Systena laevis

Blake, 1935

Systena laevis is a of flea beetle ( Chrysomelidae) native to North America. Flea beetles in the Systena are small leaf beetles characterized by their enlarged hind that enable jumping . The species was described by Blake in 1935. Specific ecological details for S. laevis remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Systena laevis by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.

Systena laevis by (c) Tyler Bishop, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tyler Bishop. Used under a CC-BY license.

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

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Systena laevis: //ˈsɪstɪnə ˈlaɪvɪs//

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Identification

Systena laevis can be distinguished from other flea beetles by characteristics of the Systena: small body size (typically 3–5 mm), enlarged hind adapted for jumping, and with 11 segments. -level identification within Systena requires examination of subtle morphological features such as elytral punctation patterns, coloration, and male genitalia. It may be confused with other small chrysomelids in the tribe Alticini, particularly other Systena species, necessitating reference to original species descriptions or diagnostic keys.

Images

Distribution

North America. Specific range details beyond continental presence are not well documented.

Similar Taxa

Systena blandaBoth are North American Systena of similar size and general appearance. S. blanda (palestriped flea beetle) has documented association with sunflowers and other Asteraceae, and shows distinct pale longitudinal stripes on the . S. laevis lacks these stripes and has different associations.
Other Alticini genera (e.g., Altica, Disonycha)Similar small size, jumping ability, and leaf-feeding habits. Systena typically have more slender body form and different antennal proportions; precise identification requires examination of tarsal segment number and other subtle characters.

More Details

Taxonomic note

The specific epithet 'laevis' (smooth) likely refers to the relatively smooth, less punctate elytral surface compared to , though this interpretation requires verification against the original description.