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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Disonycha scriptipennis
Disonycha scriptipennis

-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 scriptipennis


Disonycha scriptipennis, commonly is a species within the family Chrysomelidae. The body is generally shiny and black, adorned with distinctive white markings. Disonycha scriptipennis can jump significant distances when threatened, a behaviour that helps it evade predators. They are particularly known to feed on members of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) but may also target other broadleaf plants.

Diet

  • Adults: Feed on leaves and tender plant tissues, producing the small feeding holes characteristic of flea beetles.

  • Larvae: Feed on plant tissues, although the detailed larval biology and host-plant associations of D. scriptipennis are not well documented.

  • As with other Disonycha, it is likely to have a relatively specific association with one or more host plants.

Range

  • Disonycha scriptipennis is a Neotropical flea beetle with a substantial distribution in Mexico.

  • Mexican records include Chiapas, Colima, Durango, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Sinaloa and Yucatán.

Habitat

  • Associated with tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland edges, secondary vegetation, agricultural areas and other habitats with suitable host plants.

  • Adults occur on living foliage, where their coloration provides some camouflage.

  • The larval habitat is less well documented.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in).

  • Body compact and oval, with enlarged hind legs characteristic of flea beetles (Alticini).

  • The photographed specimens have a reddish head and pronotum with pale cream/yellow elytra crossed by dark longitudinal and transverse markings.

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