Leaf-beetle
Guides
Syneta extorris
Syneta extorris is a leaf beetle species in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Brown in 1940. The species is endemic to eastern North America and comprises two recognized subspecies with distinct geographic distributions and host associations. The nominate subspecies occurs in the southern Appalachian Mountains, while S. e. borealis ranges from Newfoundland to Ontario and New York.
Syneta hamata
Syneta hamata is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It was described by Horn in 1893. The species occurs in western North America, with records from western Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba.
Syneta simplex
Syneta simplex is a leaf beetle species native to North America. The species comprises two recognized subspecies with distinct elevational and host plant preferences. The nominate subspecies S. s. simplex occurs at lower elevations and feeds on Garry oak (Quercus garryana), while S. s. subalpina inhabits subalpine zones near timberline in Washington and British Columbia and feeds on alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). The species belongs to the family Chrysomelidae, a diverse group of herbivorous beetles commonly known as leaf beetles.
Synetinae
Synetinae is a small subfamily of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) containing two genera, Syneta and Thricolema, with approximately 12 described species. The group is restricted to the Holarctic region, with most species occurring in North America and a smaller number in Europe and Asia. The taxonomic status of Synetinae has been disputed: historically treated as a separate subfamily, it was proposed as tribe Synetini within Eumolpinae based on larval similarities, though this placement remains contested due to conflicting morphological evidence.
Synetocephalus
Synetocephalus is a genus of skeletonizing leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, containing approximately 10 described species. The genus was established by Fall in 1910 and is restricted to North America. Species in this genus are small leaf-feeding beetles that skeletonize plant foliage. One species, Synetocephalus penrosei, was described in 2012 from California and named in honor of the coleopterist Richard L. Penrose.
Synetocephalus vandykei
Synetocephalus vandykei is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Blake in 1942. The species is known from North America. As a member of the tribe Alticini (flea beetles), it likely possesses enlarged hind femora adapted for jumping, a characteristic of this group.
Systena bitaeniata
Systena bitaeniata is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, native to North America. The genus Systena includes small leaf beetles commonly associated with various host plants. This species is part of a diverse group of chrysomelid beetles that feed on plant foliage.
Systena collaris
Systena collaris is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Crotch in 1873. The genus Systena contains multiple species of small leaf beetles, several of which are associated with sunflower and other Asteraceae hosts. The specific epithet 'collaris' refers to a collar-like marking or structure. As a member of the flea beetle group, this species likely possesses the enlarged hind femora characteristic of the tribe Alticini, enabling jumping behavior.
Systena corni
Dogwood Systena
Systena corni, commonly known as the dogwood systena, is a flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. The species is found in North America. As a member of the genus Systena, it belongs to a group of small leaf beetles often associated with host plants. Specific ecological details about this species remain limited in published literature.
Systena elongata
elongate flea beetle, Dark-necked Systena
Systena elongata is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in North America, with confirmed records from Manitoba, Canada. The species is also known by the common name "Dark-necked Systena." As a member of the flea beetle tribe Alticini, it possesses the enlarged hind femora characteristic of this group, enabling jumping locomotion.
Systena laevis
Systena laevis is a species of flea beetle (family Chrysomelidae) native to North America. Flea beetles in the genus Systena are small leaf beetles characterized by their enlarged hind femora that enable jumping behavior. The species was described by Blake in 1935. Specific ecological details for S. laevis remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Systena pallicornis
Systena pallicornis is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is native to North America. As a member of the genus Systena, it belongs to a group of small leaf beetles commonly known as flea beetles due to their enlarged hind femora that enable jumping. The species was described by Schaeffer in 1906.
Thricolema
Thricolema is a monotypic genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Synetinae, containing only Thricolema anomala. Adults are associated with Calocedrus decurrens (incense-cedar) and have been recorded from California and Oregon. The genus is distinguished from the similar Syneta by tarsal claw morphology in females.
