Camptosomata

Abstract: Summary The male and female reproductive systems, gut and Malpighian tubules, and ventral nerve cord are described and figured for Orsodacne cerasi L. and Syneta betulae F.; the first instar larva of O. lineola is described and figured, and compared with already described larvae of Syneta betulae and other Chrysomelidae. The adhesive setae of the adult tarsi are described for both species and for representatives of Aulacoscelinae, Megascelinae, Megalopodinae, Sagrinae, Eumolpinae, Hispinae and Camptosomata. The mouthparts of adult Orsodacne and Aulacoscelis are described and figured, with consideration of pollen-eating adaptations in the family. It is concluded that Orsodacne is an isolated and primitive type whose nearest existing relative may be Cucujopsis Crowson in Australia, while Syneta may be allied to both Eumolpinae and Galerucinae. A new key to subfamilies of chrysomelid larvae is provided, and a phyletic dendrogram of the family is figured and discussed.

Abstract: Leaf beetle taxa belonging to the Camptosomata use their fecal material to construct cases within which their larvae develop. Despite this intriguing behavior, the fine-scale natural history of very few camptosomates has been determined. Here, we present a highly detailed account of fecal case construction and associated behaviors and life history patterns in Neochlamisus casebearers. This study documents diverse elements of oviposition and egg case construction, larval development and case enlargement, pupal case formation, and adult maturation and emergence. Using an independently derived method, we further document temporal and spatial aspects of larval case architecture. Assays of 10 Neochlamisus taxa in the laboratory are supplemented with field observations in perhaps the single most comprehensive description of case-associated camptosomate biology.

Abstract: Although some species of Cryptocephalinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) have been documented with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for almost 200 years, information on this association is fragmentary. This contribution synthesizes extant literature and analysizes the data for biological patterns. Myrmecophily is more common in the tribe Clytrini than in Cryptocephalini, but not documented for Fulcidacini or the closely-related Lamprosomatinae. Myrmecophilous cryptocephalines (34 species in 14 genera) primarily live among formicine and myrmecines ants as hosts. These two ant lineages are putative sister-groups, with their root-node dated to between 77-90 mya. In the New World tropics, the relatively recent radiation of ants from moist forests to more xeric ecosystems might have propelled the association of cryptocephalines and ant nests. Literature records suggest that the defensive behavioral profile or chemical profile (or both) of these ants has been exploited by cryptocephalines. Another pattern appears to be that specialized natural enemies, especially parasitoid Hymenoptera, exploit cryptocephaline beetles inside the ant nests. With the extant data at hand, based on the minimum age of a fossil larva dated to 45 mya, we can infer that the origin of cryptocephaline myrmecophily could have arisen within the Upper Cretaceous or later. It remains unknown how many times myrmecophily has appeared, or how old is the behavior. This uncertainty is compounded by incongruent hypotheses about the origins of Chrysomelidae and angiosperm-associated lineages of cryptocephalines. Living with ants offers multiple advantages that might have aided the colonization of xeric environments by some cryptocephaline species.