CHRYSOMELIDAE (COLEOPTERA) OF TRIPURA (INDIA)

Chrysomelidae comprises small to medium sized beetles, ranging from about 1 mm to 20 mm long, usually live on foliage and are commonly known as leaf beetles. Shape various, usually elongated cylindrical to flat and oval and generally brightly coloured. To agriculturists this family is very destructive, to the collectors it is very interesting and to the systematists it is very difficult. Both adults and larvaeare phytophagous, usually feed on root, stems, leaves of herbaceous plant and mine the leaves of woody plant.

This is a small subfamily of Chrysomelidae.Jacoby (1908)-includQd 146 species' un~er 7 genera from Indian subregion.The representative of this subfamily are distinguished by the following characters.
General appearance more or less elongate and size small to medium.Head often constricted behind ey~s, antennal insertions widely'separated and placed in front of eyes, antennae filiform an~ often stout.Prothorax sub cylindrical or quadrate, lateral sides often constricted at middle and without distinct margin.Elytra usually with regular rows of punctures.Tarsal claws free or joined at base and rarely bifid or appendiculate.
The specimen studied here is similar to L. lacertosa Lacordaire but differs from the latter by its antennae being black and pronotum with a few punctures.
General appearance elongated, reddish brown; antennae, labrum, sterna, posterior two pairs of legs and the tarsi of front legs black.punctures strong.Antennae long and stout.Elytral punctures strong and arranged in rows.

Subfamily EUMOLPINAE
This is a large subfamily, includes small to medium size, oblong, convex and brilliantly coloured beetles.Jacoby (1908) included 438 species under 51 genera from Indian subregion.The chief distinguishing characters of this subfamily are: Head somewhat reflexed, deeply inserted into the prothorax and not usually visible from above, eyes moderately large, antennae long filiform and their insertions widely separated.Prothorax usually subglobular.Elytra often with'metallic~lustre, having distinct humeral angles and usually clothed with pubescence or scales.
Remarks: So far, this species was recorded from southern India, in the present study tbis is being recorded for tbe first time from NQrth East India (Tripura).
This species is near P. signata Motschulsky and can be easily separated from the latter species by .. its pronotum' with distinctly golden green lustre and its front margin brownish yellow, basal part of elytra slightly raised, and punctured, and humeral callus impunctate.
General appearance small (2.00 mm) and oblong; head and pronotum black, elytra yellowish brown, its sutural margins, lateral margins and a small spot within basal depression black.Dorsal surface deeply punct\U"cd, those of elytra black and arranged in rows.

Subfamily GALERUCINAE
This is a large subfamily, members of which live exclusively on foliage.Maulik (1936) included 440 species under 90 genera from the Indian subregion.The representatives of this subfamily can be easily separated from tbe others by the following characters: Shape usually oval or oblong; size highly variable, usually dull brown, sometimes shining black and blue or spotted.Head exposed, antennae long, slender and their insertions closely situated.Pronotum usually with distinct lateral margins, front coxae conical and contiguous.Hind femora usually slender and unlike alticinae wben thickened without the jumping organ.
Distribution: Ind~a: Tripura and Tamil Nadu.Remarks: This species was so far known only' from southern India, in the present study this is being recorded.for the first time from N"orth East India (Tripura).This species is near H. unicolor (Illiger) but can be easily sepa~ated, from the latter species by its abdomInal process in male 'being short and fiat, sloping apical surface of last visible abdominal sternite depressed and with a prominent median eleva~ion; in female last visible sternite without a cavity near apex.
Distribution: India: Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andaman Islands.This species is near H. nilgiriensis Jacoby but can be easily separated from the latter species in having its abdominal process of male long and rounded, sloping surface of last visible abdominal sternite not depressed an9 ~ith a slightly prominent median elevation; in female, l~st visible sternite with a cavity near apex.
General appearance oblong, narrow and almost parallel-sided, dorSal surface shining yellowish brown and eyes black.Head and pronotum smooth and, impunctate, elytra finely and confusedly punctured.

Aulacopbora foveicollis (Lucas)
(Text-Fig. 2  Islands.This species is near A. cornuta Baly but can be separated from the latter species by its elytra being shiny, form smaller (6.75 rom.), and in male humerus covered with erect hairs.
General appearance oblong, moderately large size (6-7 mm), dorsal surface orange-red to brown and shiny.Eyes black and strongly convex, antennae moderately long and slender, head impunctatc, pronotum and elytra minutely and confusedly punctured.
Material examined: 1 ex., Fatik Roy (Kumarghat), 25.xii.1972,V C. Agrawal, (Z. S. I. Col!.).Distribution: India: Tripura, Maharashtra and Karnataka.Remarks; This species was so far recorded from Southern India and in the present study it is recorded for the first time from North East India (Tripura).
This species is near A. jacobyi Weise but can be easily separated from the' latter species by its antennaI segments 3 being longer than segmenf4,"and in male, gular region of head excavated.

