Arnett, Ross H.

English

Hochschulschriftenserver - Universität Frankfurt am Main

140 Book Review Biologie des Coleopteres Chrysomelides. Pierre Jo-livet. Boubee Publsher, Paris, 1997, 280 pp.  (USA $57.00) The main biological aspects of  this economically important group of beetles, the Chrysomelidae, are summarized in this new work by the international-ly known author, Dr. Pierre Jolivet. Around 37,000 species are now described and more remain to be named. The size and diversity of the family are less than those of  the weevils (Curculionidae), bu t prob-ably there will be a total of  40 to 50 thousand species once  the canopy fauna is better known.  For in-stance, we still know nothing about the biology and the host plants of the Madagascaran leaf beetles and surely many more species from  that region await description. The importance of the group is mostly agricul-tural as might be  expected from  a  group almost entirely  leaf,  stem,  and  root  feeders.  Members range in length from 1 mm, or less, up to 27  mm. Many species are brightly colored. Probably the family is polyphyletic" i.e.,  com-posed of morphologically similar  but phylogeneti-cally distinct groups,  and with  Bruchidae as its sister group, all have Cerambycoid ancestors. Un-questioned chrysomelid  fossils date from the Juras-sic. The book covers the palaeontology, evolution, development, and adaptations of the family.  Mim-icry, defensive reactions, pathogens and parasites, and every aspect of the biology and ecology of the beetles are discussed. Volume 11, No.2, June, 1997, INSECTA MUNDI The classification adopted for this book is not that of cladists. Jolivet recognizes  20 extant sub-families, and one extinct subfamily, probably the direct Jurassic ancestor of the Aulacoscelinae. The larvae of  several subfamilies were still unknown at the time this book was written, such as the those of the Megascelinae and Aulacoscelinae, but recently, I am told by the author, these larvae have been obtained and are now being described. The author believes that the recently proposed monophyle'tic classifications do not reflect the real relationships within the family. He disagrees with the fusion of  Alticinae and  Galerucinae, of  Hi  spinae and Cassidinae, and Synetinae and Megascelinae, included with the Eumolpinae, as well as the eleva-tion to family rank of some subfamilies. Syneta, for instance, has its wings and male genitalia com-pletely different from those of the Eumolpinae. In the book he argues strongly that the relationships recognized  within the Chrysomelidae be based on their food-plant selection when these are known, wing venation, and male genitalia, and use both physiological  and  mechanical  characters  of  the plants. Line drawings illustrate the book and six col-ored plates show  the beetles in  various  tropical settings in both the Old and New  World.  Three other plates include some water color drawings of spectacular species. The  author,  with  several collaborators,  has written five  specialized books  on  the  biology  of Chrysomelidae  prior  to  this  volume.  Here,  the author presents a  new synthesis of the topic,  in-cluding many aspects not found in the previous volumes. The collected works were noted on pages 260 and316 of volume 10,  1996, of Insecta Mundi. R.  H.  Arnett, Jr. 

Book review: P. Jolivet. 1997. Biologie des Coleopteres Chrysomelides

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