Timarcha
bloody-nosed beetles
Timarcha is a genus of flightless leaf beetles comprising over 100 species across three subgenera, with a disjunct distribution spanning the Mediterranean region and western North America. The genus exhibits several unusual traits for Chrysomelidae, including complete apterism (winglessness), fused elytra, and archaic genital morphology. All species are uniformly black and herbivorous, with host plant associations concentrated in Rubiaceae and Plumbaginaceae. The most familiar species is T. tenebricosa, commonly known as the bloody-nosed beetle, named for its defensive reflex bleeding behavior.
Timarcha intricata
Intricate Leaf Beetle
Timarcha intricata is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Haldeman in 1853. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada (Alberta and British Columbia) and the United States. The species is commonly known as the Intricate Leaf Beetle. Like other members of the genus Timarcha, it belongs to a group of leaf beetles that are primarily associated with feeding on plant foliage.
Triarius nigroflavus
Triarius nigroflavus is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described in 2001. The species belongs to a genus known for feeding on morning glories and related plants in the family Convolvulaceae. It is recorded from North America.
Triarius trivittatus
Skeletonizing Leaf Beetle
Triarius trivittatus is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is native to North America. The species is characterized by its feeding behavior that produces skeletonized damage on host plant leaves. Very little detailed ecological or behavioral information has been published for this specific species.
Tricholochmaea decora
Pacific willow leaf beetle, gray willow leaf beetle
Tricholochmaea decora is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is commonly known as the Pacific willow leaf beetle or gray willow leaf beetle. The species is native to North America and belongs to a genus of leaf-feeding beetles. Two subspecies are recognized: T. d. decora and T. d. carbo.
Tricholochmaea vaccinii
blueberry leaf beetle
Tricholochmaea vaccinii, commonly known as the blueberry leaf beetle, is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It feeds on blueberry plants (Vaccinium species), causing characteristic skeletonized damage to leaves. The species is native to North America and has been documented in eastern Canadian provinces including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario.
Trirhabda attenuata
skeletonizing leaf beetle
Trirhabda attenuata is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, distributed across North America. The species is one of several in the genus Trirhabda, which are known for their specialized feeding on particular host plants. Like congeners, it exhibits the characteristic skeletonizing feeding pattern of removing leaf tissue between veins. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1824.
Trirhabda bacharidis (Weber, 1801)
groundselbush beetle, groundsel bush leaf beetle
Trirhabda bacharidis is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is highly specialized to feed on Baccharis species (Asteraceae), with both adults and larvae consuming host plant foliage. The species has been documented in Australia, North America, and Southern Asia, and has been studied for its biological control potential.
Trirhabda convergens
Trirhabda convergens is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario) and the United States. The species belongs to a genus known for feeding on leaves in a skeletonizing pattern, consuming tissue between leaf veins while leaving the veins intact.
Trirhabda diducta
skeletonizing leaf beetle
Trirhabda diducta is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by George Henry Horn in 1893. The genus Trirhabda comprises approximately 26 North American species, most of which are associated with goldenrod (Solidago) and related Asteraceae hosts. Like congeners, T. diducta is expected to be a specialist herbivore with larvae that mine leaves and adults that skeletonize foliage. The species occurs across North America, though specific host associations and detailed biology remain poorly documented compared to better-studied relatives such as T. canadensis and T. virgata.
Trirhabda eriodictyonis
yerba santa beetle
Trirhabda eriodictyonis is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is commonly known as the yerba santa beetle, reflecting its association with its host plant. The species is found in North America.
Trirhabda flavolimbata
Coyote Brush Leaf Beetle
Trirhabda flavolimbata, commonly called the coyote brush leaf beetle, is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is restricted to California where it inhabits coastal scrublands and chaparral. Both larvae and adults are metallic green and sequester toxins from their host plants, rendering them unpalatable to predators. The species has a single annual brood with a distinctive life cycle involving extended egg diapause.
