16 July 1998 PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 100(3), 1998, pp. 484-488

LARVAL MORPHOLOGY OF BLANDA MELSHEIMER (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE: ALTICINAE)

JONG EUN LEE, STEVEN W. LINGAFELTER, AND ALEXANDERS. KONSTANTINOV

(JEL) Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Andong National Univer­ sity, Andong, Kyungbuk 760-749, South Korea; (SWL, ASK) Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, c/o Na­ tinal Museum of Natural History, MRC-168, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A. (email: [email protected]; [email protected]).

Abstract. -The first detailed morphological description and illustrations are presented for the larva of a species of Systena (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), S. blanda (Melsheimer). Compound microscopic examination of the head, antennae, mouthparts, and legs revealed characters typical of other soil dwelling and root feeding alticine genera. Key Words: Systena, Alticinae, Chrysomelidae, larva, morphology, character, system- atic, flea ,

The morphology and biology of many al­ acters of the anal plate. Drake and Harris ticine larvae, particularly those including (1931) provided a slightly larger lateral forest and agricultural pests have been stud­ habitus illustration of the larva but no dis­ ied by many workers, although much more cussion of characters important in identifi­ is known for Old World taxa. Notable cation. Peters and Barton (1969) provided works on Old World taxa include those of a brief description of the larva of Systena Ogloblin and Medvedev (1971), Kimoto frontalis Fabricius but did not provide ad­ and Takizawa (1994) and Steinhausen equate detail to understand unique and (1994) who studied many genera of alticine shared characters of this and related taxa. larvae taxonomically, emphasizing charac­ The purpose of this paper is to provide a ters of the anal plate and chaetotaxy. Other thorough description of the larva of the less expansive taxonomic works on altici­ pale-striped , nes include: Reed (1927); Boving and (Melsheimer). This species is widely dis­ Craighead (1931); Newton (1933); Ander­ tributed, ranging from the northeastern son (1938); Paterson (1943); Dobson United States to California (Chittenden (1960); Yano (1963, 1965); Welch (1972); 1902b). Members of this species are en­ and Lee (1992). countered on a range of agricultural crops, Despite the contributions of these re­ having been reported on onions (Drake and searchers, detailed larval morphology of Harris 1931); beans (Chittenden 1900, l 902a); corn (Chittenden 1900); cotton Systena has heretofore remained unde­ (Bissell 1941); and sugar-beets (Chittenden scribed. Chittenden (1900) provided minute 1902b). illustrations of the larval habitus and anal plate of Systena blanda (Melsheimer) (this METHODS plate also reproduced in Chittenden l 902a) Detailed morphological description and and a brief discussion of diagnostic char- discussion are provided for the larva Sys-

