Mantura floridana
Crotch, 1873
Mantura floridana is a of flea beetle in the Chrysomelidae, first described by Crotch in 1873. The species is found in North America, with larvae that are leaf miners feeding on Fallopia scandens. Larvae appear yellow through the leaf due to their leaf-mining habit.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Mantura floridana: //mænˈtʊəɹə flɔːˈɹɪdænə//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Distribution
North America; specifically recorded from Vermont, United States. The name 'floridana' suggests a possible association with Florida, though this is not confirmed in available sources.
Diet
Larvae feed on Fallopia scandens (climbing false buckwheat), a member of the Polygonaceae . ' feeding habits are not documented in available sources.
Host Associations
- Fallopia scandens - larval food plantLarvae are leaf miners on this plant
Life Cycle
Larval stage is a within leaves of Fallopia scandens. Details of , pupal, and stages are not documented in available sources.
Behavior
Larvae are leaf miners, feeding internally within leaf tissue of the plant and appearing yellow through the leaf .
More Details
Leaf mining habit
The larval leaf-mining is distinctive and visible externally as yellow patches on plant leaves. This feeding strategy provides some protection from and desiccation.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
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