Criocerinae, Latreille, 1807

Criocerinae View in CoL

Criocerinae Latreille, 1807 are a moderately large subfamily containing almost 1,500 described species worldwide classified into three tribes and 22 genera with the majority of species contained in four genera: Lema Fabricius, 1798 (ca. 900 spp.), Lilioceris Reitter, 1913 (ca. 140 spp.), Oulema Des Gozis, 1886 (128 spp.), and Crioceris Müller, 1764 (61 spp.) ( Vencl and Leschen 2014). The remaining genera are not as speciose, containing no more than 20 species and five are monotypic. Lema is divided into five subgenera, which are restricted geographically to either the New or Old World.

This subfamily is mostly distributed in the tropics and subtropics and their diversity rapidly decreases towards the poles. The larvae and adults usually feed on open leaf surfaces, however, there are species known to have larvae that mine leaves or bore into stems. Exophagous larvae are eruciform and due to the vertically oriented anus, bear a characteristic fecal coating or shields formed of digestive wasted that can cover partially or totally the larva; the majority of species occurs mostly in disturbed secondary habitats, i.e. forest edges, stream banks and other open areas ( Vencl et al. 2004). Host plants association in Criocerinae are relatively well known in comparison to other chrysomelid subfamilies, but the natural history is poorly known, except for some species considered pests ( Schmitt 1988, Jolivet 1988). Criocerinae are primarily associated with monocotyledons. The most frequently utilized families are Commelinaceae , Liliales (mainly Liliaceae and Smilacaceae but also others), Dioscoreaceae , Poaceae , and nearly all families of Zingiberales; some species also colonized dicotyledons, mainly Solanaceae and, also Piperaceae and Basellaceae ( Schmitt 1988, Vencl et al. 2004, Vencl and Leschen 2014).

New World Criocerinae fauna is rich and contains nearly 500 species, mainly belonging to the tribe Lemiini . Criocerini are represented by Metopoceris Heinze, 1931 (19 spp.), and a few species of Lilioceris and Crioceris that colonized the New World becoming pests, since these genera have the center of diversity in the Oriental Region, being widespread in the Old World ( Vencl and Leschen 2014). Neotropical criocerine species were intensively studied by F.A. Monrós, although he worked predominantly on the Argentinean fauna (e.g. Monrós 1956c). Monrós (1960) also published an overview of genera and catalog of species.

The Brazilian fauna of Criocerinae is represented by 136 species (27% of New World, and 9% of world fauna), most belonging to Lema . Three species belong to Plectonycha Lacordaire, 1845 and one to Lilioceris . Since the Brazilian fauna of Criocerinae has not been well studied we anticipate that many more species can be found in Brazil. Additionally, some species, specially of Lema are known only from the original description, which are mainly based on coloration and might be found to be only color forms of other species. Most of the Brazilian species (77.7%) were described by three authors: J.T. Lacordaire (51 species), M. Pic (36 species) and F. Monrós (18 species).