Research project: Systematics of Australian leaf-beetles (Chrysomelinae)

Dates

Start date:
2004

Museum investigators

External investigators

  • Jose Jurado, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain
  • Gunter Maywald, University of Queensland

Description

This project is part of a long term interest in the systematics and evolutionary history of leaf-beetles. The Chrysomelinae are particularly diverse in Australia, with approximately 25% of genera and species. Adults and larvae eat the leaves of a great diversity of plants, and some species show interesting behaviour such as collaborative defence in larvae or maternal care.

My collaborators are PhD students working on different aspects of the group, including overall evolutionary history and a detailed study of speciation in one common genus with 85 species.


Dr Chris Reid , Research Scientist
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