Erynephala texana
Erynephala texana is a leaf beetle in the Chrysomelidae. The Erynephala belongs to the Galerucinae, which contains many herbivorous beetles commonly known as skeletonizing leaf beetles or flea beetles. This has been documented in the southwestern United States, including Texas, consistent with its specific epithet. The genus is relatively small and poorly studied, with limited published information on its and .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Erynephala texana: //ˌɛrɪˈnɛfələ tɛkˈsɑːnə//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Distribution
Documented in Texas and surrounding southwestern United States. The specific epithet "texana" indicates a geographic association with Texas, though precise range boundaries remain undefined due to limited survey effort.
More Details
Taxonomic Note
The Erynephala is classified in the Galerucinae within Chrysomelidae. It is not to be confused with the Conozoa texana (listed in some sources as occurring in Colorado and Wyoming), which belongs to a different order (Orthoptera) entirely. The Chrysomelidae is one of the largest families of beetles, with over 35,000 described species, many of which are specialized herbivores.
Data Limitations
This has only 22 observations recorded on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff, indicating it is rarely encountered or underreported. No published species-level accounts, fact sheets, or dedicated studies were found in the provided sources. Most available information exists only at the or level.