Morphology of juvenile stages of Kuschelina bergi (Harold) with biological information (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Alticini)

By

Cabrera, Nora
Sosa, Alejandro
Telesnicki, Marta
Julien, Mic

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

561

Pages

51-61

Subjects

Alticini , Argentina , Biological control , flea beetle , Galerucinae , Phyla

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.561.5950

 

Abstract

Kuschelina bergi (Harold, 1881) is being studied to be evaluated as a natural enemy of Phyla nodiflora var. minor (Hook.) N. O’Leary & Múlgura (Verbenaceae), an invasive weed in Australia. Eggs, and 1st and 3rd instar larvae are described and illustrated for the first time. The following characters distinguish Kuschelina bergi: presence of two medial setae in prosternum, mesosternum and metasternum, absence of tubercle on sternum I and eight setae in abdominal segment IX. The 3rd instar larvae of K. bergi resemble Kuschelina gibbitarsa (Say) larvae: the body shape and details of mouthparts are similar, but the morphology of the mandible is different, as is the tarsungulus which has a single seta. Differences between K. bergi and other known larvae of Oedionychina are discussed. New biological data based on laboratory rearing and field observation are also presented and discussed.