Cryptocephalus fulvus (Goeze, 1777)
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Cryptocephalus > Cryptocephalus fulvus
Images
Source:
Roger Key
Source:
Malcolm Storey / BioImages
Source:
Lech Borowiec
Description
Size: 2-3mm
Basic colour: Yellowish
Pattern colour: No pattern as such, though see notes below. Narrowly dark suture.
Number of spots: May have darkened elytral shoulders.
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: Yellowish (sometimes brownish in dark specimens)
Leg colour: Yellow or orange-yellow
Confusion species: Cryptocephalus pusillus
Basic colour: Yellowish
Pattern colour: No pattern as such, though see notes below. Narrowly dark suture.
Number of spots: May have darkened elytral shoulders.
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: Yellowish (sometimes brownish in dark specimens)
Leg colour: Yellow or orange-yellow
Confusion species: Cryptocephalus pusillus
Biology
Status: Widespread in England and Wales.
Habitat: Various, mainly open habitats.
Host plant: Various, with the true host probably Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Overwintering: Unknown
Food: Adults feed on leaves of host plants; larvae also feed on buds.
Other notes: Very similar to C. pusillus, but antennal segments 4-10 less elongate with the final segment shorter than 0.17mm and shorter than the first segment. Punctures of elytral striae remain the same size towards the rear but are slightly finer around the sides than on top. May have darkened elytral shoulders. Femora with a small flange on the front upper edge at the apex, but this is hard to see. Sometimes, darker (brownish) specimens are found.
Habitat: Various, mainly open habitats.
Host plant: Various, with the true host probably Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Overwintering: Unknown
Food: Adults feed on leaves of host plants; larvae also feed on buds.
Other notes: Very similar to C. pusillus, but antennal segments 4-10 less elongate with the final segment shorter than 0.17mm and shorter than the first segment. Punctures of elytral striae remain the same size towards the rear but are slightly finer around the sides than on top. May have darkened elytral shoulders. Femora with a small flange on the front upper edge at the apex, but this is hard to see. Sometimes, darker (brownish) specimens are found.
Articles
Denton, J. & Dodd, S. (2011). Cryptocephalus fulvus Goeze (Chrysomelidae) associated with kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria in Norfolk. The Coleopterist 20(2): 71.
Denton, J.S. (1997). Cryptocephalus fulvus Goeze (Chrysomelidae) associated with Sheep's Sorrel. The Coleopterist 5(3): 87.
Allen, A.A. (1997). Foodplants of Cryptocephalus fulvus Goeze (Chrysomelidae). The Coleopterist 6(3): 109.