Labidomera suturella
| Tropical milkweed leaf beetle | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Genus: | Labidomera |
| Species: | L. suturella
|
| Binomial name | |
| Labidomera suturella | |
Labidomera suturella, commonly known as the tropical milkweed leaf beetle is a species of beetle from the family Chrysomelidae.[1]
Description
[edit | edit source]L. suturella is a small, rounded beetle with a black head, pronotum, and elytra - the elytra are spotted with orange or yellow patches.
Distribution
[edit | edit source]L. suturella has a native range in Central and Southern America, from Northern Mexico to Brazil.[2]
Lifecycle
[edit | edit source]Adults are active between April and August.[3]
A study has shown that this species exhibits maternal care of larvae; they were observed guarding larvae whilst feeding on Witheringia heteroclita in Costa Rica[1] This was a response to predatory threats, as worker ants of Paraponera clavata were observed carrying larvae to their nest.[1]
Diet
[edit | edit source]As the common name suggests, L. suturella is primarily associated with milkweeds (Asclepias).
References
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