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Species
Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, 1824
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Vast amounts of information is available for Leptinotarsa decemlineata because of its status as a major pest insect. The information provided here is a general introduction to the biology of Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Further information can be found using the references listed here and the many studies cited within those references.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Leptinotarsa_decemlineata/ |
Both sexes of Leptinotarsa decemlineata mate with multiple individuals over the course of their adult life. Last generation adults typically mate before overwintering, with females storing sperm that can be used in the spring. However, they also mate after emerging from overwintering, usually before entering the fields. Sperm from these spring matings show some precedence, fertilizing the majority of eggs. Males have slightly modified tarsal setae that although them to cling to the elytra of the female. This is a trade-off with the ability to cling to host plants, and females can adhere to hosts more effectively.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
After overwintering in crop fields, gardens, and field margins, the Colorado potato beetle becomes active in the spring, often in May. Adults feed for a very short time, then reproduce. Adult females have high fecundity, producing 300 to 800 eggs, which are laid on the underside of plant leaves. Eggs are clustered into groups of 10 to 30. Egg laying may last several weeks.
Breeding interval: Adults breed continuously after emerging from overwintering.
Breeding season: Leptinotarsa decemlineata breeds from spring through summer.
Range eggs per season: 300 to 800.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous ; sperm-storing
Leptinotarsa decimilineata has little to no parental investment in the offspring, other than provisioning of eggs by females.
Parental Investment: pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female)
- Alyokhin, A., M. Baker, D. Mota-Sanchez, G. Dively, E. Grafius. 2008. Colorado potato beetle resistance to insecticides. American Journal of Potato Research, 85: 395-413.
- Ferro, D., A. Tuttle, D. Weber. 1991. Ovipositional and flight behavior of overwintered Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Environmental Entomology, 20: 1309-1314.
- Roderick, G., L. De Mendoza, G. Dively, P. Follett. 2003. Sperm precedence in Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): temporal variation assessed by neutral markers. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 96: 631-636.
- Voigt, D., J. Shuppert, S. Dattinger, S. Gorb. 2008. Sexual dimorphism in the attachment ability of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae) to rough substrates. Journal of Insect Physiology, 54: 765-776.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Leptinotarsa_decemlineata/ |
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 14 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.
Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.
See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
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The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle or the potato bug, is an important pest of potato crops, and native to southwestern North America. Adult beetles are approximately 10 mm long, with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes along the length of each of its elytra (wing casing). This species can easily be confused with its close cousin and look-alike, the false potato beetle (Leptinotarsa juncta), which also eats solanaceous plants and can be found on the same host plant, but is not a serious pest. Both the adult and and reddish-brown larva of L. decemlineata feed on leaves and their high rate of feeding causes significant damage to potato, tomato and eggplant foliage, frequently decimating crops. In addition to being very fecund (females lay up to 800 eggs, and they can undergo multiple overlapping generations a year) they have also proved extremely effective in developing resistance to many pesticides. The Colorado potato beetle successfully invaded Europe in 1922 and since has become established Europe and Asia. A pretty beetle, it has been featured on postal stamps of several countries (even where it is not a significant pest): Mozambique, United Arab Emirates, Austria, the Republic of Benin and Tanzania.
(Alyokhin 2008; CABI 2011; Jacques and Fasulo 2009; Wikipedia 2011a; Wikipedia 2011b)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Text modified from Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colorado_potato_beetle&oldid=463797125 |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 14
Specimens with Barcodes: 21
Species With Barcodes: 1
Leptinotarsa decemlineata is not listed as an endangered or threatened species on any local, state, national or international level.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Leptinotarsa_decemlineata/ |
Currently, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the Colorado potato beetle, is distributed widely throughout North America east of the Rockies as well as some of Europe and Asia. Its distribution covers about 8 million km² in the Nearctic Region and about 6 million km² in the Palearctic and Oriental regions. Originally, Leptinotarsa decemlineata was found in the southwestern United States into Mexico. As potatoes were extensively planted for agriculture, the species spread into agricultural areas throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. It is predicted that Leptinotarsa decemlineata could occupy other regions including Korea, Japan, parts of Africa, and most of the temperate Southern Hemisphere.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Introduced ); oriental (Introduced ); neotropical (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: holarctic
- Alyokhin, A. 2008. "Colorado Potato Beetle Biology and Management" (On-line). PotatoBeetle.org. Accessed July 15, 2012 at http://www.potatobeetle.org/overview.html.
- Alyokhin, A., M. Baker, D. Mota-Sanchez, G. Dively, E. Grafius. 2008. Colorado potato beetle resistance to insecticides. American Journal of Potato Research, 85: 395-413.
- Jolivet, P. 1991. The Colorado beetle menaces Asia (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) (Col. Chrysomelidae). L'Entomologiste, 47: 29-48.
- Vlasova, V. 1978. A prediction of the distribution of Colorado beetle in the Asiatic territory of the USSR. Zaschita Rastenii, 6: 44-45.
- Worner, S. 1988. Ecoclimatic assessment of potential establishment of exotic pests. Journal of Economic Entomology, 81: 973-983.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Leptinotarsa_decemlineata/ |
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked