Texas Beetle Information

Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn

Six-spotted Neolema

Neolema sexpunctata (Olivier)

Family Chrysomelidae, Subfamily Criocerinae, Tribe Lemini

Atlanta, Fulton Co., Georgia
June 3, 2005 (Bill DuPree)

State Records for Neolema sexpunctata

State Record Source: (Riley et al, 2003)

Range: Texas, north to Illinois, east to New York, south to Florida (Riley et al, 2003)

Hosts: This species is associated with Commelinaceae, having been recorded from Commelina spp. and Tradescantia sp. (Clark et al, 2004)

Biology: Larvae incorporate host plant chemicals (phytols) into their fecal shields to form an effective chemical defense (Morton & Vencl, 1998).

Similar Species: There are eight species of Neolema north of Mexico (Riley et al, 2003).

Texas Taxa:

Neolema cordata R. White
Neolema dorsalis (Olivier)
Neolema jacobina (Linell)
Neolema ovalis R. White
Neolema quadriguttata R. White
Neolema sexpunctata (Olivier)

Weblinks:

Neolema sexpunctata (Olivier) - Edward G. Riley
Getting the Poop on Beetle Defenses - PennState Agriculture Magazine, Fall/Winter 1997

Biography: Guillaume Antoine Olivier 1756-1814 - University of Nebraska-Lincoln State Museum - Division of Entomology

References:

Arnett, R.H., Jr., M.C. Thomas, P.E. Skelley & J.H. Frank. (editors). 2002. American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL. xiv + 861 pp.

Clark, S.M., D.G. LeDoux, T.N. Seeno, E.G. Riley, A.J. Gilbert & J.M. Sullivan. 2004. Host plants of leaf beetle species occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae, Chrysomelidae exclusive of Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 2, 476 pp.

Green, G. 1939. The biology of Lema sexpunctata Oliv. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 12:128-132.

Kaufmann, D.L. 1967. Notes on the biology of three species of Lema (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with larval descriptions and key to described United States species. Jour. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 40: 361-372.

Mann, J.S. & J.P. Singh. 1979. Female reproductive system and genitalia of genus Lema (Criocerinae: Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera). Entomon. 4(1):89-94.

Morton, T.C. & F.V. Vencl. 1998. Larval Beetles Form a Defense from Recycled Host-Plant Chemicals Discharged as Fecal Wastes. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 24(5): 765-785 .

Olivier, A.G. 1808. Entomologie, ou histoire naturelle des insects, avec leurs caractères génériques et spécifiques, leur description, leur synonymie, et leur figure enluminée. Coléoptères, vol. 6. Paris. pp. 613-1104, 41 pls.

Peterson A. 1951. Larvae of Insects; Part II -- Coleoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, Siphonaptera, Mecoptera, Trichoptera. Edwards Bros., Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich. 416 p.

Riley, E.G., S.M. Clark, & T.N. Seeno. 2003. Catalog of the leaf beetles of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae and Chrysomelidae, excluding Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 1, 290 pp.

Sailsbury, M.B. 1943. The comparative morphology and taxonomy of some larval Criocerinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, 38: 59-74,128-139.