Chaetocnema brunnescens
Horn, 1889
Buttonwood Flea Beetle
Chaetocnema brunnescens, commonly known as the buttonwood flea beetle, is a small flea beetle in the Chrysomelidae. The species was described by George Henry Horn in 1889. It is distributed across the Caribbean Sea region and North America. As a member of the Alticinae, it possesses the enlarged hind characteristic of flea beetles that enable jumping locomotion.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Chaetocnema brunnescens: /kɪˈtɒknɛmə brʊˈnɛskɛnz/
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Distribution
Caribbean Sea and North America
Host Associations
- Conocarpus erectus - feeds on: buttonwood; inferred from common name 'buttonwood flea beetle'
More Details
Taxonomic history
The was first described by George Henry Horn in 1889. The specific epithet 'brunnescens' refers to the brownish coloration typical of many Chaetocnema species.
Host plant inference
The 'buttonwood flea beetle' strongly suggests an association with buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), a coastal tree native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. However, direct documentation of this relationship in the provided sources is lacking.