VOLUME 100, NUMBER 3 485

tena blanda. Characters of larval exemplars 6 setae. Ligula stump-like, separated from of S. blanda were examined using a Leica prementum, not extending from between la­ I MZ-APO stereoscope and Leitz Diaplan bial palpi, with 2 pairs of setae and numer­ compound microscope fitted with transmit­ ous minute micro-setae. Labial palp 2-seg­ ted light interference contrast apparati mented. Prementum with 2 pairs of setae (ICT). Stereo and compound microscopic and 1 pair of sensilla; postmentum with 3 illustrations were made using camera luci­ pairs of setae. das. Images were scanned at 600 dpi using Thorax: Pronotum pale brown, weakly a Nikon Scantouch scanner and enhanced sclerotized, with 12 pairs of setae. Meso­ using Adobe Photoshop 3.0 and labelled us­ thoracic spiracles annuliform, situated on ing Macromedia Freehand 5.5. epipleural anterior part; peritreme darker than adjacent cuticle. Legs (Fig. 8) rather DESCRIPTION stout; tibia with 8 setae (5 stout); tarsun­ gulus falciform, moderately curved anteri­ Systena blanda (Melsheimer), 1847 orly, enlarged base with I seta; pulvillus (Figs. 1-8) whitish, bladder-like, as long as tarsungu­ Mature larva.-Body (Fig. 1) yellowish lus. brown, moderately convex, C-shaped, long Abdomen: Typical abdominal segments and slender. All segments elongate, with with three folds. Abdomen with 8 pairs of numerous scattered setae. Head, spiracles spiracles, the peritremes circular. Epipleu­ and anal plate brown; mandible, pronotum, ron and pleuron each with 6 setae. Anal and legs pale brown. plate (Fig. 7) saddle- shaped, with 12 pairs Head: Hypognathous, rounded, slightly of long setae (including 2 pairs of long se­ sclerotized. Epicranial suture rather short, tae on lateral margin of ventral side), I pair endocarina weakly developed. Frontal su­ of medial sensillae, and about 20 additional, ture (Fig. 3) moderately divergent (about shorter setae at margin of apex of anal 40°) and nearly straight. Frons (Fig. 3) with plate. Tenth abdominal segment well devel­ 5 pairs of frontal setae and 1 pair of frontal oped, straight, with ventrally directed py­ sensilla; epistomal suture (Fig. 3) well de­ gopod (Fig. 1). veloped. Antenna (Fig. 2) 2-segmented, Body length: average 5.2 mm (n = 5). segment 1 with a large conical sensory pa­ Head width: average 0.45 mm (n = 5). pilla, 4 setae and 2 sensilla, segment 2 short Material exarnined.-Bard, California, 5 and small, with I long seta and 2 short se­ specimens, V-15-1913, H. Pinkus, collector. tae. Clypeus (Fig. 4) trapezoidal, with 1 Deposited in the National Museum of Nat­ pair of clypeal setae and 1 pair of clypeal ural History, Smithsonian Institution, sensilla; labrum (Fig. 4) with 2 pairs of la­ Washington, DC. bral setae and 1 pair of labral sensilla; epi­ pharynx (Fig. 4) with 6 pairs of epiphar­ DISCUSSION yngeal setae. Mandible (Fig. 6) palmate, Alticine larvae can be categorized into well sclerotized, with 5 distal teeth, 2 man­ three types based on their ecological asso­ dibular setae and I mandibular sensillum, ciation: (1) leaf living including external penicillus well developed with 3 long and feeders and leaf miners; (2) stem borers; straight lobes. Maxilla and labium (Fig. 5): and (3) root feeders (soil dwelling). The Maxillary palp 3-segmented, segments 2 morphology among these types is not al­ and 3 each with 1 seta and I sensillum, seg­ ways distinctive and convergence clearly ment 1 without seta; palpifer with 2 setae; exists when distantly related taxa share the stipes with 2 setae; cardo with 1 seta on same ecological association. Larval char­ outer anterior margin. Galea broad, with 6 acters of external alticine leaf feeders are setae; lacinia with tightly bunched group of similar to many genera of galerucine larvae 486 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

Figs. 1-8. Larva of Systena blanda. 1, Mature larva, lateral view. 2, Antenna, dorsal view. 3, Head, dorsal view. 4, Clypeus, labrum and epipharynx, dorsal view. 5, Lower mouth parts, ventral view. 6, Mandible, buccal view. 7, Anal plate, dorsal view. 8, Left hind leg, dorsal view. Scale line = 1.0 mm (Fig. l); 0.05 mm (Figs. 2-8). Abbreviations: esp = conical sensory papilla; es = epistomal suture; fs = frontal suture; pe = penicillus; pu = pulvillus; py = pygopod; sg# = segment number.

