Chalepini is a tribe of leaf beetles within the Cassidinae of Chrysomelidae. It comprises at least 50 and approximately 830 described . Members of this tribe are primarily distributed in the Neotropical region, with some species established in North America. The tribe includes economically significant species that feed on various plants.
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Distribution
Primarily Neotropical; at least one (Pentispa sallaei) has been established in Florida, USA.
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Taxonomic history
The tribe was established by Weise in 1910. It is classified within the Cassidinae, which was formerly treated as the separate Hispidae (tortoise beetles and hispines).
Notable genera
The tribe includes diverse such as Chalepus (established by Thunberg in 1805), Odontota, Microrhopala, Octotoma, and Uroplata, among at least 50 recognized genera.