Records of the Zoological Survey of India
Imm.General appearance oblong, moderately large (5.75 mm) bead, antennae and pronotum brown elytra black.Antennae moderately' long, segments 3-5 strongly thickened and dilated, vertex of head impunctate, pronotum and elytra finely and confusedly punctured.This is the largest genus of the subfamily Galerucinae, Maulik (1936) included 78 species from the Indian subregion.In the present study 3 species of Monolepta are recorded from Tripura.Members of this genus are generally ovate, moderately convex, slightly narrowed in front and behind, dorsal surface smooth, shiny and finely punctured, segment 1 of hind tarsi markedly loW!: and claws appendiculate.
The single specimen studied bere is similar to M. signata (Oliver) but differs from the latter in having antennae sbort and pale yellowish, scutellum broader than long with the apical margin broadly rounded, elytral puncturation fine and the sutural margin pale yellowish.No attempt is made here to establish this sole specimen as a new species~ General appearance oblong, narrow, small (2.50 mm) and pale yellowish.Antennae short and extending upto the middle of elytra.Prothorax broader than long, posterior angles rounded, surface finely punctate.Elytral pattern similar to signata but its suture being.palo yellowish, puncturation fine and confused.

Distribution: India: Tripura and Tamil Nadu
Remarks: This species was.so far known only from s~uthert:l India: Tamil Nadu.Now it is b~irtg recorded for th~ first time frop] Nortb East India (Tripura).This species is near M. javana Jacoby but can be easily separated from the latter species by its pronotum being unicoloured and form larger (3 mm), elytra strongly and coarsely punctured.
General appearance oblong-ovate, moderately convex and dorsa, surface shiny with fine punctures; head, pronotum and abdominal ste~nites reddish brown, antennae long and blackish with'three basal segments brown, elytra usually pale' brown with black stripes and a transverse band across the middle.
Subfamily AL TICINAE This is the largest subfamily of Chrysomelidae which is, commonly known as fiea-beetles, and can be easily recognised' 'for 'its 'markedOly thickned hind femora which are modified for jumping.Maulik (1926) included 316 species under 70 genera from the Indian subregion.In the present study 12 species under 4 genera are being recorded from Tr:jpura.-'Therepresentatives of this subfamily can be distinguished by the following characters: General appearance usually oval or elongate, small to medium sized.Head exposed, antennae usually long and slender, inserted on the frons between the eyes and rather closely situated.Prothorax broad, ema~ginate in front and lateral sides usually distinctly margined.Front coxae usually 'not conically prominent and their, cavities open or close4 behind .. Hind leg markedly developed and tibiae with a distinct apical spur.Maulik (1926) included 21 species from Indian subregion and subsequently Scherer (1969) added 7 more species.In the present study S species of Chaetocnema are recorded from Tripura.Members of this genus are small (1.50 mm to 3.50 mm), ovate, narrowed in' front and behind, generally dark, often green with bronzy reflections.Dorsal surface usually punctate.Antennae shorter than the body, prothorax broader than long, usually narrowed in front and punctate.Elytra always punctate striate.Front coxal cavities closed behind.Legs with middle and hind tibiae excavated on its outer edge near apex.
Remarks: This species was roported by Maulik (1926)  .. This species is near C. longipunctata Maulik and C. kanika Maulik but can be separated by its pronotum being distinctly narrowed in front and its puncturation dense~, and the size smaller (less than 1.75 mm).
Goneral appearance ovate, narrowed in front and behind and bright brassy or golden green.Head finely granulate with a few punctures on the inter-ocular space, pronotum finely granulate and densely punctate.Elytra rather strongly punctate .. striate, and interstices finely punctate 1;tnd costate at lateral sides.
12. Chaetocnema (Tlanoma) longipuDctata Maulik Remarks: Maulik (1926) noted that this species is a pest of seedling paddy.This species is near C. birmanica Jacoby but can be easily separated from the latter by its size being small (3.00 mm) and elytral punctures less prominent.
General appearance ovate and shining brassy-greenish or bluish.Head finely granulated and punctured, pronotum strongly punctured, elytra strongly punctate-striate, each puncture wider than the width of interstices and latter subcostate along the lateral and apical margins.

