Blepharida
''Blepharida'' is a genus of leaf beetles of the subfamily Galerucinae. They have co-evolved with plants in the genus ''Bursera'', which they feed on. The plants have developed a sticky, poisonous resin that sprays out when the leaves are bitten into, and the beetles have evolved to cut through the veins of the leaves to disable this mechanism first. There are currently 73 known species in ''Blepharida'', which are found in the Nearctic, Neotropical, Afrotropical and southern Palearctic realms. Structure The exact structure of the genus is contentious, and remains unresolved. In 1940, Heikertinger and Csiki considered ''Blepharida'' to include three subgenera, ''Blepharida'' ''sensu stricto, Blepharidella'', and ''Calotheca''. In 1968, Bechyné elevated both to the status of genera, and erected a new genus ''Blepharidina'' to contain Afrotropical species of ''Blepharida''. In 1982, Seeno and Wilcox returned to the three subgenera described by Heikertinger and Csiki, but reta ...
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