''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky in 1860.

Description

''Paropsisterna'' are beetles 3-17 mm long with bodies semicircular to elongate-ovate and moderately to strongly convex. The frontoclypeal suture is rounded or V-shaped, and lacks lateral ridges. The apical maxillary palpomere is strongly expanded from base to truncate apex. The pronotum is broadest at its base. The procoxal cavity is open with a gap at least half the width of the procoxa. The mid and hind

tibiae The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...

have at least one sharp external longitudinal keel. The tarsal claws are usually acutely toothed, rarely simple. Some species are very colourful, but their colours may fade after death.

Diet

This genus of beetles feeds on plants in family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...

, including '' Acmena'', '' Agonis'', ''

Angophora ''Angophora'' is a genus of nine species of trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Endemic to eastern Australia, they differ from other eucalypts in having juvenile and adult leaves arranged in opposite pairs, sepals reduced to projec ...

'', ''

Baeckea ''Baeckea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, all but one endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus ''Baeckea'' are shrubs or small trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, white to deep pink flowers with five s ...

'', ''

Callistemon ''Callistemon'' is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, first described as a genus in 1814. The entire genus is endemic to Australia but widely cultivated in many other regions and naturalised in scattered locations. Their status as a se ...

'', ''Darwinia'', '' Eucalyptus'', '' Kunzea'', ''

Leptospermum ''Leptospermum'' is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae commonly known as tea trees, although this name is sometimes also used for some species of ''Melaleuca''. Most species are endemic to Australia, with the greate ...

'' and ''

Melaleuca ''Melaleuca'' () is a genus of nearly 300 species of plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, commonly known as paperbarks, honey-myrtles or tea-trees (although the last name is also applied to species of '' Leptospermum''). They range in size ...

''. There are also records from ''

Acacia ''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus na ...

'' (which is in family

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

), but these are likely to be erroneous or related to casual collecting.

Notable species

* ''

Paropsisterna agricola ''Paropsisterna agricola'' or southern eucalyptus leaf beetle, is a small hemispherical leaf beetle. They can vary from golden to grey. They have some black markings on the pronotum The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the ...

'' a pest on '' Eucalyptus globulus'', '' E. delegatensis'' and '' E. dalrympleana'' *''

Paropsisterna bimaculata ''Paropsisterna bimaculata'' is a beetle commonly called a leaf beetle in the subfamily Chrysomelinae The Chrysomelinae are a subfamily of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), commonly known as broad-bodied leaf beetles or broad-shouldered leaf beet ...

'' a pest on '' Eucalyptus regnans'', '' E. obliqua'' and '' E. delegatensis'' * '' Paropsisterna m-fuscum'' a pest on '' Eucalyptus globulus'' * '' Paropsisterna obovata'' a pest on '' Eucalyptus'' in South Australia * '' Paropsisterna selmani'' a pest on '' Eucalyptus'' in Tasmania, introduced to the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. * ''

Paropsisterna tigrina ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' proposed as a biological control agent of the invasive Australian Paperbark Tree '' Melaleuca quinquenervia'' in Florida. * '' Paropsisterna variicollis'' a pest on '' Eucalyptus globulus''

List of species

As of 2006, ''Pariosisterna'' includes the species that were once in genera ''Niliosoma'' Motschulsky, ''Sterromela'' Weise, ''Chrysophtharta'' Weise and ''Xanthogramma'' Weise (note the last of these is also a junior homonym of ''Xanthogramma'' Schiner, an invalid but available name). *'' Paropsisterna aequalis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna albicans ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna ambigua ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' Daccordi, 2003 *'' Paropsisterna amica'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna amoena'' (Clark, 1865) *'' Paropsisterna angustipes'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna annularis'' (Blackburn, 1899) *'' Paropsisterna anomala'' (Blackburn, 1901) *'' Paropsisterna atalanta'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna aurea'' (Blackburn, 1899) *'' Paropsisterna basalis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna beata ''Paropsisterna beata'', commonly known as the blessed leaf beetle, is a species of leaf beetle. It occurs in all states of Australia except Tasmania. Description ''Paropsisterna beata'' is a mostly black beetle except for an orange head, orang ...

'' (Newman, 1842) *''

'' (Olivier, 1807) *'' Paropsisterna brunnea'' (Marsham, 1808) *'' Paropsisterna captiosa'' (Clark, 1866) *'' Paropsisterna cassidoides'' (Boisduval, 1835) *''

Paropsisterna cernua ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna chlorotica'' (Olivier, 1807) *'' Paropsisterna citrina'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna cloelia ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Stål, 1860) *'' Paropsisterna coccineipennis'' (Weise, 1916) *''

Paropsisterna complexa ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna conferta'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna conjugata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna crocata'' (Boisduval, 1835) *'' Paropsisterna debilis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna decolorata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna defecta'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna deflorata ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna delmastroi ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' Daccordi, 2003 *'' Paropsisterna detrita'' (Fabricius, 1775) *'' Paropsisterna difficilis'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna dulcior'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna elliptica'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna erudita'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna fastidiosa'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna flaveola'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna flavolimbata'' Daccordi, 2003 *'' Paropsisterna fulvoguttata'' (Baly, 1866) *''

