Chalcosicya Explained

Chalcosicya is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is mainly known from the West Indies, though one species is found in southern Mexico. It has recently been thought to be a sister genus to the Mediterranean Colaspidea, with Colaspina as a sister genus to the former two combined.[1]

The genus was first erected by the American entomologist Doris Holmes Blake in 1930 for a single new species from Cuba. In subsequent publications by Blake, she described more than 20 additional species of the genus from various islands in the West Indies. In 2012, a species of Chalcosicya was described from southern Mexico by R. Wills Flowers, expanding the range of the genus to the mainland of North America.[1]

Beetles in the genus are small in size (less than 4 mm) and have a robust, ovate body. They have a black, dark bronze, green or blue color, and are covered in scale-like hairs or setae.[1]

Species

Synonyms:

Notes and References

  1. Flowers. R. Wills. 2012. Chalcosicya maya n. sp, a new Mexican species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) and its implications for morphology and biogeography. Insecta Mundi. 209. 1–9. 2018-12-21. 2018-12-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20181221182446/http://journals.fcla.edu/mundi/article/download/0209/74464. dead.
  2. Blake. D. H.. 1951. A revision of the beetles of the genus Chalcosicya Blake (Chrysomelidae) from the West Indies. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 106. 7. 287–317.
  3. Blake. D. H.. 1958. July 29, 1960. Some New West Indian Eumolpid Beetles. Psyche. 65. 4. 91–98. 10.1155/1958/64819. free.
  4. Blake. D. H.. 1965. Twelve new species of chrysomelid beetles from the West Indies (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). American Museum Novitates. 2217. 1–13. 2246/3315.
  5. Blake. D. H.. 1938. Eight new species of West Indian Chrysomelidae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 40. 2. 44–52.
  6. Blake. D. H.. 1966. Ten new chrysomelid beetles form the West Indies and Key West. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 68. 3. 213–222.
  7. Blake. D. H.. 1971. Fifteen new West Indian chrysomelid beetles. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 73. 3. 269–282.