Architecture, construction, retention, and repair of faecal shields in three tribes of tortoise beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae: Cassidini, Mesomphaliini, Spilophorini).

Animal constructions are the outcomes of complex evolutionary, behavioural, and ecological forces. A brief review of diverse animal builders, the materials used, and the functions they provide their builders is provided to develop approaches to studying faecal-based constructions and faecal-carrying in leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Field studies, rearing, dissections, photography, and films document shields constructed by larvae in two species in two tribes of the subfamily Cassidinae, (Spaeth, 1919) (Spilophorini), and Boheman, 1853 (Cassidini).

Orb-web spider Argiope (Araneidae) as indigenous arrow poison of G/ui and G//ana San hunters in the Kalahari.

Hunting has been crucial in early human evolution. Some San (Bushmen) of southern Africa still practice their indigenous hunting. The use of poisons is one remarkable aspect of their bow-and-arrow hunting but the sources, taxonomic identifications of species used, and recipes, are not well documented.

Morphology of the pupae of Physonota humilis Boheman and Physonota stigmatilis Boheman (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Ischyrosonychini).

Pupal morphology has been described for 11 species in six genera of the Neotropical tortoise beetle tribe, Ischyrosonychini Chapuis, 1875. This life stage may offer valuable phylogenetic information but more pupae need to be documented. The pupae of Physonota humilis Boheman, 1856 and P.

Natural history of Platypria (Platypria) hystrix (Fabricius, 1798) on Fabaceae host plants, with notes on other species in India (Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Hispini).

The leaf-beetle genus Guérin-Méneville, 1840 comprises two subgenera and 34 species (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Hispini). Host plants are documented for eight species and indicate mostly perennial species of Fabaceae and Rhamnaceae. Larvae and pupae have been documented for two species.

Revision of Ogdoecosta Spaeth 1909 with description of Ogdoecosta paraflavomaculata López-Pérez, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Mesomphaliini).

The tortoise beetle genus Ogdoecosta Spaeth 1909 is revised and an illustrated key to 12 species is provided, based on a morphological analysis of all species. All the known species are redescribed and one new species, Ogdoecosta paraflavomaculata López-Pérez sp. nov.

Natural history of Javeta pallida Baly, 1858 on Phoenix palms in India (Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Coelaenomenoderini).

Members of the Old World hispine tribe, Coelaenomenoderini, are documented on host plants of Arecaceae, Cyperaceae, and Zingiberales. A few species are renowned pests of oil palm, especially in Africa. The host plants and natural history of Javeta pallida Baly, 1858, the only Indian species of the tribe, is reported for the first time.

Beetle and plant arrow poisons of the Ju|'hoan and Hai||om San peoples of Namibia (Insecta, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae; Plantae, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Burseraceae).

The use of archery to hunt appears relatively late in human history. It is poorly understood but the application of poisons to arrows to increase lethality must have occurred shortly after developing bow hunting methods; these early multi-stage transitions represent cognitive shifts in human evolution. This paper is a synthesis of widely-scattered literature in anthropology, entomology, and chemistry, dealing with San ("Bushmen") arrow poisons.

Leaf beetles are ant-nest beetles: the curious life of the juvenile stages of case-bearers (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae).

Although some species of Cryptocephalinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) have been documented with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for almost 200 years, information on this association is fragmentary. This contribution synthesizes extant literature and analysizes the data for biological patterns. Myrmecophily is more common in the tribe Clytrini than in Cryptocephalini, but not documented for Fulcidacini or the closely-related Lamprosomatinae.

Phytotelmatrichis, a new genus of Acrotrichinae (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) associated with the phytotelmata of Zingiberales plants in Peru.

Phytotelmatrichis, gen. n. a new genus of Ptiliidae: Acrotrichinae with two species Phytotelmatrichis peruviensis sp.

New distribution records for Cassidinae gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Range extensions are provided for four Neotropical tortoise beetle species. A new host plant for a potentially new species of Delocrania Guérin-Méneville is also provided.

A revision and phylogenetic analysis of Stoiba Spaeth 1909 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae).

Stoiba Spaeth, 1909 is revised with a phylogenetic analysis of 38 adult morphological characters for nine Stoiba species and 11 outgroup species (Mesomphaliini, Ischyrosonychini, and Hemisphaerotini). Four Cuban species of Stoiba were not sampled. Parsimony analysis located the four most parsimonious trees.

Biology of Blepharida-group flea beetles with first notes on natural history of Podontia congregata Baly, 1865 an endemic flea beetle from southern India (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini).

The biology, host plants, and pest status of Podontia Dalman, 1824 species are reviewed. Natural history of Podontia congregata Baly, 1865 a flea beetle endemic to southern India, is reported for the first time. It is distributed from the Western Ghats Mountains westward to the plains.

Maternally inherited architecture in tertiary leaf beetles: paleoichnology of cryptocephaline fecal cases in Dominican and Baltic amber.

Complex ethological adaptations and intraspecific interactions leave few fossil traces. We document three Dominican (20 million years old [myo]) and Baltic (45 myo) amber fossils that exhibit firm evidence of highly integrated interactions between mothers and offspring in the diverse camptosomate lineage of beetles (Chrysomelidae, leaf beetles). As in contemporary species, these hard cases were initially constructed by mothers, then inherited and retained by offspring, which then elaborate this protective domicile with an unusual but economical building material, their feces.