As in most groups of insects, scientific research on the Chrysomelidae began in Europe in 1758, with the description of a few genera and species by the Scandinavian entomologists C. von Linne, I.C. Fabricius, and others. As the 19th century dawned, many systematic entomologists took up the study of chrysomelid beetles, together with other groups of beetles, and many new species and genera were described from all parts of the world. This trend has, of course, continued down to the present time. However, researches on the Chrysomelidae did not remain restricted to systematics, and many new lines of study have been followed, especially in the present century, by workers who have benefitted from the advances made in related fields of pure and applied entomology. Much has been achieved in the study of the Chrysomelidae, as elsewhere, and it is the aim of the present book to provide a summary and guide to these achievements. It is also to be expected that this book will provide a stimulus for further studies on the Chrysomelidae, so that we can anticipate continuing progress in our knowledge and understanding of this group through the endeavours of an ever-increasing number of scientists. I offer my congratulations to all concerned in the preparation of this book and my best wishes for its success.

Inhalt

1. Trophic Selection.- 1. Food Habits and Food Selection of Chrysomelidae. Bionomic and Evolutionary Perspectives.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Food selection among the subfamilies.- 2.1. Section Eupoda.- 2.1.1. Sagrinae.- 2.1.2 Aulacoscelinae.- 2.1.3. Orsodacninae.- 2.1.4. Zeugophorinae.- 2.1.5. Donaciinae.- 2.1.6. Megalopodinae.- 2.1.7. Criocerinae.- 2.1.8. Synetinae.- 2.2. Section Camptosoma.- 2.2.1 Clytrinae.- 2.2.2 Cryptocephalinae.- 2.2.3 Chlamisinae.- 2.3. Section Cyclica.- 2.3.1 Lamprosomatinae.- 2.3.2 Megascelinae.- 2.3.3 Eumolpinae.- 2.4. Section Trichostoma.- 2.4.1 Chrysomelinae.- 2.4.2 Galerucinae.- 2.4.3 Alticinae.- 2.5 Section Cryptostoma.- 2.5.1. Hispinae.- 2.5.2. Cassidinae.- 3. Economic importance.- 4. Evolutionary perspectives.- 5. Concluding remarks.- 2. Crucifer-Feeding Chrysomel1dae: Mechanisms of Host Plant Finding and Acceptance.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Distribution of crucifer feeding within Chrysomelidae.- 3. Chemicals from the Cruciferae influencing insect behaviour and performance.- 4. Factors affecting suitability of plants.- 5. Factors influencing acceptability of plants.- 6. Behaviour involved in host plant acceptance.- 7. Habitat finding.- 8. Host plant finding.- 9. Examining the plant and initiation of feeding.- 10. Feeding and oviposition.- 11. Host plant specificity.- 12. Concluding remarks.- 3. Feeding Stimulants of Leaf Beetles.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The role of chemicals in the feeding behaviour of phytophagous insects.- 3. The feeding stimulants of leaf beetles.- 3.1. Volatile secondary plant substances.- 3.2. Primary plant substances (nutrient chemicals).- 3.3. Non-volatile secondary plant substances.- 3.3.1 Cucurbitaceae-feeding leaf beetles.- 3.3.2. Cruciferae-feeding leaf beetles.- 3.3.3. Polygonaceae-feeding leaf beetles.- 3.3.4. Colorado potato beetle.- 3.3.5. Other leaf beetles.- 4. The role of secondary plant substances in the feeding behaviour of leaf beetles.- 4. Host Plants and Defense mechanisms in Oedionychina (Alticinae).- 1. Introduction.- 2. Host-plant relationships.- 3. Laboratory feeding preferences.- 4. Anti-predator adaptations.- 5. Mimicry.- 5. Leaf-Beetle Community Structure in an Amazonian Rainforest Canopy.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Field methods.- 3. Analytical methods.- 4. Results.- 5. Discussion.- 6. The Chrysomelidae: A Useful Group for Investigating Herbivore-Herbivore Interaction.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Interference competition.- 3. Exploitative competition.- 4. Changes in plant chemistry.- 5. Changes in plant architecture.- 6. Herbivore associations.- 7. Evidence for herbivore-herbivore interactions.- 2. Biogeography.- 7. Zoogeography of the Chrysomelidae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Material and field work.- 3. Regionality of the fauna of Chrysomelidae by subfamily composition.