''Platyphora'' is a genus of broad-shouldered leaf
beetles belonging to 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 ...
.
These tropical insects usually have bright warning coloration (
aposematism
Aposematism is the advertising by an animal to potential predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defences which make the prey difficult to kill and eat, such as toxicity, venom, foul taste or ...
) and a chemical protection against predators. The toxins are secondary metabolites collected from the host plants they eat, mainly
Boraginaceae,
Asteraceae,
Asclepiadaceae
The Asclepiadoideae are a subfamily of plants in the family Apocynaceae. Formerly, they were treated as a separate family under the name Asclepiadaceae, e.g. by APG II, and known as the milkweed family.
They form a group of perennial herbs, twin ...
,
Convolvulaceae,
Solanaceae
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orn ...
and
Apocynaceae.
Selected species
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
References
* Olckers, T. Biology and physiological host range of four species of Platyphora Gistel (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) associated with Solanum mauritianum Scop. (Solanaceae) in South America / The Coleopterists Bulletin
Discover LifeNCBIUniversal Biological Indexer
Chrysomelinae
Chrysomelidae genera
Taxa named by Johannes von Nepomuk Franz Xaver Gistel
{{Chrysomelinae-stub