BiondiMaurizioD’AlessandroPaolaAfrotropical flea beetle genera: a key to their identification, updated catalogue and biogeographical analysis (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)Zookeys201220122012253115810.3897/zookeys.253.3414 Argopistes http://species-id.net/wiki/Argopistes Motschulsky, 1860Figs 15130–132289References.

Motschulsky 1860: 236; Weise 1895: 335; Bryant 1922a: 474; Biondi and D’Alessandro 2010a: 404.

Type species.

Argopistes biplagiata Motschulsky, 1860: 236 (Siberia), designation by monotypy.

Distribution.

Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and Madagascar; Australian, Eastern Palaearctic, Nearctic, Northern Neotropical and Oriental regions (Fig. 289).

Ecology.

Many species of this genus are associated with Oleaceae in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially with Olive trees [Olea europaea var. africana (Mill.)], on which the larvae are leaf miners and adults defoliators (cf. Jolivet and Hawkeswood 1995; personal data).

Notes.

About fifteen species recorded from Madagascar and Sub-Saharan Africa (personal data).

Habitus .11 Angulaphthona heteromorpha (Bechyné) 12 Antanemora ghesquierei (Bechyné) 13 Aphthona senegalensis Jacoby 14 Aphthona (ex Ethiopia Scherer) tricolor (Scherer) 15 Argopistes sexvittatus Bryant 16 Argopistoides africanus (Bryant) 17 Bangalaltica antennalis Bechyné 18. Bechuana nigripes Scherer 19 Bechynella pallens (Bechyné).

Morphological characters. 128 Aphthona braunsi (Jacoby), head and pronotum in dorsal view 129 Ditto, elytra in dorsal view 130 Argopistes silvestrii Weise, head in frontal view 131 Ditto, ventral parts 132 Argopistes sexvittatus Bryant, apical part of hind tibia 133 Argopistoides africanus (Bryant), sublateral sulci on pronotum.

Maps of distribution. 284 Amphimela Chapuis 285 Anaxerta Fairmaire 286 Angulaphthona Bechyné 287 Antanemora Bechyné 288 Aphthona Chevrolat 289 Argopistes Motschulsky.

MotschulskyV (1860) Coleopteres de la Siberie orientale et en particulier des rives de l’Amour. In: Schrenck L von (Ed) Reisen und Forschungen im Amurlande. Vol. 2. St. Petersburg, pp. 77−257.WeiseJ (1895) Neue Chrysomeliden nebst synonymischen Bemerkungen. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1895: 327−352.BryantGE (1922a) Some new injurious Phytophaga from Africa. Bull. Entomol. Res. 12: 473−475. doi: 10.1017/S0007485300045144BiondiMD’AlessandroP (2010a) Genus-group names of Afrotropical flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae): Annotated catalogue and biogeographical notes. Eur. J. Entomol.107: 401-424.JolivetPHawkeswoodTJ (1995) Host-plants of Chrysomelidae of the World.An essay about the relationships between the leaf-beetles and their food-plants. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, 281 pp.