Phratora vulgatissima

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Infraordo: Cucujiformia
Cladus: Phytophaga
Superfamilia: Chrysomeloidea

Familia: Chrysomelidae
Subfamilia: Chrysomelinae
Tribus: Chrysomelini
Subtribus: Chrysomelina
Genus: Phratora
Species: Phratora vulgatissima
Name

Phratora vulgatissima (Linnaeus, 1758)
Original combination: Chrysomela vulgatissima

References

Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiæ: impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii. i–ii, 1–824 pp DOI: 10.5962/bhl.title.542: 370. Reference page.

Links

Phratora vulgatissima Taxon details on Fauna Europaea
ZooBank: act:B629B4C6-3880-4B3E-9F29-B6369A93E5EA
Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Phratora vulgatissima (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular names
English: Blue willow beetle
Nederlands: Blauw wilgenhaantje
norsk: Seljebladbille

The blue willow beetle (Phratora vulgatissima), formerly Phyllodecta vulgatissima, is a herbivourous beetle of the family Chrysomelidae. It is dark with a metallic sheen that ranges from a blue color to bronze. It is distinguished from P. vitellinae by the latter more commonly displaying bronze coloration. European Phratora species can be distinguished based on morphology of female genitalia.[1] The larvae undergo three instar stages from hatching to pupation.[2] This beetle is found throughout Europe and Scandinavia, [3] and occurs in China.[4]

Ecology

The blue willow beetle is found on willow (Salix) species, whose leaves contain low levels of salicylates,[5][6] in fens, carrs and on river banks, but also often in willow short rotation coppice and other agricultural landscapes.[7] It often aggregates on host plants.[8] On Salix cinerea, it prefers and is more common on female than male trees despite higher egg predation exerted by the common flowerbug Anthocoris nemorum on female trees.[9] It is univoltine in Sweden[2] but can produce multiple generations per year in other parts of its distribution range.[10] Proliferation of larvae and egg production varies with vegetation.[11] It overwinters under lichens on trees and under tree bark.[12] Predators of blue willow beetle eggs include A. nemorum and Orthotylus marginalis. Larval predators include A. nemorum, the bug Rhacognathus punctatus,[10] a syrphid fly (possibly Parasyrphus nigritarsis)[13] and the wasp Symmorphus bifasciatus.[14] Adult beetles are parasitized by the wasp Perilitus brevicollis[15] and consumed by R. punctatus.[13]
The blue willow leaf beetle as a pest

In Europe, the blue willow beetle can become a severe herbivore pest on willows.[16] For plantations of common osier (Salix viminalis), herbivory reducing biomass production by up to 40% has been estimated .[17] It is susceptible to Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis and also Spinosad when treatment is applied to affected plants .

References

Sundholm, A. (1956). "Studien über die Gattung Phyllodecta Kirby (Col. Chrysomelidae)". Opuscula Entomologica. 21: 5–7.
Torp, Mikaela; Lehrman, Anna; Stenberg, Johan A.; Julkunen-Tiitto, Riitta; Björkman, Christer (2013-03-01). "Performance of an Herbivorous Leaf Beetle (Phratora vulgatissima) on Salix F2 Hybrids: the Importance of Phenolics". Journal of Chemical Ecology. 39 (4): 516–524. doi:10.1007/s10886-013-0266-3. ISSN 0098-0331. PMID 23456345.
Lucht, W. H. (1987). Die Käfer Mitteleuropas: Katalog. Krefeld: Goecke and Evers Verlag.
Chen, S. H. (1965). "On the Chinese species of the Chrysomeline genus Phratora". Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica. 2 (3): 218–224.
Köpf, A.; Rank, N. E.; Roininen, H.; Julkunen-Tiitto, R.; Pasteels, J. M.; Tahvanainen, J. (1998). "The evolution of host-plant use and sequestration in the leaf beetle genus Phratora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)". Evolution. 52: 517–528.
Kelly, M. T.; Curry, J. P. (1991). "The influence of phenolic compounds on the suitability of three Salix species as hosts for the willow beetle Phratora vulgatissima". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 61: 25–32.
Kelly, M. T.; Curry, J. P. (1991). "The biology and population density of the willow beetle (Phratora vulgatissima [L.]) on Salix viminalis in reclaimed cutaway peat". Journal of Applied Entomology. 111: 57–62.
Peacock, L.; Herrick, S.; Brain, P. (1999-11-01). "Spatio-temporal dynamics of willow beetle (Phratora vulgatissima) in short-rotation coppice willows grown as monocultures or a genetically diverse mixture". Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 1 (4): 287–296. doi:10.1046/j.1461-9563.1999.00039.x. ISSN 1461-9563.
Kabir, Faisal MD; Moritz, Kim K; Stenberg, Johan A (2015-04-19). "Plant-sex-biased tritrophic interactions on dioecious willow". Ecosphere. 5 (12): art153. doi:10.1890/ES14-00356.1.
Görnandt, H. (1955). "Die Käfergattung Phyllodecta Kirby". Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift. 2: 1–100.
L. Peacock; J. Harris & S. Powers (2004). "Effects of host variety on blue willow beetle Phratora vulgatissima performance". Annals of Applied Biology. 144 (1): 45–52. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7348.2004.tb00315.x.
Kendall, D A (1996). "Phenology and population dynamics of willow beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in short rotation coppice willows at Long Ashton". Biofuels Study.
Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J. T.; Köpf, A. (1996). "Natural enemies and host plant relationships for chrysomeline leaf beetles feeding on Salicaceae". In P. H. Jolivet; M. L. Cox (eds.). Chrysomelidae Biology. Vol. 2: Ecological Studies. Amsterdam: SPB Publishing. pp. 147–171.
Blüthgen, P. (1961). Die Faltenwespen Mitteleuropas (Hymenoptera, Diploptera). Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
J.A. Stenberg (2012). "Plant-mediated effects of different Salix species on the performance of the braconid parasitoid Perilitus brevicollis". Biological Control. 60: 54–58. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2011.09.004.
J. Stenberg; A. Lehrman; C. Björkman (2010). "Uncoupling direct and indirect plant defences: Novel opportunities for improving crop security in willow plantations". Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 139 (4): 528–533. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2010.09.013.
C. Björkman; S. Höglund; K. Eklund & S. Larsson (2000). "Effects of leaf beetle damage on stem wood production in coppicing willow". Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 2 (2): 131–139. doi:10.1046/j.1461-9563.2000.00058.x.