CHRYSOMELA newsletter Dedicated to information about the Chrysomelidae Report Nos. 50 & 51 June/December 2008 International Congress of Entomology Durban, South Africa 2008 Participants in the ICE 2008 Phytophaga Symposium “Biology of Chrysomelidae”. 1st row: Hugh D.C. Heron, Michael Schmitt; Beth Grobbelaar; Pierre Jolivet; Andrew Moldenke; 2nd row: Eric H. Smith; David Furth; Gunter Maywald; 3rd row: Karoly Vig; Eduard Petitpierre; Thomas Wagner; Gaylord Desurmont. Missing are Tyler Eaton, Jürgen Gross and Duane McKenna. (photo by Karoly Vig) Article on pg 3 Research Activities & Interests Monika Hilker (Germany) is studying tritrophic Hispini, Clamisinae, etc. She wishes to contact collabora- interactions between Chrysomelidae, host plants, and tors who want to work with Brazilian Chrysomelidae and parasitoids. can help identify this material. Chi-Feng Lee (Taiwan) plans to publish a series of Laura Rocha Prado (Brazil) has been fascinated with books, with each issue introducing 100 species of leaf the Systematics & Evolution of Arthropods since school. beetles of Taiwan. He is interested in all chrysomelid Her main undergraduate research focused on Leguminosae, groups related to the fauna of Taiwan and is willing to and was excellent for learning systematic methods. Her next identify chrysomelids from this country. project (M.A., Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Adelita Maria Linzmeier (Brazil) is currently Paulo) is titled, “Taxonomy and cladistic analysis of involved in a faunistic study of Chrysomelidae in State of Cochabamba Bechyné (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae)” and Parana, South of Brazil. In her master’s project she studied focuses on a genus with 10 described species, included in the Alticini fauna trapped with Malaise traps in five areas, the Diabroticites group of the so-called “problematic three in different successional stages. She is now develop- subfamily” Galerucinae. She wants to borrow Diabrotica ing her Ph.D. thesis with Chrysomelidae that were malaise- specimens from Cochabamba (D. virgifera, D. signifera, D. trapped in the eight municipalities of Parana. In both fucata), Aulacophora and Luperus for this study. studies Alticini was the most collected group. However, Don Weber (USA) studies economically-important there are many species of Alticini and other groups that chrysomelids such as Colorado beetle, its related species, need to be identified, like Eumolpinae, Cryptocephalinae, Acalymma, Diabrotica, and their natural enemies. Inside This Issue The Editor’s Page 2- Editor’s page; In Memoriam 3- ICE Congress: ‘Biology of Chrysomelidae’ Happy New Year! 4- Collecting chrysomelids at night This issue of Chrysomela is late! There were too few 6- William Hunter’s collection, Glasgow submissions for a June issue, then several articles 7- In Memoriam were sent in late November and into January 2009. There- 8- German beetle meeting; US chrysomelid lunch 2007 fore, I have merged the two 2008 issues for this fat one. 9- Cycloalexy in Phyllocaris undulata I hope there will be enough submissions in the future 10- US chrysomelid workers lunch, 2008 to maintain two issues of our old (issue 50-51!!) and 11- Brazil chrysomelids visit the USNM valuable newsletter. The present issue is a true reflection of 12-South African National Collection the diversity of scientists and science working in 13-South African tortoisebeetle behavior Chrysomelidae. 14-Timarcha predator My first year as a new professor has been exciting, 16-Central European chrysomelid faunistics getting my lab furnished and organized. Now, I am review- 17-New Chrysomelid series ing applications from potential Ph.D. students. I hope 18- In Memoriam those accepted to my lab will become productive chry- 19- New chrysomelid literature somelid specialists! 23- Members’ emails - Caroline S. Chaboo 26- CHRYSOMELA questionnaire & Submissions In Memoriam Nicole Berti We shall never see Nicole Berti again. Our colleague, competence. She demonstrated an extreme rigor in analyz- in charge of the leaf-beetles, among other Coleoptera, at ing the items we were discussing, as well as severe the Paris Laboratoire d’Entomologie du Muséum d’Histoire exigency sometimes in selecting conclusions. Her Naturelle, Paris, France, left us on July 4th 2008, after a long disponsibility was beyond no limits, she never showed any period of illness. Those who have met her occasionally sign of impatience and could spend a whole morning or and those who worked regularly with her know she was a afternoon discussing systematics. very friendly but discrete person, who leaves us with many Her human qualities paralleled the consciousness she big and small pleasant memories. showed in her work, being open to all subjects, always with In 1975, Nicole Berti directed my doctoral studies