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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Pigweed Flea Beetle
Disonycha glabrata

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Beetles (Order Coleoptera​​)

-​Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf, and Snout Beetles (Suborder Polyphaga)

-​Cucujiform Beetles (Infraorder Cucujiformia)

-Leaf Beetles and Allies (Superfamily Chrysomeloidea)

-Leaf Beetles (Family Chrysomelidae)​​

-Skeletonizing Leaf and Flea Beetles (Subfamily Galerucinae)

-Flea Beetles (Tribe Alticini)

-Subtribe Disonychina

-Genus Disonycha

-Disonycha glabrata


The Pigweed Flea Beetle has a red and black head. The red, shield-like pronotum has a black dot in the center, or three black dots, depending on the individual. The black elytra (wing coverings) have four yellow lines on them; two on the left connect at the bottom, just like the two on the right. Antennae are black, and legs are red and black. This species feeds on types of plants in the amaranth family.

Diet

  • Adults: Feed on leaves and tender plant tissues, producing the small, round "shot holes" typical of flea beetle feeding.

  • Larvae: Feed on plant tissues, with larval feeding habits and host-plant associations less well documented for this species.

  • Members of Disonycha often show strong associations with particular host plants.

Range

  • Disonycha glabrata is a Neotropical flea beetle occurring in Mexico and Central America.

  • In Mexico, it is associated with tropical and subtropical regions, including the Pacific slope and Guerrero.

  • Its distribution is less widespread than that of some North American Disonycha species.

Habitat

  • Found in tropical dry forests, tropical deciduous forests, woodland edges, secondary vegetation, riparian areas, and disturbed habitats.

  • Adults are generally encountered on herbaceous vegetation and foliage.

  • Larval habitat is poorly documented.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in).

  • Body compact and oval, often smooth and relatively shiny, with enlarged hind legs adapted for jumping.

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