Order Coleoptera Higher classification Cucujiformia | Scientific name Chrysomeloidea Rank Superfamily | |
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Lifespan Callosobruchus maculatus: 10 – 14 days Lower classifications Longhorn beetle, Leaf beetle, Orsodacnidae, Colorado potato beetle, Palophaginae | ||
The Chrysomeloidea are an enormous superfamily of beetles, with tens of thousands of species, mostly in the families Cerambycidae (the long-horned beetles) and Chrysomelidae, the leaf beetles.
Overview
Several species in these two families are important plant pests. The spotted cucumber beetle is a serious pest of vegetables and is a very common insect on all sorts of flowers. The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, attacks potatoes and other members of the Solanaceae. The Asian long-horned beetle is a serious pest of trees where it has been introduced.
Some authorities have suggested removing the Cerambycidae and related families (Disteniidae, Oxypeltidae, and Vesperidae) from Chrysomeloidea to create a separate superfamily "Cerambycoidea" (e.g., ), but in the absence of evidence to support the monophyly of the resulting groups, this proposal has not yet been accepted by the scientific community.