Aphthona nigriscutis: taxon details and analytics

Domain
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Chrysomelidae
Genus
Aphthona
Species
Aphthona nigriscutis
Scientific Name
Aphthona nigriscutis

Summary description from Wikipedia:

Aphthona nigriscutis

Aphthona nigriscutis is a root-feeding flea beetle of the genus Aphthona. It is one of five Aphthona spp. that has been used in Alberta, Canada to control leafy spurge, an invasive plant that reduces pasture quality and degrades natural habitats. It, along with A. lacertosa, is one of only two biocontrol agents thought to be effective against leafy spurge.

Larvae cause the most damage to the plant by feeding on the roots.

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Aphthona nigriscutis
©Blake Weis, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©Blake Weis, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©Sherry Punak-Murphy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©alec_mcclay, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©camlough, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©Mamaev V.I., some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©Sherry Punak-Murphy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Aphthona nigriscutis
©alec_mcclay, some rights reserved (CC-BY)