''Aulacophora nigripennis'' is a species of

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 ...

in the genus ''

Aulacophora ''Aulacophora'' is a genus of beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as pumpkin beetles; some species are pests of agricultural crops. The genus was named in 1836 by the French entomologist Louis Alexandre Auguste Chevrolat, in Dej ...

''.

Description

The beetle is relatively small with a hard, black exoskeleton containing faint yellowish dots around the sides. The head is a deep, bright orange, while ''A. nigripennis'' has a large orange compartmentalized thorax.

Feeding

''A. nigripennis'' is a pest that feeds on species of the plant genera ''

Dianthus ''Dianthus'' ( ) is a genus of about 340 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe and Asia, with a few species in north Africa and in southern Africa, and one species (''D. repens'') in arctic North Am ...

'' and ''

Trichosanthes ''Trichosanthes'' is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines. They belong to the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae), and are closely related to '' Gymnopetalum''. '' Hodgsonia'', formerly included here, is usually considered a well-distinct genus ...

'' by creating a circular "trench" using its mandibles. After circularly cutting through the leaf, the trench overflows with sticky phloem sap that, through cohesion, sticks to form a semicircle around the beetle. The beetle then sucks the sap using its mouth.

Biology

''A. nigripennis'' stores

cucurbitacin Cucurbitacins are a class of biochemistry, biochemical compounds that some plants – notably members of the pumpkin and gourd family, Cucurbitaceae – produce and which function as a defense against herbivores. Cucurbitacins and their deriva ...

s from curcurbit plants for use as defense.

Pest control

Researchers in Japan have conducted research in using "trap plants" to kill off and reduce the numbers of ''A. nigripennis''. Because ''A. nigripennis'' is attracted particularly to '' Dianthus pungens'' in the genus ''Dianthus'', ''D. pungens'' trap plants were the most effective, reducing the population of ''A. nigripennis'' from 1.5 beetles per 100 carnation plants to a mere 0.1 beetles, a 93.3% reduction.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2326307 N Beetles described in 1857 Taxa named by Victor Motschulsky Beetles of Asia Pest insects