Sphaeroderma placidum Harold, 1877

Kato, Makoto & Imada, Yume, 2025, Diversity and host plant utilization of leaf-mining beetles of Chrysomeloidea (Coleoptera) in Japan, ZooKeys 1238, pp. 209-268 : 209-268

Sphaeroderma placidum Harold, 1877

Fig. 15 A – G

Host plant.

Ranunculaceae : Clematis apiifolia .

Leaf mine.

Black upper-layer blotch mine on mature leaf. Frass is granular scattered along larval trajectory at young instars, and accumulated in a discoid area in a center of the mine in old instars. The mining larva is found from late autumn to early winter. The fully grown larva exits the mined leaf in early winter, falls to the ground, and pupates underground. The pupa hibernates under the ground, and the adult emerges the next spring.

Material examined.

• 3 adults, Shoji Lake , Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi Pref., 24-XI-2018 (as larva on Clematis apiifolia ), emerged on 10-V-2019 (Fig. 15 A – D ) ; • 2 adults, Kisofukushima , Kiso, Nagano Pref., 24-X-1999 (as larva on Clematis apiifolia ), emerged on 22-V-2000 ; 11 adults and several leaf mines, Fukasawa , Gotenba, Shizuoka Pref., 29-VI-2014 on Clematis apiifolia ; • 1 adult and several leaf mines on Clematis apiifolia , Ashiu , Nantan, Kyôto Pref., 13-IX-1993 (Fig. 15 E – G ) .

Figures

Figure 15. Adult morphology, behavior, and leaf mines of Clematis - associated and Cimicifuga - associated Sphaeroderma species A – G S. placidum H – L S. unicolor M – R S. uenoi S – Z S. ohkuboi A, E, H, J, M, S, Y adult habitus in dorsal view F, N ventral view B, F, I, O Frontal view of head K, P, T adult feeding behavior C, D, G, L, Q, R, U – X, Z leaf mines. Host plants A – D Clematis apiifolia at Shyôji Lake, Yamanashi Pref. E – G Clematis apiifolia at Ashiu, Kyôto Pref. H, I Clematis terniflora at Obama, Fukui Prefecture J – L Clematis terniflora at Iya, Tokushima Prefecture M – Q Clematis terniflora at Kizu-gawa, Kyôto Pref. R Clematis terniflora at Iwakura, Kyôto Pref. S – X Cimicifuga japonica at Mt. Nakatsu-myôjin, Kôchi Pref. Y, Z Cimicifuga simplex at Shirahone-onsen, Nagano Pref.