Jumping-beetles
Guides
Altica
Metallic Flea Beetles
Altica is a large genus of flea beetles comprising approximately 300 species distributed nearly worldwide. The genus name derives from Greek 'haltikós' meaning 'jumper,' referring to the adult beetles' ability to jump when disturbed. Species are small, metallic blue-green to bronze beetles that are morphologically similar and often distinguished only by male genitalia. Both larvae and adults are phytophagous, with most species showing strong host plant specificity. The genus is best represented in the Neotropical realm, with significant diversity in the Nearctic and Palearctic regions.
Alticini
Flea Beetles
Alticini is a hyperdiverse tribe of leaf beetles commonly known as flea beetles, comprising approximately 9,900 species worldwide. Members are characterized by an exceptional jumping ability powered by a specialized elastic energy storage mechanism in the hind legs. Most species feed on leaf surfaces of host plants and occur across diverse habitats from tropical rainforests to high-altitude meadows and deserts. The tribe has been historically treated as a subfamily but is now classified within Galerucinae.
Crepidodera
Studded Flea Beetles
Crepidodera is a genus of flea beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, comprising approximately 40 described species worldwide. Members are commonly known as Studded Flea Beetles. They belong to the tribe Alticini and possess the enlarged hind femora characteristic of flea beetles, enabling their distinctive jumping behavior. The genus occurs across the Holarctic region, with species documented in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Kuschelina
Kuschelina is a genus of flea beetles (family Chrysomelidae) established by J. Bechyné in 1951. The genus comprises approximately 20–30 described species distributed across the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. These beetles are part of the diverse flea beetle lineage, characterized by their enlarged hind femora adapted for jumping.
Nycteus
Nycteus is a genus of beetles in the family Eucinetidae, established by Latreille in 1829. Members of this genus are small, obscure beetles associated with moist, decaying organic matter. The family Eucinetidae is a small, specialized group within the superfamily Scirtoidea, containing fewer than 50 described species worldwide. Nycteus species are rarely encountered and poorly documented in the scientific literature.