskoi chasti SSSR, vol. 2. Edited by G. Ia. Bei-Bienko. Moscow-Leningrad, 1965. Pages 419–74.
Ogloblin, D. A., and L. N. Medvedev. Lichinki zhukov-listoedov (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) Evropeiskoi chasti SSSR. Leningrad, 1971.

O. L. KRYZHANOVSKII