D. Windsor et al., Species of Aulacoscelis Duponchel and Chevrolat (Chrysomelidae) and Nomotus Gorham (Languriidae) feed on fronds of Central American cycads, COLEOPTS B, 53(3), 1999, pp. 217-231
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.