and are characterized by having a well de­ ized by having a flat body form, hind cor­ veloped tubercle, body densely covered ners of epicranium largely produced poste­ with setae, and labial palp 2-segmented. riorly, antenna I-segmented, cardo reduced Leaf mining and stem boring alticines are or fused with stipes, 8th abdominal spiracle similar to hispine larvae and are character- well developed, and labial palp 1-segment- VOLUME 100, NUMBER 3 487 ed and strongly reduced. Some leaf miners LITERATURE CITED and stem borers have 1 pair of terminal Anderson, W. H. 1938. Description of the larvae of spines on the anal plate. Characters of soil Chaetocnema denticulata (Illiger) and Chaetoc­ dwelling alticine larvae are very similar to nema pulicaria Melsheimer (Col., Chrysomeli­ those of external leaf feeders but are easily dae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of distinguished by their very long and slender Washington 40(6): 161-169. Bissell, T. D. 1941. The pale-striped flea beetle. Geor­ body shape. gia Experiment Station Circular No. 130: 1-8. Systena blanda larvae feed on the under­ Hoving, A. G. and F. C. Craighead. 1931. An illus­ ground portions of seedling onions, primar­ trated synopsis of the principal larval forms of the ily on the subterranean leaf sheaths and order Coleoptera. Entomologica Americana 11: 1- rootlets (Drake and Harris 1931). This same 351. Chittenden, F. H. 1900. Some injurious to gar­ feeding behavior probably applies to the den crops: A series of articles dealing with insects other hosts, but has not been documented. of this class. United States Department of Agri­ The larvae expectedly have the character­ culture, Division of Entomology Bulletin No. 23: istic appearance of root-feeding alticine lar­ 1-92. vae. In this respect, they are similar to Chittenden, F. H. l 902a. Some insects injurious to veg­ etable crops: A series of articles dealing with in­ Chaetocnema Stephens, Epitrix Foudras, sects of this class. United States Department of Hermaeophaga Foudras, Longitarsus Bert­ Agriculture, Division of Entomology Bulletin No. hold, Phygasia Dejean, Phyllotreta Chev­ 33: 1-117. rolat, Pseudodera Baly, and Psylliodes Chittenden, F. H. l 902b. The principal ene­ mies of the sugar beet. United States Depart­ Berthold in the long, threadlike body and ment of Agriculture, Progress of the Beet-Sugar soil dwelling habits. Two-segmented anten­ Industry in the United States, Report No. 74: nae likely occur in all these genera based 157-221. on other shared morphology, although the Dobson, R. M. 1960. The immature stages of the flea antenna! morphology for larvae of Phyga­ Psylliodes cuprea (Koch) and Psylliodes chrysocephala (L.) (Col., Chrysomelidae). Ento­ sia, Phyllotreta, Pseudodera, and Psylli­ mologist's Monthly Magazine XCVI: 1-4. odes is unknown. Diagnostic characters of Drake, C. J. and H. M. Harris. 1931. The pale-striped Systena include: segment 2 of antenna with flea beetle, a pest of young seedling onions. Jour­ a long seta and 2 short setae (potentially nal of Economic Entomology 24: 1132-1137. shared with other genera), ligula with nu­ Kimoto, S. and H. Takizawa. 1994. Leaf Beetles (Chrysomelidae) of Japan. Tokai University Press. merous setae anteriorly, mandible with 539 pp. [In Japanese.] long, stiff penicillus, legs with stout setae Lee, J. E. 1992. Larval description of four al ti cine spe­ and anal plate with many setae posteriorly cies of genera Altica and Argopistes from Japan and 2 pairs of long setae on lateral margin (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae). Korean Journal of of ventral side. Entomology 22(4): 287-295. Melsheimer, F. E. 1847. Descriptions of new species of Coleoptera of the United States. Proceedings of ACKNOWLEDGMENTS the Academy of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia 3: 158-181. We thank the Department of Entomolo­ Newton, H. C. F. 1933. On the biology of some species gy, Smithsonian Institution, and Systematic of Longitarsus (Col., Chrysomelidae) living on Entomology Laboratory, ARS, USDA, for ragwort. Bulletin of Entomological Research 24: making available space and equipment to 511-520. Ogloblin, D. A. and L. N. Medvedev. 1971. The Lar­ carry out the research. Thanks to Darlene vae of the Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomeli­ Judd, Allen Norrbom, Michael Pogue, Eric dae) of the European Part of the USSR. Isdatel­ Smith, Charlie Staines, and an anonymous stuo Nauka Opredelitel po Faune SSSR, Lenin­ reviewer for constructive suggestions that grad. 124 pp [In Russian.] improved this manuscript. This project was Paterson, N. F. 1943. Early stages of two species of Halticinae (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae). Journal supported in part by a grant from Andong of the Entomological Society of South Africa 6: National University, Korea. 29-36. 488 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

Peters, D. C. and H. E. Barton. 1969. Systenafrontalis Welch, C. 1972. The biology of Hermaeophaga mer­ larvae in com roots. Journal of Economic Ento­ curialis F. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Entomol­ mology 62(5): 1232-1233. ogist's Gazette 23(3): 153-166. Reed, H. 1927. Some observations on the leaf-mining Yano, T. 1963. Coleopterous leaf-miners of Japan. VI. flea-beetle borealis Chevrolat. Annals of The larvae of Mantura clavareui Heikertinger the Entomological Society of America 20: 540- (Chrysomelidae). Transactions of the Shikoku En­ 549. tomological Society 8(1): 19-22. Steinhausen, W.R. 1994. 116. Family: Chrysomelidae, Yano, T. 1965. Larval stages of the leaf-miners found pp. 231-314. In Klausnitzer, B., ed., Die larven in Shikoku (Coleopterous leaf-miners of Japan). der kiifer Mitteleuropas. Goecke & Evers, B., edi­ Transactions of the Shikoku Entomological Soci­ tion 2, 325 pp. ety 8(4): 115-132.

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