Flea beetles
(Tribe Alticini)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview
Alticini is a very large tribe of beetles. It is the largest tribe in the subfamily Galerucinae. There are about 10,000 species in 601 genera worldwide, 470 described species in 62 genera in North America north of Mexico, and at least 46 species in 22 genera in Minnesota.
Alticini is a relatively new tribe. Flea beetles were formerly treated as the subfamily Alticinae. It was long known that the flea beetles were closely related to other groups within the subfamily Galerucinae. Years of phylogenetic research (including both morphological and molecular studies) showed that Alticinae are not a distinct enough group to warrant their own subfamily. A massive and comprehensive catalog of beetles titled “Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)” by Bouchard et al. (2011) formalized the demotion of the subfamily Alticinae to the tribe Alticini within the already existing subfamily Galerucinae, reflecting a consensus among coleopterists.
Phylogenetic studies have shown that jumping evolved more than once in the family Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles). Most Alticini are jumpers, hence the name 'flea beetles,' but some genera currently placed in Alticini are not jumpers and are believed to belong elsewhere. Conversely, not all jumping beetles are in the tribe Alticini, and some genera from other tribes that are jumpers are believed to belong in Alticini. However, formal taxonomy lags behind the scientific findings. The final consensus-driven restructuring of the Alticini and Galerucini groups is in progress.
Description
Alticini are small to moderate size beetles.
On most Alticini, the third segment (femur) on the hind legs is swollen or bulbous. This indicates the presence of a specialized internal anatomical structure called the metafemoral spring (Maulik’s organ), which stores and releases elastic energy for jumping. The fourth segment (tibia) is often widened at the tip, and there may be a small tooth or spur at the tip to provide traction for the explosive launch.
In most species, the female reproductive organs, specifically the gland and its duct, are located directly on the sperm channel (the spermathecal canal) that leads to the sperm-storage sac, with the gland itself located on a small ramus projection.
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Taxonomy
Order
Coleoptera (beetles)
Suborder
Polyphaga (water, rove, scarab, long-horned, leaf, and snout beetles)
Infraorder
Cucujiformia
Superfamily
Chrysomeloidea (leaf beetles and allies)
Family
Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles)
Subfamily
Galerucinae (skeletonizing leaf and flea beetles)
Subfamily
Flea beetles were formerly treated as the subfamily Alticinae. It was long known that the flea beetles were closely related to other groups within the subfamily Galerucinae. Years of phylogenetic research (including both morphological and molecular studies) showed that are not a distinct enough group to warrant their own subfamily. A massive and comprehensive catalog of beetles titled “Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)” by Bouchard et al. (2011) formalized the demotion of the subfamily Alticinae to the tribe Alticini within the already existing subfamily Galerucinae, reflecting a consensus among coleopterists.
Subordinate Taxa
Genus Acallepitrix
Genus Agasicles
Genus Alagoasa
Genus Altica (metallic flea beetles) 
Genus Aphthona (spurge fela beetles)
Genus Apteropeda
Genus Argopistes
Genus Arsipoda
Genus Asphaera
Genus Bikasha
Genus Blepharida
Genus Cacoscelis
Genus Capraita
Genus Cerataltica
Genus Chaetocnema
Genus Chirodica (protea flea beetles)
Genus Cornulactica
Genus Crepidodera (studded flea beetles)
Genus Derocrepis
Genus Dibolia
Genus Disonycha
Genus Distigmoptera
Genus Dysphenges
Genus Epitrix (hairy flea beetles)
Genus Glenidion
Genus Glyptina
Genus Hemiglyptus
Genus Hemiphrynus
Genus Hemipyxis
Genus Hespera
Genus Hippuriphila
Genus Hornaltica
Genus Kuschelina
Genus Longitarsus
Genus Luperaltica
Genus Luperomorpha
Genus Lysathia
Genus Macrohaltica
Genus Mantura
Genus Margaridisa
Genus Monomacra
Genus Neocrepidodera
Genus Nesaecrepida
Genus Nisotra
Genus Nonarthra
Genus Omophoita
Genus Pachyonychus
Genus Palaeothona
Genus Parchicola
Genus Phydanis
Genus Phyllotreta
Genus Podontia
Genus Procalus
Genus Pseudodibolia
Genus Pseudolampsis
Genus Pseudorthygia
Genus Psylliodes
Genus Sphaeroderma
Genus Strabala
Genus Syphrea
Genus Systena
Genus Trichaltica
Genus Walterianella
Synonyms
Alticinae
Halticinae
Common Names
flea beetles
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Kelsey |
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I’ve never seen these little guys before. They are mostly on the north side of my property. They are tiny, pinhead size and jump. |
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Other Videos
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Shrikant Kelkar
Weekend Gardener: Flea Beetles in Fall weather
kxan
Flea Beetles
one minute bugs
Visitor Sightings
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Kelsey
5/30/2019
Location: Mound, MN
I’ve never seen these little guys before. They are mostly on the north side of my property. They are tiny, pinhead size and jump.
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