- 4. Seasonal changes of subfamily composition in Sri Lanka.- 8. The Origins of the Alticinae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Continental drift.- 3. Neotropical region.- 4. Nearctic region.- 5. Palaearctic region.- 6. Oriental region.- 7. Australian region.- 8. African region.- 9. Conclusions.- 3. Genetics and Evolution.- 9. Cytogenetics. Cytotaxonomy and Genetics of Chrysomelidae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Chromosome numbers and karyotypic architecture.- 3. Meiotic systems.- 4. Sex chromosomes.- 5. Cytotaxonomy.- 6. Genetics.- 7. Perspectives and future researches.- 10. Chromosome Numbers and Meioformulae of Chrysomelidae.- 11. Cytotaxonomy of Alticinae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The ancestral chromosome number.- 3. Chromosomal vs. extrachromosomal cellular parameters.- 4. Groups with Xyp or its fully pairing derivatives.- 5. Groups with inherent sex univalents.- 5.1. Alticini and Hermaeophagina.- 5.2. Oedionychini.- 6. Conclusions.- 12. Genetics of the Two Colour Forms of Chrysolina Aurichalcea (Mannerheim) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and their Gene Frequencies in Two Mountainous Areas of Central Honshu, Japan.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Material and methods.- 2.1. Crossing of the cyaneus-form and the cupreous-form.- 2.2. Sampling of field populations and estimation of gene frequency.- 3. Results.- 3.1. Crossing experiments.- 3.2. Mate choice.- 3.3. Frequency of the two colour in field populations.- 3.4. Annual changes in the frequency of the two colour forms.- 4. Discussion.- 13. Genetics of Chelymorpha Cribraria, Cassidinae: Colour Patterns and their Ecological Meanings.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Chelymorpha cribraria.- 3. Genetics of colour-pattern.- 4. Mimicry rings.- 5. Defense mechanisms and predation.- 6. The evolution of the polymorphism.- 7. Concluding remarks.- 4. Defense Mechanisms.- 14. Chemical Defense in the Chrysomelidae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Modes of release.- 3. Defensive allomones of the adults.- 4. Defensive allomones of the larvae.- 5. Defensive allomones of the pupae.- 6. Defensive allomones of the eggs.- 7. Origin and biosynthesis of defensive allomones in leaf beetles.- 7.1. Adult allomones.- 7.2. Larval allomones.- 8. The efficiency of chemical defense.- 9. Conclusion and overview.- 15. Larval Gregariousness in the Chrysomelidae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Possible functions of larval gregariousness.- 3. Mechanisms of larval gregarious behaviour.- 4. Conclusion.- 16. Mimicry and the Chrysomelidae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Protective (defense) mimicry.- 2.1. Poisonous species or species possessing repellent secretions.- 2.2. Müllerian mimicry.- 2.3. Eye-spots.- 2.4. Collective mimicry.- 2.5. Adventitious mimicry.- 2.5.1. Thanatosis.- 3. Aggressive mimicry.- 3.1. Serendipitous mimicry.- 3.2. Actual vs. deceptive disappearance.- 3.3. Aggressive mimicry.- 4. Sexual dimorphism and mimicry.- 4.1. Sex-limited mimicry.- 4.2. Ants.- 4.3. Stridulation.- 5. Colour changes in adult Chrysomelids.- 5.1. Durability of mimicry.- 17. The Jumping Apparatus of Flea Beetles (Alticinae) - The Metafemoral Spring.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Spring anatomy.- 3. Spring function.- 4. Spring Morpho-groups.- 5. Application.- 6. Alticine relationships.- 5. Anatomy and Reproduction.- 18. Localization of Spermatozoa Inside Viviparous and Ovirparous Females of Chrysomelinae.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Comparative study of spermatheca between oviparous and viviparous females.- 2.1. Anatomy of spermatheca.- 2.2. Capacity of spermatheca.- 3. Extra-spermatheca localization of spermatozoa.- 3.1. Migration of spermatozoa in Oreina luctuosa.- 3.2. Migration of spermatozoa among other species.- 4. Localization of spermatozoa within females lacking spermatheca.- 5. Locus of fertilization.- 6. Conclusion.- 19. Comparative Morphology of the Internal Reproductive System of the Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera).- 1. Introduction.- 2. Gross morphology and homology.- 2.1. The male orga…