Chaetocnema aerosa (Letzner, 1847)

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Chaetocnema
  • Chaetocnema aerosa

Description

Size: 1.6-2.2mm
Basic colour: Brassy-bronze or dark green, almost black
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour

Palaearctic.

Biology

Status: Very few records, possibly extinct (if not, then very rare) but specimens should be sought in suitable habitat containing the host plant.
RDB Category: Insufficiently Known (RDBK)
Habitat: Fens, marshes and other wet places where the host plant grows.
Host plant: Spike-rushes (Eleocharis spp.)
Overwintering: Unknown
Food: Presumably leaves of host plants
Other notes: Adults show adaptations to semi-aquatic life e.g. synchronised front & middle legs allow skating on the surface film, and they have the ability to trap an air bubble beneath the head and thorax.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map