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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Leptinotarsa tlascalana
Leptinotarsa tlascalana

-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)

-​Subfamily Chrysomelinae

-Tribe Doryphorini

-Subtribe Doryphorina

-Potato Beetles (Genus Leptinotarsa)

-Leptinotarsa tlascalana


Leptinotarsa tlascalana is a species of leaf beetle belonging to the family Chrysomelidae and the genus Leptinotarsa. Like other members of Leptinotarsa, this species probably specializes on plants in the Solanaceae family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes, and nightshades.

Diet

  • Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves of plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), particularly wild Solanum species.

  • Larvae: Feed on the foliage of their host plants, often consuming large portions of the leaves as they develop.

  • The species is associated with wild nightshades rather than being a major pest of cultivated potato.

Range

  • Leptinotarsa tlascalana is a Mexican leaf beetle associated with Solanaceae, particularly wild Solanum species.

  • The species occurs in Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo area.

  • It can occasionally be encountered around Zihuatanejo, particularly where suitable wild nightshades occur.

Habitat

  • Found primarily in high-elevation pine-oak forest, montane woodland, temperate forest and upland scrub.

  • Adults and larvae occur on wild Solanum and other Solanaceae.

  • It is most likely to be encountered in cooler mountainous environments rather than coastal tropical forest.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in).

  • Body broadly oval and strongly convex.

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