Leptinotarsin
Guides
Leptinotarsa
Potato Beetles
Leptinotarsa is a genus of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) containing approximately 20 described species, with the most notable being Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the Colorado potato beetle. Several species in the genus produce leptinotarsin, a toxin structurally similar to diamphotoxin found in African leaf beetles of the genus Diamphidia. Some Leptinotarsa species serve as hosts for parasitoid ground beetles in the genus Lebia.