Rhembastus


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.

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:Rhembastus apicalis Pic, 1940Rhembastus apicicollis Burgeon, 1941Rhembastus atripennis Pic, 1939Rhembastus atriventris Pic, 1939Rhembastus benuensis Weise, 1907Rhembastus bipunctatus Selman, 1972Rhembastus brevicornis Rhembastus collaris Rhembastus crampeli Pic, 1952Rhembastus crassus Burgeon, 1941Rhembastus discoidalis Pic, 1939Rhembastus diversicolor Pic, 1939Rhembastus flavidus Lefèvre, 1890Rhembastus impressicostatus Pic, 1940Rhembastus laticollis Burgeon, 1942Rhembastus maculatus Rhembastus mandolloides Selman, 1972Rhembastus mechowi Rhembastus melanostictus Fairmaire, 1886Rhembastus metalliconotatus Pic, 1939Rhembastus natalensis Rhembastus niger Burgeon, 1941Rhembastus perarmatus Burgeon, 1941Rhembastus piceus Zoia, 2017Rhembastus punctatosulcatus Fairmaire, 1887Rhembastus remaudierei Jolivet, 1953Rhembastus ruficolor Pic, 1941Rhembastus rufiventris Pic, 1953Rhembastus rufocinctus Pic, 1939Rhembastus rufofasciatus Pic, 1952Rhembastus rufohumeralis Pic, 1939Rhembastus semiviolaceus Pic, 1952Rhembastus simoni Rhembastus striatipennis Lefèvre, 1891Rhembastus testaceoapicalis Pic, 1939Rhembastus usambaricus Weise, 1907Rhembastus variabilis Harold, 1877Rhembastus xanthocnemis Weise, 1907
Species from Madagascar:Rhembastus abbreviatus Rhembastus ambohibyensis Bechyné, 1960Rhembastus ampanefenae Bechyné, 1953Rhembastus androyensis Bechyné, 1956Rhembastus antennatus Jacoby, 1892Rhembastus antsirabensis Bechyné, 1954Rhembastus apicicornis Jacoby, 1897Rhembastus asuefactus Bechyné, 1950Rhembastus atomarius Rhembastus attelaboides Rhembastus augur Bechyné, 1947Rhembastus caeruleipennis Jacoby, 1901Rhembastus centralis Bechyné, 1956Rhembastus chatanayi Bechyné, 1960Rhembastus circumductus Bechyné, 1953Rhembastus colasi Bechyné, 1956Rhembastus congener Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus coquillati Bechyné, 1947Rhembastus costulifer Bechyné, 1947Rhembastus dimidiaticornis Jacoby, 1892Rhembastus dissutus Bechyné, 1951Rhembastus felicitarius Bechyné, 1956Rhembastus flavotibialis Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus fulvipennis Rhembastus geniculatus Harold, 1877Rhembastus gibbifer Bechyné, 1956Rhembastus gracilipes Bechyné, 1960Rhembastus hereditarius Bechyné, 1947Rhembastus hoberlandti Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus hovus Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus humerosus Weise, 1910Rhembastus imitans Jacoby, 1897Rhembastus jacobyi Weise, 1910Rhembastus janthinipennis Rhembastus jeanneli Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus joliveti Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus lambertoni Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus lebisi Bechyné, 1946Rhembastus lepidus Weise, 1910Rhembastus madagascariensis Rhembastus mandritsarensis Bechyné, 1951
Species moved to Paraivongius:Rhembastus inapicalis Pic, 1940