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Rhembastus

{{Short description|Genus of leaf beetles}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Rhembastus variabilis Harold, 1877 (17051191521).png

| image_caption = Rhembastus variabilis

| taxon = Rhembastus

| display_parents = 2

| authority = Harold, 1877{{cite journal|last=Harold|first=E. von|year=1877|title=Coleopterorum species novae|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12654717|journal=Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Vereins|volume=1|pages=97–111}}

| type_species = Rhembastus variabilis

| type_species_authority = Harold, 1877{{cite journal|first=B. J.|last=Selman|year=1965|title=A revision of the Nodini and a key to the genera of Eumolpidae of Africa (Coleoptera: Eumolpidae)|url=https://archive.org/download/biostor-86049/biostor-86049.pdf|journal=Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology|volume=16|issue=3|pages=141–174|doi=10.5962/bhl.part.21864}}

| synonyms = Rhambastus Pic, 1939{{cite journal|last=Pic|first=M.|year=1939|title=Coléoptères Phytophages d'Angola|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43714260|journal=Revue suisse de Zoologie|volume=46|issue=4|pages=115–142}}

}}

Rhembastus is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae, native to Africa. Whilst the taxonomy of the genus is disputed, the genus has been suggested as a biological control agent for Bryophyllum delagoense in Australia.{{cite journal |author1=Witt, A. B. R. |author2=McConnachie, A. J. |author3=Palmer, W. A. |author4=Grobbelaar, E. |date=2006 |title=Distribution, biology and host range of Rhembastus sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a candidate for the biological control of Bryophyllum delagoense (Crassulaceae) in Australia |journal=Biocontrol Science and Technology |volume=16 |issue=8 |pages=859–869 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248963413|doi=10.1080/09583150600827819|s2cid=85773533 }}

Taxonomy

The genus was first identified by the German entomologist Edgar von Harold in 1877 from species in Madagascar, Nyassa and Port Natal. By 1914, 18 different species had already been recorded from Madagascar. In 1965, Brian J. Selman reduced the size of the genus by 45 species, transferring them to other genera such as Paraivongius, Massartia and Sarum. He also suggested that a revision of the Eumolpinae of Madagascar would produce a complete generic separation of the Madagascan and African species.

In 2006, it was suggested that a full revision of the genus is necessary.

Species

Species from Africa:

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Species from Madagascar:

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Species moved to Paraivongius:{{cite journal|last=Zoia|first=S.|year=2019|title=Nomenclature changes in African Eumolpinae with reference to type specimens preserved in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)|journal=Annales de la Société Entomologique de France |series=Nouvelle Série|volume=55|issue=1|pages=61–86|doi=10.1080/00379271.2018.1556119|s2cid=155689938}}

  • Rhembastus inapicalis Pic, 1940

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.chrysomelidae.it/afr_Eum/genere_Rhembastus.html List of Rhembastus species]

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Category:Chrysomelidae genera

Category:Eumolpinae

Category:Beetles of Africa

Category:Taxa named by Edgar von Harold