TETRAMEROUS PLANT-BEETLES. 
171 
proportion of the injurious Chrysomelidae, such as the Striped cucum- 
ber-beetle, and the various species of flea-beetles, so injurious to the 
vine, the cucumber, and the Cruciferae, or plants of the cabbage and 
turnip family ; and they furnish a remarkable exception to noxious in- 
sects in general by being usually most injurious in the perfect or beetle 
form. But some of them, like the Cucumber-beetle, ( Diabrotica vittata ,) 
also cause the death of the plants by burrowing into the roots in their 
larva state. Some of the species, like the European Oaleruca calmari- 
ensis, and the little bronze flea-beetle, Haltica lielxines, which is common 
[Fig. 85 .) to Europe and this country, depart from the usual 
habits of the family in devouring the foliage of trees, 
whereas the great majority of Chrysomelidae feed 
1 upon herbaceous plants. The habits of the larvae 
are various, those of Galeruca feeding exposed upon 
the surface of leaves ; those of Diabrotica boring 
Pnp^ B " < rSti37s. T ' do7 iuto r °ots, and those of Haltica sometimes feeding 
sal view— alter Kiiey. U p 0 u roots, but usually mining between the lamime 
of leaves. 
The sub-family is divided into two distinct groups: the Galerucini , 
with the thighs not thickened, and the anterior coxae not separated by 
the prosternum; and the H alticini, having the anterior coxae separated 
by a projection of the sternum, and the hind thighs greatly enlarged, 
which gives them the power of jumping, and from which the name of 
flea-beetles is derived. The following are the principal genera : 
A. Hind thighs not thickened. ( Oalerucini.) 
B. Thorax wider than long ; first joint of antennas shorter than the second and third united ; color 
usually dull brownish, sometimes with black stripes Galeruca. 
B B. Thorax almost square, with rounded corners; first joint of antennae as long as second and 
third united; colors usually yellow and black combined Diabrotica. 
B B B. Thorax usually a little wider than long; second and third joints of antennae about equal ; 
size small ; color brown or metallic black, or blue, and without spots Luperus. 
A A. Hind thighs enlarged for jumping. (Halticini.) 
C. Antennas distant, slightly thickened towards the tip; claws bifid Blepharida. 
C C. Antenna) approximate, filiform, claws simple or dentate. 
D. Last joint of hind tarsi swollen. 
E. Elytra glabrous ; size about medium ; colors various CEdionychis. 
EE. Elytra hairy ; Bize small; color brown Hypolampis. 
D I). Last joint of hind tarsi not inflated. 
F. Elytra irregularly and finely punctured ; size medium or small. 
G. Body oval ; thorax wider than long. x 
IT. Thorax with an impressed transverse line before the base ; color blue-black : 
Graptodera. 
H H. Thorax without impression. 
I. Tarsi of ordinary form. 
K. Second joint of antenn® shorter than the third ; size medium ; colors various : 
Dlsoxycha. 
K K. Second and third joints of antenna) equal ; size small ; color dark metallic ; 
elytra usually with one yellow stripe Orchestris. 
I I. First joint of hind tarsi as long as the others united , size very small ; color 
brownish Loxgitar'sus. 
G G. Body elongate ; thorax about as long as wide; size small; color black, sometimes 
striped with yellow Systena. 