Trirhabda geminata
Encelia Leaf Beetle
Trirhabda geminata is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the Encelia leaf beetle. It is a specialist herbivore strongly associated with brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) and related Encelia species in the Asteraceae. The beetle is univoltine, with adults emerging in spring to feed, mate, and oviposit on host foliage. Larvae feed gregariously on leaves, passing through three instars before pupating in soil. The species is notable for accumulating hydroxylated anthraquinones (chrysophanol and chrysazin) through apparent de novo biosynthesis, as these compounds are absent from its host plant and retained rather than excreted.
Trirhabda manisi
Trirhabda manisi is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Hogue in 1971. Like other members of the genus Trirhabda, it is expected to feed on leaves of specific host plants, skeletonizing the tissue between the veins. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its biology and distribution remain poorly documented. It is one of approximately 30 species in the genus Trirhabda, most of which are associated with Asteraceae host plants.
Trirhabda nitidicollis
Rabbitbrush Beetle, Rabbitbrush Leaf Beetle
Trirhabda nitidicollis is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in western North America, where adults feed on rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa). The species is commonly encountered in pinyon-juniper woodland habitats during summer months.
Trirhabda pilosa
Trirhabda pilosa is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, native to North America. The species is a specialist herbivore of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) and has been extensively used in ecological research as a model organism to study plant-to-plant communication and induced plant resistance. Larvae demonstrate consistent behavioral avoidance of leaves exposed to damage cues, making them valuable for rapid bioassays of plant defensive responses.
Trirhabda pubicollis
Trirhabda pubicollis is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Blake in 1951. The species belongs to a genus known for feeding on Asteraceae host plants. It occurs in Central America and North America, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Trirhabda schwarzi
Trirhabda schwarzi is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in North America. The species belongs to a genus whose members are known for feeding on goldenrods (Solidago spp.) and related Asteraceae, though specific host associations for T. schwarzi have not been documented.
Trirhabda sericotrachyla
California sagebrush leaf beetle
Trirhabda sericotrachyla is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Blake in 1931. It is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia and California. The species is associated with California sagebrush (Artemisia californica) as a host plant, reflecting the genus-wide pattern of specialization on Asteraceae. Like other Trirhabda species, adults feed externally on leaves while larvae skeletonize foliage between the veins.
Trirhabda virgata
goldenrod beetle, goldenrod leaf beetle
Trirhabda virgata is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the goldenrod beetle. It is native to North America and specializes on goldenrod plants (Solidago spp.) in the Asteraceae family. The species has been extensively studied for its host plant relationships, density-dependent dispersal behavior, and potential role as a keystone herbivore in old field ecosystems. Adults and larvae feed on goldenrod foliage, with larvae causing significant defoliation during outbreak conditions.
Tymnes oregonensis
Oregon Leaf Beetle
Tymnes oregonensis is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, tribe Alticini. It is native to western North America. The species was originally described by Crotch in 1873 and has been historically treated under the genus Phyllotreta as a synonym. Available records indicate presence in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba, with broader distribution across North America. Like other members of the Alticini, it possesses enlarged hind femora adapted for jumping.
Tymnes tricolor
Tymnes tricolor is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Fabricius in 1792. The species is known from North America. It belongs to the genus Tymnes, which comprises leaf beetles. Beyond these basic taxonomic details, specific information about its biology, ecology, and appearance remains limited in available sources.
Typophorini
Typophorini is a tribe of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae, containing approximately 100 genera distributed worldwide. Members are primarily characterized by distinctive notches on the tibiae of the middle and hind legs, often referred to as antenna cleaners. The tribe also exhibits a subglabrous body surface and bifid pretarsal claws. Taxonomic organization follows five informal sections: Callisinites, Metachromites, Nodostomites, Pagriites, and Typophorites.
Typophorus nigritus
Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle
Typophorus nigritus is a leaf beetle in the subfamily Eumolpinae with a broad distribution spanning North, Central, and South America. Two subspecies, T. n. nitidulus and T. n. viridicyaneus, are documented agricultural pests of sweet potatoes. The species comprises 13 recognized subspecies with varying geographic ranges. It is commonly referred to as the Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle in agricultural contexts.
