Eucolaspis Explained

Eucolaspis is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae. It is native to New Zealand, where it is a serious pest of apple trees and other fruit crops.^[1] The genus has also been reported from Fiji.^{[2] [3]}

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of the genus is generally considered to be unresolved, as it is ambiguous how many species the genus contains.^[1]

Fifteen species were described from New Zealand by Fabricius (1781), White (1846) and Broun (1880, 1893, 1909). In 1957, Shaw revised the genus, reducing the number of species in New Zealand to five (including two newly described species of his own).^[4] However, later entomologists ignored Shaw's synonymy.^[1] In the same year, two species of the genus were described from Fiji by Bryant and Gressitt.^[2]

In 2015, using morphological and genetic evidence, several researchers proposed instead just three lineages (or putative species) of the genus in the mainland of New Zealand, using the names "Eucolaspis puncticollis", "Eucolaspis picticornis" and "Eucolaspis jucunda".^[1] However, in 2019, Spanish entomologist Jesús Gómez-Zurita analysed the diversity and distribution of the genus, and his observations generally agreed with the conclusions of Shaw's 1957 revision, identifying at least five species of Eucolaspis in New Zealand. In addition, he described a new species, Eucolaspis kotatou, from Te Paki, near Cape Reinga.^[5]

Species

New Zealand species, according to Shaw (1957)^[4] and Gómez-Zurita (2019):^[5]

• Eucolaspis antennata Shaw, 1957
• Eucolaspis brunnea (Fabricius, 1781) (synonyms: E. brevicollis (Broun, 1880); E. ochracea Broun, 1893; E. colorata Broun, 1893; E. vittiger Broun, 1893; E. picticornis Broun, 1893)
• Eucolaspis hudsoni Shaw, 1957
• Eucolaspis jucunda (Broun, 1880) (synonyms: E. subaenea (Broun, 1880); E. mera (Broun, 1880); E. atrocerulea (Broun, 1880))
• Eucolaspis kotatou Gómez-Zurita, 2019
• Eucolaspis pallidipennis (White, 1846) (synonyms: E. puncticollis (Broun, 1880); E. sculpta (Broun, 1880); E. montana Broun, 1893; E. plicatus Broun, 1909)

Fiji species, according to Bryant & Gressitt (1957):^[2]

• Eucolaspis castanea Bryant, 1957
• Eucolaspis saltator Gressitt, 1957

Notes and References

1. Doddala. P.R.C.. Minor. M.A.. Rogers. D.J.. Trewick. S.A.. 2015. Fifteen into Three Does Go: Morphology, Genetics and Genitalia Confirm Taxonomic Inflation of New Zealand Beetles (Chrysomelidae: Eucolaspis). PLOS One. 10. 11. e0143258. 10.1371/journal.pone.0143258. free. 4657921. 26600380. 2015PLoSO..1043258D .
2. Bryant. G. E.. Gressitt. J. L.. 1957. Chrysomelidae of Fiji (Coleoptera). Pacific Science. 11. 1. 2–91. 10125/8611.
3. Web site: Neal L.. Evenhuis. 2013. Fiji Coleoptera Checklist. hbs.bishopmuseum.org. 20 July 2018.
4. S.. Shaw . d:Q22113901 . 1957. A revision of the New Zealand genera Eucolaspis Sharp and Atrichatus Sharp (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with descriptions of two new species. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 12. 10. 117. 641–655. 10.1080/00222935708656008.
5. Gómez-Zurita. Jesús. 2019. Comments on the taxonomy and distribution of Eucolaspis Sharp and Atrichatus Sharp in New Zealand and description of E. kotatou sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae). New Zealand Entomologist. 42. 2. 79–99. 10.1080/00779962.2019.1660451. 203409381.