Species of Aulacoscelis Duponchel and Chevrolat (Chrysomelidae) and Nomotus Gorham (Languriidae) feed on fronds of Central American cycads

Observations in Costa Rica and Panama verify a previously hypothesized feed ing relationship between the enigmatic chrysomelid subfamily, Aulacoscelina e, and the "living fossil" Cycadophyta. Large populations of adult. Aulacos celis sp. and A. costaricensis Bechyne were observed feeding on Zamia fairc hildiana Gomez, a cycad native to lower Central America. Feeding was unchar acteristic of Chrysomelidae in that the mandibles were used to pierce the e pidermis thereby releasing liquids which alone were ingested, Both species of Aulacoscelis Duponchal and Chevrolat also fed opportunistically on frond s damaged by adult Languriidae and larval Eumaeus goddarti (Hubner) (Lepido ptera, Lycaenidae) and on E. goddarti pupal exudates. Aulocoscelinae and La nguriidae feeding was directed primarily at the first flush of cycad leaves produced at the beginning of the wet season-a pattern of adult beetle acti vity which collection records and observations indicate is widespread in Me xico and Central America.