Urodera
Urodera is a genus of case-bearing leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, established by Lacordaire in 1848. The genus comprises nine described species distributed in the Americas, with most species described by Monros and others by Lacordaire, Jacoby, and Schaeffer. These beetles are characterized by their association with leaf case-bearing behavior, a trait shared with other members of their subfamily.
Xanthonia angulata
Xanthonia angulata is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, measuring 3.5–4 mm in length with uniformly medium brown elytra. The species was described by Staines and Weisman in 2001. Its specific epithet derives from the Latin angulatus, meaning 'with angles'. The beetle occurs in eastern and central North America and has been documented in association with oak trees (Quercus spp.).
Xanthonia decemnotata
ten-spotted leaf beetle
Xanthonia decemnotata is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the ten-spotted leaf beetle. It is native to eastern North America, with a range extending from the Canadian prairies to the northeastern United States. The species is characterized by its reddish-brown elytra marked with ten black spots. It is one of several species in the genus Xanthonia, which are generally associated with leaf-feeding habits on various plants.
Xanthonia dentata
Xanthonia dentata is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Staines and Weisman in 2002. The species is known from the southwestern United States, where it has been collected in association with oak trees. Adults measure 2.8–3.4 mm in length and display distinctive coloration useful for identification.
Xanthonia furcata
Xanthonia furcata is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Staines & Weisman in 2001. The species is found in the southern and eastern United States, with documented records from Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma. It is associated with wild cherry (Prunus spp.) and oaks (Quercus spp.) as host plants. The specific epithet 'furcata' derives from Latin 'furca,' meaning 'fork,' though the morphological feature this refers to is not explicitly described in available sources.
Xanthonia hirsuta
Small Juniper Xanthonian
Xanthonia hirsuta is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described in 2019. It belongs to the genus Xanthonia, which comprises small, often cryptically colored beetles associated with coniferous vegetation. The species epithet 'hirsuta' refers to the hairy or setose body surface. As a member of the Eumolpinae subfamily, it is likely associated with feeding on gymnosperm foliage, though specific host records remain limited.
Xanthonia marquai
Davis Mountains Juniper Xanthonian
Xanthonia marquai is a recently described species of leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae) endemic to the Davis Mountains in western Texas. The species was described in 2019 and is known from a single iNaturalist observation. It is associated with juniper vegetation in montane habitats.
Xanthonia nitida
Black Texas Xanthonian
Xanthonia nitida is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described in 2019. It is known from Texas and is recognized by its dark coloration. As a member of the genus Xanthonia, it belongs to a group of small leaf beetles that are often associated with vegetation in various habitats. The species is relatively recently described and appears to be uncommon, with limited observation records.
Xanthonia parva
Lacey Oak Xanthonia
Xanthonia parva is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described in 2019 from material collected in Texas. It is one of the smallest species in the genus Xanthonia and is associated with Quercus laceyi (Lacey oak). The species was distinguished from congeners based on morphological characters and represents part of ongoing taxonomic revision of North American Eumolpinae.
Xanthonia picturata
Common Texas Oak Xanthonia
Xanthonia picturata is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described in 2019 from Texas. It is one of several recently described species in the genus Xanthonia, a group of small leaf beetles associated with oak trees. The species is relatively well-documented through citizen science observations, with over 100 records on iNaturalist. Its common name reflects its apparent association with oak habitats in Texas.
Xanthonia texana
Xanthonia texana is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Eumolpinae. It was described in 2019 from Texas, representing a relatively recent addition to the genus Xanthonia. The genus comprises small leaf beetles, many of which are associated with specific host plants. As a recently described species, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Xanthonia vagans
Large Juniper Xanthonian
Xanthonia vagans is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is associated with juniper host plants and has a relatively large body size compared to congeners. The species occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Xenochalepus ater
Xenochalepus ater is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in Central America and North America, with records from the United States (Arizona, Texas) and Mexico (Guerrero, Jalisco, Morelos). The species has been recorded feeding on cultivated legumes including soybean (Glycine max) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Adults have also been collected on Robinia species, Rhamnus betulifolia, and Platanus wrightii.