Leaf beetle

The imagos of leaf beetles are small to medium-sized, i.e. most species range from 1.0 to 18 mm in length, excluding appendages, with just a few larger species such as Alurnus humeralis, which reaches 35 mm. The bodies of most species are domed, and oval in dorsal view (though some are round or elongated), and they often possess a metallic luster or multiple colors. In most specimens, the antennae are notably shorter than head, thorax, and abdomen, i.e. not more than half their combined length. The second antennal segment is of normal size (which differentiates leaf beatles from the closely related longhorn beetles). In most species, the antennal segments are of a more or less equal shape, at most they gradually widen towards the tip, although some Galerucinae in particular have modified segments, mainly in males. The first segment of the antenna in most cases is larger than the following ones. The pronotum of leaf beetles varies between species. In most, it is slightly to highly domed and trapezoidal to rounded-squarish in dorsal view. In some subfamilies such as the Cassidinae and to a lesser extent the Cryptocephalinae, the head is covered by the pronotum and thus not visible from above. The first three sternites are not fused, instead being linked by mobile sutures. Most species possess wings, although the level of development and thus flight ability varies widely, including within a single species, and some are flightless with fused elytra.[4]

The family includes these subfamilies:

• Bruchinae Latreille, 1802 – bean weevils or seed beetles
• Cassidinae Gyllenhaal, 1813 – tortoise beetles; includes the former "Hispinae"
• Chrysomelinae Latreille, 1802 – broad-bodied leaf beetles
• Criocerinae Latreille, 1804 – asparagus beetles, lily beetles, etc.
• Cryptocephalinae Gyllenhaal, 1813 – cylindrical leaf beetles and warty leaf beetles; includes former "Chlamisinae" and "Clytrinae"
• Donaciinae Kirby, 1837 – longhorned leaf beetles
• Eumolpinae Hope, 1840 – oval leaf beetles
• Galerucinae Latreille, 1802 – includes the former "Alticinae" (flea beetles)
• Lamprosomatinae Lacordaire, 1848
• Sagrinae Leach, 1815 – frog-legged beetles or kangaroo beetles
• Spilopyrinae Chapuis, 1874
• Synetinae LeConte & Horn, 1883 – sometimes considered a tribe of Eumolpinae

Until recently, the subfamily Bruchinae was considered a separate family, while two former subfamilies are presently considered families (Orsodacnidae and Megalopodidae). Other commonly recognized subfamilies have recently been grouped with other subfamilies, usually reducing them to tribal rank (e.g., the former Alticinae, Chlamisinae, Clytrinae, and Hispinae). The extinct subfamily Protoscelidinae, containing fossils described from the Middle to Late Jurassic Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, has been transferred to the family Anthribidae.[5]

A Finnish researcher published an exhaustive paper describing the natural enemies of the alder leaf beetle Plagiosterna aenea and other species of leaf beetles observed in the field.[6] Predators of chrysomelid eggs include true bugs such as Anthocorus nemorum and Orthotylus marginalis.[7] Hoverflies (e.g. Parasyrphus nigritarsis) sometimes lay eggs adjacent to beetle egg clutches and when the fly larva hatches it consumes beetle eggs and young larvae.[7] Larval predators include A. nemorum, the bug Rhacognathus punctatus,[7] and the wasp Symmorphus bifasciatus.[8] Some species of wasps, such as Polistes carolina, have been known to prey upon Chrysomelidae larvae after the eggs are laid in flowers.[9] Adult beetles are consumed by R. punctatus.[7] More information about natural enemies can be found in the articles about the chrysomelid beetles Chrysomela aeneicollis, Phratora laticollis and Phratora vitellinae.

• 
  Acalymma vittatum
• 
  Agelastica alni
• 
  Altica, larva
• 
  Bruchus pisorum (Bruchinae)
• 
  Charidotella sexpunctata, pupa
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  Chrysolina americana
• 
  Chrysolina bankii
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  Chrysolina fastuosa
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  Chrysomela populi
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  Clytra laeviuscula
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  Crioceris asparagi
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  Donacia splendida, fossil
• 
  Labidomera clivicollis, larva
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  Lilioceris lilii
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  Luperus longicornis
• 
  Sphaeroderma rubidum
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  Timarcha sp.
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  Xanthogaleruca luteola
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  Several Chrysomelidae spp. larvae feeding on undefined host plant

Wikispecies has information related to Chrysomelidae.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chrysomelidae.

• Chyrsomelidae of northwest Europe
• List of subfamilies of European Chrysomelidae from University of Wrocław
• Brisbane leaf beetles
• Keys to the British genera and species of Chrysomelidae
• Chrysomelidae @ MIZA