''Zygogramma'' is a large
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
leaf beetle
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 ...
s in the subfamily
Chrysomelinae
The Chrysomelinae are a subfamily of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), commonly known as broad-bodied leaf beetles or broad-shouldered leaf beetles. It includes some 3,000 species around the world.
The best-known member is the notorious Colorado po ...
, which includes approximately 100 species. 13 species occur north of Mexico.
Adults and larvae are herbivorous on various host plants. ''
Zygogramma exclamationis'' is a pest species of sunflower crops in North America.
At least two species have also been used as a form of
biological pest control: ''
Zygogramma bicolorata'' was introduced to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
as a biocontrol agent for the weed ''
Parthenium hysterophorus'',
and ''
Zygogramma suturalis'' was introduced to Russia as a control for ''
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
''Ambrosia artemisiifolia'', with the common names common ragweed, annual ragweed, and low ragweed, is a species of the genus '' Ambrosia'' native to regions of the Americas.
Taxonomy
The species name, ''artemisiifolia'', is given because the le ...
'' (common ragweed).
Selected species
*''
Zygogramma arizonica''
Schaeffer, 1906
*''
Zygogramma bicolorata''
Pallister, 1953
*''
Zygogramma conjuncta''
(Rogers, 1856)
*''
Zygogramma continua''
(J. L. LeConte, 1868)
*''
Zygogramma disrupta''
(Rogers, 1856)
*''
Zygogramma estriata''
Schaeffer, 1919
*''
Zygogramma exclamationis''
(Fabricius, 1798)
*''
Zygogramma heterothecae''
Linell, 1896
*''
Zygogramma malvae''
(Stål, 1859)
*''
Zygogramma opifera''
(Stål, 1860)
*''
Zygogramma piceicollis''
(Stål, 1859)
*''
Zygogramma signatipennis''
(Stål, 1859)
*''
Zygogramma suturalis''
(Fabricius, 1775)
*''
Zygogramma tortuosa''
(Rogers, 1856)
References
External links
List of publications for ''Zygogramma'' at the Biodiversity Heritage Library
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2510411
Chrysomelinae
Chrysomelidae genera
Taxa named by Louis Alexandre Auguste Chevrolat