Paropsisterna fuscula ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna galatea ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna gemina'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna geniculata'' (Boisduval, 1835) *'' Paropsisterna giachinoi'' Daccordi, 2003 *'' Paropsisterna gloriosa'' (Blackburn, 1899) *'' Paropsisterna hackeri'' Daccordi, 2003 *'' Paropsisterna hectica'' (Boisduval, 1835) *'' Paropsisterna incerta'' (Chapuis, 1877) *''

Paropsisterna inconstans ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Blackburn, 1899) *'' Paropsisterna insignita'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna inspersa'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna intacta'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna interlita'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna interrupta'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna interstitialis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna intertincta'' (Clark, 1865) *'' Paropsisterna io'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna irina'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna irrisa'' (Newman, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna jawoyna'' Daccordi, 2003 *'' Paropsisterna laesa'' (Germar, 1848) *'' Paropsisterna lignea'' (Erichson, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna lineata'' (Marsham, 1808) *'' Paropsisterna liturata'' (Marsham, 1808) *'' Paropsisterna m-fuscum'' (Boheman, 1859) *''

Paropsisterna maculicollis ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' (Clark, 1865) *'' Paropsisterna madida'' (Blackburn, 1898) *''

Paropsisterna mentitrix ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna mera'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna minerva'' (Blackburn, 1899) *'' Paropsisterna morio'' (Fabricius, 1787) *'' Paropsisterna nigerrima'' (Germar, 1848) *'' Paropsisterna nigrita'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna nigrostillata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna nigrovittata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna nobilitata'' (Erichson, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna notabilis'' (Blackburn, 1896) *'' Paropsisterna nucea'' (Erichson, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna nupta'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna obliterata'' (Erichson, 1842) *'' Paropsisterna obovata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna octolineata'' (Gory, 1833) *'' Paropsisterna octomaculata'' (Marsham, 1808) *''

Paropsisterna octosignata ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Stål, 1860) *'' Paropsisterna opaciceps'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna pachyta'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna pallida'' (Olivier, 1807) *'' Paropsisterna philomela'' (Blackburn, 1901) *''

Paropsisterna pictipes ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna pluvialis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna polyglypta'' (Germar, 1848) *'' Paropsisterna polyxo'' (Blackburn, 1901) *''

Paropsisterna proxima ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on '' Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschul ...

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna pulverulenta'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna purpureoaurea'' (Clark, 1865) *'' Paropsisterna purpureoviridis'' Clark, 1864 *'' Paropsisterna raucicollis'' (Blackburn, 1899) *''

Paropsisterna remota ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Germar, 1848) *'' Paropsisterna rufescens'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna rufipes'' (Fabricius, 1801) *'' Paropsisterna rufobrunnea'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna selmani'' Reid & de Little, 2013 *''

Paropsisterna semifumata ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Blackburn, 1901) *'' Paropsisterna seminigripes'' (Lea, 1924) *'' Paropsisterna semivittata'' (Blackburn, 1898) *''

Paropsisterna sexpustulata ''Paropsisterna'' is a genus of leaf beetles indigenous to Papua New Guinea and Australia. There are over 120 species, many with bright aposematic colours, and many feeding on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves. The genus was described by Victor Motschulsky i ...

'' (Marsham, 1808) *'' Paropsisterna simsoni'' (Blackburn, 1899) *'' Paropsisterna spadicea'' Weise, 1916 *'' Paropsisterna stictica'' (Marsham, 1808) *'' Paropsisterna stygia'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna subcincta'' (Blackburn, 1898) *'' Paropsisterna subcostata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna suspiciosa'' (Baly, 1866) *'' Paropsisterna tenebrosa'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna tenella'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna tessellata'' (Clark, 1865) *'' Paropsisterna testacea'' (Olivier, 1807) *''

'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna trimaculata'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna variabilis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna variicollis'' (Chapuis, 1877) *'' Paropsisterna vittata'' (Blackburn, 1899)

Gallery

Paropsisterna crocata Coldstream4.JPG, '' Paropsisterna crocata'' Paropsisterna decolorata59.jpg, '' Paropsisterna decolorata'' Paropsisterna erudita Brisbane RangesNP2.jpg, '' Paropsisterna erudita'' Paropsisterna intcta Frankston1114.JPG, '' Paropsisterna intacta'' Paropsisterna liturataBlackheath13March16GW.jpg, '' Paropsisterna liturata'' Paropsisterna morio Coldstream-1.jpg, '' Paropsisterna morio'' Paropsisterna nigerrima alternataGisborne.jpg, ''Paropsisterna nigerrima alternata'' Paropsisterna pictipes.jpg, ''

'' Paropsisterna remota BigDDec15.jpg, ''

'' Paropsisterna stygiavittataMtLivingstoneDec15.jpg, ''Paropsisterna stygia trivittata'' Paropsisterna variicollisMoondarra.jpg, '' Paropsisterna variicollis''

References

External links

Image gallery of ''Paropsisterna''
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2533536, from2=Q2430238 Chrysomelidae genera Chrysomelinae Beetles of Australia Taxa named by Victor Motschulsky