Dibolia

Latreille, 1829

Species Guides

Dibolia borealis(Northern Plantain Flea Beetle)
Dibolia catherinia
Dibolia chelones

Dibolia is a of flea beetles in the Chrysomelidae, first described by Latreille in 1829. The genus contains approximately 30-60 described worldwide, with 13 species recognized in North America north of Mexico. Species in this genus are associated with plants in the genus Plantago (plantains) and related families, with well-documented host specificity patterns. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision, with six species newly described from North America in 1974.

Dibolia by (c) Ryan Donnelly, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ryan Donnelly. Used under a CC-BY license.

Dibolia borealis by (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Even Dankowicz. Used under a CC-BY license.

Dibolia borealis by (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Dibolia: /dɪˈboʊ.li.ə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

Worldwide distribution with records from Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and North America. In North America, the occurs north of Mexico, with specific distributions documented through locality records and distribution maps. One species, Dibolia championi, has been recorded from both the United States and Mexico.

Diet

plants in the Plantago (plantain Plantaginaceae); feeding preferences vary among host . Dibolia borealis has been documented showing differential feeding responses to Plantago rugelii, P. major, and P. lanceolata.

Host Associations

Plantago - plantPrimary ; includes P. rugelii, P. major, P. lanceolata

Behavior

Feeding and oviposition is influenced by plant identity. exhibit measurable feeding preferences among available host plants, but oviposition patterns do not always match feeding preferences. In Dibolia borealis, females fed P. rugelii and P. lanceolata laid fewer than those fed P. major, despite showing feeding preference for P. rugelii.

More Details

Taxonomic history

The North American fauna was revised in 1974, recognizing 13 and describing six as new: D. californica, D. chelones, D. kansana, D. melampyri, D. obscura, and D. penstemonis.