Diet

• Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, flowers and tender plant tissues. Host plants vary widely among species and include trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.

• Larvae: Generally feed on roots and other underground plant tissues, although larval feeding habits vary among genera and species.

• Some species can become agricultural pests when adults damage foliage or larvae attack plant roots.

Range

• Eumolpini is a worldwide tribe of leaf beetles, with especially high diversity in tropical and subtropical regions.

• Numerous species occur throughout Mexico, including tropical western Mexico and Guerrero.

• The tribe is well represented in the broader Zihuatanejo region, where tropical vegetation supports a diverse eumolpine fauna.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, woodland, scrub, grasslands, forest edges, agricultural fields, gardens and secondary vegetation.

• Adults are usually found on foliage and flowers, while larvae commonly develop in the soil around plant roots.

• Many species are most active during warm weather and may be encountered on vegetation after rainfall.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 3–15 mm (0.12–0.6 in), depending on species.

• Bodies are generally oval, convex and robust, often with smooth, polished surfaces.

• Many species exhibit striking metallic green, blue, bronze, copper or purple coloration, while others are brown or black.