Biodiversity and host plant associations of Cryptocephalinae leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) across agroecological and natural habitats of Sindh, Pakistan

Muhammad Umar Brohi, Imran Khatri, Arfan Ahmed Gilal, Riffat Sultana

Abstract


The present study was designed to document the species diversity of the subfamily Cryptocephalinae in Sindh, Pakistan, and to elucidate the host plant associations of each recorded species. A total of 21 species of case-bearing leaf beetles (Cryptocephalinae) were recorded, representing two tribes: Clytrini and Cryptocephalini. These species were associated with a wide range of host plants. The genus Cryptocephalus was represented by several species, including Cryptocephalus lacosus, C. obliteratus, C. triangularis triangularis, C. vittipennis, C. oppositus, C. sexsignatus, and C. guttifer. Other genera examined included Aetheodactyla, Ceratobasis, Clytra, Coptocephala, Diapromorpha, Epimela, Miochira, Physosmaragdina, Smaragdina, and Tituboea. Notable species among these were Aetheodactyla dimidiatipennis, Ceratobasis koenigii, Clytra subfasciata, C. afghanica, Coptocephala crassipes iranica, C. crassipes vavilovi, Diapromorpha pallens, D. turcica, Physosmaragdina tonkinensis, Smaragdina pakistanica, S. minutissima, Tituboea daccordii, Epimela trimaculata, and Miochira signaticollis. Host plant association analysis revealed that the 21 recorded species were linked to diverse plant families, predominantly Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Myrtaceae. Particularly important host species included Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) and Eucalyptus citriodora (Myrtaceae). Some beetle species, such as Cryptocephalus vittipennis and C. triangularis triangularis, exhibited a broad host range, whereas others showed a higher degree of host specificity. Species of the tribe Clytrini were primarily associated with trees and shrubs, while members of Cryptocephalini were more frequently associated with grasses. These findings enrich the taxonomic and ecological knowledge of Cryptocephalinae in Sindh and provide baseline data relevant to biodiversity conservation and pest management strategies, particularly in relation to economically important crops such as Sorghum bicolor and Zea mays.


Keywords


Cryptocephalinae diversity, Host plant associations, Agroecosystems, Chrysomelidae ecology, Species-plant interactions

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33804/pp.010.01.5830

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