''Aphthona'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
beetle
Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
, in the
leaf beetle
The beetle family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as leaf beetles, includes over 37,000 (and probably at least 50,000) species in more than 2,500 genera, making it one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families. Numerous s ...
family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are
flea beetle
The flea beetle is any small, jumping beetle of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae) that is part of the tribe (biology), tribe Alticini, which is part of the subfamily Galerucinae. Historically the flea beetles were classified as their own ...
s, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some 300 species known worldwide.
This flea beetle genus is important because of the usefulness of some species in controlling
leafy spurge, a major
invasive weed in parts of western North America. Several ''Aphthona'' species have been taken from Europe and introduced into localized areas of the United States and Canada, and some success against the weed is being seen. The six species used for this purpose include ''A. abdominalis'', ''A. cyparissiae'', ''A. czwalinae'', ''A. flava'', ''A. nigriscutis'', and ''A. lacertosa'', though ''A. abdominalis'' apparently never established a viable population and was never introduced in Canada.
Effectiveness of control
Control is generally thought to be effective, but results vary from site to site, which has been attributed to soilborne pathogens, phenology of spring, soil texture, and leafy spurge density. Control is less effective in sandy soils.
[ ] Control may not be reliably observed and measured for 10 years or more.
Selected species
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Aphthona abdominalis''
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Aphthona aeneomicans''
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Aphthona albertinae''
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Aphthona alcina''
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Aphthona atrocaerulea''
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Aphthona atrovirens''
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Aphthona beauprei''
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Aphthona beckeri''
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Aphthona biokovensis
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
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Aphthona bonvouloiri''
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Aphthona carbonaria''
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Aphthona chinchihi''
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Aphthona coerulea
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona constantini
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetle
The flea beetle is any small, jumping beetle of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae) t ...
''
* ''
Aphthona crassipes
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona cyparissiae
''Aphthona cyparissiae'' is a species of leaf beetle known as the brown dot leafy spurge flea beetle. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed leafy spurge (''Euphorbia esula'').
The adult beetle is light golde ...
''
* ''
Aphthona czwalinae
''Aphthona czwalinae'' is a species of leaf beetle known as the black leafy spurge flea beetle. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed leafy spurge (''Euphorbia esula'').
The adult beetle is shiny black and a ...
''
* ''
Aphthona delicatula
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona depressa
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona erichsoni
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona espagnoli
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona euphorbiae
''Aphthona euphorbiae'' is a root-feeding flea beetle. It is widely distributed throughout Europe, North Africa, the Caucasus, Near East, Asia Minor, the southern part of West and Mid Siberia and Kazakhstan. In Latvia it has been reported as a pe ...
''
* ''
Aphthona flava
''Aphthona flava'' is a beetle of the genus ''Aphthona''. It is native to Eurasia, and has been introduced into North America as a biocontrol agent for leafy spurge. Adults are brown and difficult to distinguish in the field from ''Aphthona cypar ...
''
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Aphthona flaviceps''
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Aphthona franzi''
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Aphthona fuentei''
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Aphthona gracilis''
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Aphthona herbigrada''
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Aphthona illigeri''
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Aphthona juliana''
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Aphthona konstantinovi''
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Aphthona kuntzei''
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Aphthona lacertosa''
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Aphthona lubischevi''
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Aphthona lutescens''
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Aphthona maculata''
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Aphthona maghrebina''
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Aphthona maldesi''
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Aphthona melancholica''
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Aphthona microcephala''
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Aphthona nigriceps''
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Aphthona nigriscutis''
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Aphthona nonstriata''
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Aphthona occitana''
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Aphthona ovata''
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Aphthona pallida''
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Aphthona parnassicola''
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Aphthona perrisi
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
* ''
Aphthona placida
''Aphthona'' is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, ''Aphthona'' are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger. There are some ...
''
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Aphthona plenifrons''
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Aphthona poupillieri''
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Aphthona punctiventris''
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Aphthona pygmaea''
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Aphthona reitteri''
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Aphthona rhodiensis''
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Aphthona rugipennis''
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Aphthona sardea''
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Aphthona sarmatica''
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Aphthona semicyanea''
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Aphthona seriata''
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Aphthona sicelidis''
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Aphthona signatifrons''
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Aphthona stussineri''
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Aphthona subovata''
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Aphthona syriaca''
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Aphthona testaceicornis''
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Aphthona velachica''
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Aphthona variolosa''
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Aphthona vaulogeri''
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Aphthona venustula''
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Aphthona violacea''
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Aphthona wagneri''
References
{{Authority control
Alticini
Chrysomelidae genera
Taxa named by Louis Alexandre Auguste Chevrolat