Chaetocnema (Chaetocnema) cognata Baly
Chaetocnema cognata Baly, 1877, Trans.ent.Soc. Land. : 168;Maulik, 1926, Fauna Brifish  General, appearance oblong, dorsal surface' brown with elytral suture blackish, each e]ytron with a longitudinal blackish stripe extending to half of its lengtb and the punctures on the elytra blackish.Antenna black with segments 1-3, 10 and the basal part of segment 11 brown.Ventral surface brown with legs pale yellowish, hind femora brown with its apical part blackish.Head (Text-fig.2 A Kimoto (1965) described a new species Longitarsus boharti from Ryukyu Island~ the ne_w species described above is closely related~•to this, '•but can.be easily separated •from the latter species for its pronotum being .finelyand indistinctly punctured, prothorax one and half times broader than long and its lateral margins almost straight, antennae almost.as long as its length of the body, segment 4 and 5 subequal, segment 10 aD~ basal part of segment 11 brown, and elytral pUnctures black.

Genus Luperomorpha Weise
General appearance oblong; head, prothorax and ventral surface fawn-coloured, elytra brownish black with an yellowish large longitudinal stripe.Head finely granulate.Prothorax almost quadrate and pronotum finely punctate.Elytra granulate and finely punctate and its apical, part with a few scattered setae.This is a small genus, Heik.ertinger and Csiki (1939) listed 7 species from Indian subregion and subsequently Scherer (1969) added 2 more species.In the present work 3 species of Phyllotreta are recorded from, Tripura, of which one is described as new to science.
Distribution: India: Tripura and Sikkim.This species is noor P. birmanica Harold but it can be easily separated for its dorsal surface being black with longitudinal yellowish stripe on elytra and pronotum with strong punctures.
General appearance ovate, black, each elytron with a longitudinal yellowish stripe, antennae long and black with segments 1-3 brown' dorsal surface finely and strongly punctured.

SubfamilY HISPINAE
This is a moderately large subfamily.Maulik (1919) includ~d 236 species under 27 genera from Indian subregion.In the present study 2 species under 2 genera are recorded from Tripura.The representatives of t~is subfamily are distinguished by the following characters: General appearance oblong-elongated, wedge-shaped, small to.medium sized.Dorsal surface smooth or deeply punctate or with elevated costae or spines.Head exposed with prominent frons, antennae short, straight and closely inserted between the eyes.Prothorax truncate or emerginate in front.Elytra distinctly broader than prothorax and truncated at apex.
Remarks: This species is recorded by Maulik (1919) as a serious pest of paddy.
This species is near D. birendra (Maulik) but can be easily separated from the latter species by its prothoracic spines being straight, short and almost equal in length with the two basal segments of the antennae.General appearance oblong, shiny and blue black.Head longitudinally sulcated, ant~nnae moderately long, slender and slightly thickened towards apex.Prothorax broader than long, subcylindric~l and rugosely punct~te.Elytra strongly punctate-striate with strong and erect spines.
Subfamily CASSIDINAE This is a small subfamily, in which 152 species under 16 genera were recorded by Maulik (1919) from Indian subregion.Present study in'eludes 2 sepcies under 1 genus from Tripura.The representatives of this subfamily are co~monly known as Tortoise be~tlcs as•• their thape are broadly oval or circular with an explanate margins .. He~d:~,defle~ed• and the whole body hidden under the explanate margin' of '•prothora~ and elytra, and its epipleura markedly broad.
- This is the largest genus of the subfamily Cassidinae in which 58 species were recorded by Maulik (1919) from Indian subregion.In the present study 2 species of Cassida are recorded from Tripura."The representatives of this genus are usually ovate and convex.Head•concealed under explanate front margin of prothorax, and without any ohannel for antennal reception, prothorax elliptical and transverse.
Elytra convex, generally punctate-striate, interstices usually plain and never strongly costate or rugose.Tarsal claws devoid of comblike structure at base.
This species is near C. varians Herbst but can be separated from the latter species by its elytra with a U-shaped black marking and with a short black stripe at base along the suture, which sometimes extending on the pronotum.
General appearance ovate, yellowish brown, sometimes With greenish tinge, elytra with a U-shaped black stripe.Head and clypeus fiat, smooth and impunctate, elytra strongly punctate-striate.The specimens studied here are similar to C. conspurcata Boheman, but it differs from the latter in having transparent disc of pronotum just above head being finely punctate and in its explanate margins without honeycomb structure as in C. conspurcata.
General appearance ovate, shining yellowish brown with several black spots on elytra, pronotum finely and confusedly punctate, elytra strongly punctate-striate.

SUMMARY
The present study deals with 25 species spread over 12 genera under 6 subfamilies.Two new species Longitarsus indicus and Phyl/otreta tripuraensis are described.The diagnostic characters of the subfamilies, genera and species, and their relationship and distribution are given.All the species, included in this paper, are being recorded for the first time from Tripura.
genus are generally oblong and shiny, antennae long and its segment 2 and 3 are always small.Prothorax usually broador than head and almost quadrate, often finely granulate and punctate, pre-basal impressions absent.Elytra almost parallel-sided, usually with stronger punctures than those of pronotum, and apical part with a few scattered setae.Front coxal cavities open behind.