Calligrapha Chevrolat

Calligrapha b. bidenticola - dorsal habitus.

The genus Calligrapha is a complex and diverse one with 38 species recognized in North America. Of these some 30 species occur in Canada, 13 of which have been recorded in Atlantic Canada. Wilcox (1972) provides keys and illustrations of most species. Species of Calligrapha are highly host specific and host plant information can be very important in assisting determination of the species.

A simplified key to the species found in Atlantic Canada adapted from Wilcox (1972):

Elytra with longitudinal dark stripes. 2
Elytra pale with numerous dark spots; in some forming irregular stripes. 3
Pronotum entierley dark. - C. bidenticola Brown.
Pronotum with pale lateral and apical margins. - C. califonica coreopsivora Brown.
Pronotum at least partly pale. - C. multipunctata (Say)
Pronotum entirely dark. - 4
Elytral epipleura black or dark metallic. - C. ignota Brown
Elytral epipleura pale or reddish brown. - 5
Elytral epipleurae distinctly darker than palest areas of elytra. - 6
Elytral epipleurae as pale as palest part of elytra. - 7
Much of pale elytral area darkened, reddish brown. - C. alni Schaeffer
Elytral areas without or with little brownish color. - C. alnicola Brown
Subsutural elytral stripe free from sutural stripe. - 8
Subsutural elytral stripe confluent with sutural stripe. - 9
On Cornus sp. (dogwood). 7.0-9.0 mm. - C. philadelphica (Linnaeus)
On Cornus sp. (dogwood). 8.0 mm. - C. vicina Schaeffer
On Ulmus sp. Body and elytral markings blue-green. - C. scalaris (LeConte)
On Tilia sp. (linden); body and elytral markings blue-green. Subsutural spot of apical declivity seldom joined to sutural stripe. 8.6-10.0 mm. - C. virginea Brown
On Tilia sp. (linden); body and elytral markings blue-green. Subsutural spot of apical declivity usually joined to sutural stripe. 8.0-9.2 mm. - C. tiliae Brown
On Alnus sp. (alder). 7.0-8.0 mm. C. confluens Shaeffer
On Cornus sp. (dogwood). 6.5-8.5 mm. C. rowena Knab

Calligrapha philadelphica - dorsal habitus.

Below are links to photographs of most of the species found in the region.

Calligrapha alni Brown - on Alnus (alder)
Calligrapha alnicola Brown - on Alnus (alder)
Calligrapha b. bidenticola Brown - on Ambrosia (ragweed) and Coreopsis (coreopsis)
Calligrapha californica corepsivora Brown - on Coreopsis (coreopsis), Bidens (beggar's-ticks), and Ambrosia (ragweed)
Calligrapha confluens Schaeffer - on Alnus (alder)
Calligrapha ignota Brown - on Betula (birch)
Calligrapha multipunctata (Say) - on Salix (willow) and Populus (poplar)
Calligrapha philadelphica (Linnaeus) - on Cornus (dogwood)
Calligrapha rowena Knab - on Cornus (dogwood)
Calligrapha scalaris (LeConte) - on Ulmus (elm)
Calligrapha tiliae Brown - on Tilia (linden)
Calligrapha vicina Schaeffer - on Cornus (dogwood) [photo: Tom Murray]
Calligrapha virginea Brown - on Tilia (linden)

References

Clark, S.M., LeDoux, D.G., Seeno, T.N., Riley, E.G., Gilbert, A.L. and Sullivan, J.M. 2004. Host Plants of Leaf Beetle Species Occurring in the United States and Canada. Coleopterists Society. Sacramento, California. 476 pp.

Downie, N.M. and Arnett, R.H., Jr. 1996. The Beetles of Northeastern North America. Sandhill Crane Press. Gainsville, Florida. 1721 pp.

Riley, E.G., Clark, S.M., and Seeno, T.N. 2003. Catalogue of the leaf-beetles of America north of Mexico. Coleopterists Society. Sacramento, California. 290 pp.

Wilcox, J.A. 1972. Review of the North American chrysomeline leaf beetles. New York State Museum and Science Service Bulletin, 421.