''Peltoschema'' is a genus of beetles in the family

Chrysomelidae The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 (and probably at least 50,000) species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle ...

, insects also called leaf beetles. This genus contains about 94 species. Some mimic

ladybird Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...

beetles and others are pests and can cause serious defoliation of their host plants. ''Peltoschema orphana'' (the fireblight beetle) can defoliate and kill populations of

silver wattle Silver wattle is the common name of several plant species: * ''Acacia sclerosperma'' * '' Acacia dealbata'' * '' Acacia lasiocalyx'' * ''Acacia retinodes'' * ''Acacia rivalis ''Acacia rivalis'', commonly known as silver wattle or creek wattle, is ...

. and badly damage '' Acacia mearnsii''. ''Peltoschema'' ''suturalis'' is native to Australia and another pest of ''Acacias.

Taxonomy

The genus was first described by

Edmund Reitter Edmund Reitter (22 October 1845 – 15 March 1920) was an Austrian entomologist, writer and a collector. Biography Edmund Reitter was best known as an expert on the beetles of the Palaearctic. He was an imperial advisor and editor of the ...

in 1880, with the type species being ''Peltoschema filicornis'', by monotypy, and was redescribed in 2001 by Reid and Slipinski. The taxonomic decision for the synonymy of ''Acacicola'' , ''Pyrgoides'', and ''Pyrgo'' is based on Reid and Slipinski's 2001 paper.

Distribution

Beetles of this genus are found in all states and territories of

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 ...

Host plants

Host plants include not only plants in the genera ''

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 ...

'' and '' Daviesia'' in the Fabaceae family, but also plants in the

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 ...

and Apocynaceae families.

Species

* '' Peltoschema amabilis'' * '' Peltoschema anxia'' * '' Peltoschema apicata'' * '' Peltoschema arethusa'' * '' Peltoschema basicollis'' * '' Peltoschema brevifrons'' * '' Peltoschema bunyamontis'' * '' Peltoschema calomeloides'' * ''

Peltoschema caloptera ''Peltoschema'' is a genus of beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, insects also called leaf beetles. This genus contains about 94 species. Some mimic ladybird beetles and others are pests and can cause serious defoliation of their host pla ...

Peltoschema oceanica ''Peltoschema'' is a genus of beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, insects also called leaf beetles. This genus contains about 94 species. Some mimic Coccinellidae, ladybird beetles and others are pests and can cause serious defoliation of ...

References

External links