at courtesy and affability. Her permanent good temper made the Laboratoire d’Entomologie, France. It was the begin- very easy the relationships with any interlocutor, she ning of a very long collaboration between us, lasting 33 seemed unable to manifest the least sign of irritation. In all years. The subject of my diploma was a revision of the circumstances, she managed to keep for herself everything genus Oreina. We both never suspected it would not be that could have made her interlocutor uneasy. Her internal- achieved until 2008. During all these years, I met with ization of her feelings was very strong as she silently Nicole Berti several times a week initially, then several suffered the death of her parents. On the other hand, she times a year later; she remained my “boss” to exchange could be ready at any moment to listen to other people’s ideas and opinions. In spite of our frequent meetings, problems or sufferings, and to find the proper words of which progressively became friendlier, and as strange as it comfort. I thus realised several years ago, when I lost my may appear, I know very little of Nicole Berti. I realise how wife, that we were not mere colleagues, but had indeed much her modesty and discretion impeded knowledge become friends a long time ago, without telling each other. beyond the outlines of a biography. Having little to Nicole Berti was esteemed by everybody I know who express about her professional activities or her private life, met her. Her disappearance will leave a big gap. A very I would nevertheless like to pay deserved homage to such sympathetic lady went away on her tiptoes, lonesome, with an esteemed person, whose disappearance saddens me her usual discretion. Adieu, Mademoiselle Berti. very deeply. Over the years, I came to appreciate Mme. Berti’s - Christian Bontems (France) The Newsletter CHRYSOMELA-Founded 1979-is published semiannully, usually in June and December. It is hosted by the Division of Entomology, 1501 Crestline Drive, Suite 140, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA, 66049-2811. E-mail: [email protected]. This newsletter is sent to students of Chrysomelidae to encourage the exchange of ideas and to disseminate information on these insects. Editor: Caroline S. Chaboo, Kansas. Advisors: David Furth, Washington; Vivian Flinte, Rio de Janeiro; R. Wills Flowers, Tallahassee; Elizabeth Grobbelaar, Pretoria; Pierre Jolivet, Paris; Alex Konstantinov, Washington; Michael Schmitt, Bonn; and Terry N. Seeno, Sacramento. 2 CHRYSOMELA 50 & 51, 2008 7th International Symposium on the Chrysomelidae 9 July 2008, Durban, South Africa Michael Schmitt (Germany) The organisers of the 23rd International Congress of Monrós (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Donaciinae)” Entomology, held at Durban (South Africa) 6-12 July, 2008, Károly Vig (Szombathely, Hungary, fig. 6), “Data on the made it possible to place our leaf beetle symposium within distribution, life-history and morphology of immature the frame of this great stages of Eupales congress. Thus we had ulema (Coleoptera: a small but fine meeting Chrysomelidae: of ten speakers and Eumolpinae)” only a few additional Tylor Eaton listeners on (Griffin, GA, USA, fig. Wednesday, July 9, in 7, with S. Kristine the huge assembly hall Braman and Tracie 2 (fig. 2) of the Durban 1 Jenkins) “Elucidation International of the phylogenetic Convention Centre (fig. relationships and host- 1). It was a quite specificity of an unusual sensation to oligophagous flea talk to less than 20 beetle (Coleoptera: people in a hall with Chrysomelidae: more than 2500 seats. Galerucinae)” 4 Anyway, our 3 Gaylord symposium – co- Desurmont (Ithaca, NY, organised by Beth USA, fig. 8, with Paul Grobbelaar (fig. 12) and Weston) “Aggregative myself – offered a oviposition of variety of topics, and viburnum leaf beetle, our group of 10 Pyrrhalta viburni speakers comprised (Paykull): Mechanisms colleagues from six 5 6 and benefits of an countries. The talks unusual social presented were behavior” David Furth Thomas Wagner (Washington, DC, (Koblenz, Germany, fig. USA, fig. 3) “Flea 9) “Diversity patterns beetle diversity of the of African Galerucinae Sierra Tarahumara, (Chrysomelidae)” Copper Canyon, 7 8 Michael Schmitt Mexico Fig. 1. Durban International Convention Centre. Fig. 2. The Assembly Hall. (Bonn, Germany, with Fig. 3. David Furth. Fig. 4. Pierre Jolivet. 5. Jürgen Gross. Fig. 6. Karoly (Chrysomelidae: Vig. Fig. 7. Tyler Eaton. Fig. 8. Gaylord Desurmont. Uta Heidenreich) Alticinae)” “Extraocular Pierre Jolivet photoreceptors and (Paris, France, fig. 4, with Krishna K. Verma, Borsi, Durg, frontal grooves in Criocerinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae” India) “Biogeography and biology of the New Caledonian Eduard Petitpierre (Palma de Mallorca, Spain, fig.