''Macroplea pubipennis'' is a species of leaf beetle of the subfamily Donaciinae that is endemic to Finland.

Description

The species are in length and are

straw Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...

-coloured. They also have long legs and antennae. The only differences between this species and ''

Macroplea mutica ''Macroplea mutica'' is a species of leaf beetles of the subfamily Donaciinae. It considered to be a Palearctic species, but can be found in Central Europe and Turkey. Discovery The species were first discovered by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1 ...

'' is the shape of the elytral apex and male genitalia. They are underwater species, and live at depths of .Description, distribution, and ecology

Distribution

The species could be found in the Baltic sea and from

Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland ( fi, Suomenlahti; et, Soome laht; rus, Фи́нский зали́в, r=Finskiy zaliv, p=ˈfʲinskʲɪj zɐˈlʲif; sv, Finska viken) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and E ...

to the Bothnian Bay. So far, only two places where the species were found are known: Gulf of Finland and

Archipelago Sea The Archipelago Sea ( fi, Saaristomeri, sv, Skärgårdshavet) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters. By some definitions it contains the largest ar ...

. Outside of Finland the species aren't common.

Ecology

The species usually feed on

aquatic plant Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater). They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that ...

s, such as '' Myriophyllum'', ''

Potamogeton ''Potamogeton'' is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed (''Elodea canadensis'' ...

'' and '' Zannichellia''.

Threat level and its factors

The species are considered to be under VU status in Finland and is currently under protection of Nature Conservation Decree. They are threatened due to the construction and dredging, disturbances that are caused by boats. Also, by invasion of reeds that are unwelcome to such species, they are losing their taste for vegetation.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q145795 Beetles described in 1875 Beetles of Europe Endemic fauna of Finland Donaciinae