Odontota dorsalis (Thunberg), 1835

Eiseman, Charles S., Feldman, Tracy S. & Palmer, Michael W., 2024, New larval host records, parasitoid records, and DNA barcoding data for North American leaf-mining leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea), Zootaxa 5549 (1), pp. 1-60 : 27-29

Odontota dorsalis (Thunberg)

( Figs. 15 , 67–68 , 144 )

Reared specimens. NORTH CAROLINA: Moore Co., Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve , 23.vi.2019, em. 4.vii.2019, T .S. Feldman, ex Robinia nana (BG 1681363); VERMONT: Rutland Co., West Haven , Helen W. Buckner Memorial Preserve, 1.x.2016, em. 1.xi.2016, C.S. Eiseman, ex Amorpha fruticosa , # CSE3062 (1 adult, ZFMK) .

Photographed mine. PENNSYLVANIA: Lebanon Co., 40.319832, -76.179816, 9.vi.2024, W. Jegla, eggs and young mine on Wisteria frutescens (iNat 221684177) .

Hosts. Fabaceae : Amorpha fruticosa L., Cladrastis kentukea (Dum.Cours.) Rudd , Glycine max (L.) Merr., Laburnum × watereri (A.C. Rosenthal & Bermann) Dippel , Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S.M. Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep , Robinia hispida L., R. hispida var. * nana (Elliott) DC. , R. pseudoacacia L., Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott ( Chittenden 1897, 1902; Wheeler 1980; Ford & Cavey 1985; Wheeler & Snook 1986). According to Clark et al. (2004), other fabaceous plants from which this species has been reported include “ Acacia ”, Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fernald, Arachis hypogaea L., Cercis canadensis L., Desmodium Desv. , Gleditsia triacanthos L., Laburnum anagyroides Medik. , Medicago sativa L., Phaseolus lunatus L., P.? vulgaris L. (“bean”), Trifolium pratense L., and Wisteria Nutt. Staines (2006) lists all of these except Medicago , Trifolium , and Wisteria as larval hosts, but we have reviewed all of the references cited by Staines and have found no evidence to support this. The photographs cited above do appear to show eggs and a young mine of Odontota dorsalis on Wisteria frutescens (L.) Poir., but further investigation is needed to confirm that larvae can complete development on this host. Adults have been found on a variety of other, unrelated plants ( Clark et al. 2004).

Biology. Oviposition ( Fig. 15 ) and leaf mines ( Figs. 67–68 ) were described by Chittenden (1902) and Weaver & Dorsey (1967). It is generally agreed that this and all other eastern hispines are univoltine ( Ford & Cavey 1985; Wheeler & Snook 1986), and by all accounts the larvae of Odontota dorsalis are normally present between June and August. Our observation of a feeding larva on 1 October, which emerged as an adult on 1 November, is therefore exceptional. This is by far the latest we have found an active hispine leaf mine in New England, the runner-up being a Sumitrosis rosea larva that was found in Massachusetts on 13 September and emerged as an adult on 22 September ( Eiseman 2014).

Parasitoids. Alophosternum foliicola Cushman and Scambus hispae (Harris) ( Ichneumonidae ) have been reared from larvae and pupae of Odontota dorsalis ( Harris 1835; Weaver & Dorsey 1965). A species of Telenomus Haliday ( Platygastridae ) and Trichogramma minutum Riley ( Trichogrammatidae ) have been reared from its eggs ( Howard 1885; Weaver & Dorsey 1965). Conura albifrons Walsh , C. delumbis (Cresson) , and C. odontotae Howard ( Chalcididae ) have all been reared from its pupae ( Howard 1885; Poos 1940; Weaver & Dorsey 1965). Pnigalio uroplatae (Howard) ( Eulophidae ) was described from a single male, reared from a larva observed feeding externally on a larva of O. dorsalis ( Howard 1885) . Howard (1885) referred to another eulophid reared from O. dorsalis leaf mines, which he did not describe but provisionally referred to as Derostenus (Closterocerus) primus . This is a nomen nudum ( Peck 1963); the other entedonines recorded as reared from O. dorsalis are Closterocerus cinctipennis Ashmead (from eggs), C. trifasciatus Westwood (from pupae), and Pediobius bucculatricis (Gahan) (from larvae and pupae) ( Weaver & Dorsey 1965). The record of Omphale bicincta Ashmead from this host is based on specimens collected “[o]n Locust leaves infested by Odontota dorsalis ” in West Virginia and identified as O. “ bicinchis Ashm.” ( Hopkins 1893); this wasp has never been reared, and as far as is known Omphale species have gall midges ( Cecidomyiidae ) as hosts ( Hansson 1996).

Notes. Our barcoded specimen belongs to BIN BOLD:AAG4461. The nearest neighbor, differing by 3.6%, is BIN BOLD:ADF6942, which includes our specimens of Odontota scapularis .

Figures

FIGURES 1–22. Eggs of Chalepini spp.; 1: Anisostena californica; 2: A. lecontii; 3: Baliosus californicus; 4: B. nervosus; 5: same; 6: Brachycoryna hardyi (photo by E. LoPresti); 7: B. pumila; 8: Chalepus bicolor; 9: C. walshii walshii; 10: Glyphuroplata pluto; 11: Microrhopala excavata excavata; 12: M. laetula; 13: M. vittata; 14: M. xerene; 15: Odontota dorsalis; 16: O. floridana; 17: O. horni (top view); 18: same (side view); 19: O. scapularis; 20: Sumitrosis ancoroides; 21: S. inaequalis; 22: S. rosea.

FIGURES 67–74. Leaf mines of Odontota spp.; 67: O. dorsalis on Amorpha fruticosa (upper surface in transmitted light); 68: same (lower surface in reflected light, with excrement-covered egg mass at lower right); 69: O. floridana on Tephrosia virginiana (leaflet almost completely mined out); 70: same (larva in newly established secondary mine); 71: O. horni on Desmodium illinoense; 72: lower surface of same mine, with three eggs visible (two along midrib and one at lower left); 73: O. scapularis on Apios americana; 74: lower surface of same mine, with excrement-covered egg mass at lower right.

FIGURES 142–161. Chrysomelidae adults; 142: Octotoma marginicollis; 143: O. plicatula; 144: Odontota dorsalis; 145: O. floridana; 146: O. horni; 147: O. scapularis; 148: Stenopodius cf. lateralis; 149: Sumitrosis ancoroides (reared from Stylosanthes biflora); 150: S. ancoroides (reared from Strophostyles helvola); 151: S. inaequalis; 152: S. pallescens; 153: S. rosea (reared from Hylodesmum glutinosum); 154: S. rosea (reared from Laportea canadensis); 155: S. rosea (another individual reared from same collection of L. canadensis leaves); 156: S. rosea (reared from Celastrus orbiculatus); 157: Oulema palustris; 158: Altica cf. lazulina; 159: Dibolia borealis; 160: D. chelones; 161: D. melampyri.