Key to the Alabama Species of Kuschelina
Kuschelina concinna (Fabricius)
Kuschelina vians (Illiger)
Kuschelina discicollis (Crotch)
Kuschelina interjectionis (Crotch)
Kuschelina thoracica (Fabricius)
Kuschelina fimbriata (Forster)
Kuschelina gibbitarsa (Say)
Kuschelina petaurista (Fabricius)
Kuschelina miniata (Fabricius)
Kuschelina ulkei (Horn)
Kuschelina horni Harold
Kuschelina fallax (Melsheimer)
Kuschelina perplexa (Blake)*
Kuschelina floridana (Blake)*

Key to the Alabama Species of Kuschelina

1. Pronotum yellow or red-brown, sometimes spotted or fasciate, head dark or pale….. 2
    Pronotum entirely dark, head always dark….. K. concinna
2. Head dark, usually with pale markings on front….. 3
    Head pale, may have dark markings….. 6
3. Pronotum fasciate or spotted….. 4
    Pronotum immaculate, pale yellow….. K. interjectionis
4. Elytra entirely dark….. 5
    Elytra entirely pale yellow-brown or with vittae….. K. fimbriata
5. Elytra black with blue or green luster, feebly shining; abdomen black with yellow margin…..      K. vians
    Elytra very dull black; abdomen yellow with only faint median trace of yellow-brown….. K.      discicollis
6. Elytra not vittate….. 7
    Elytra vittate….. 9
7. Elytra dull, oblong oval….. 8
    Elytra brilliantly shining, green, blue, or purple….. K. gibbitarsa
8. Elytra with only margins pale, disc and remainder of elytra coompletely dark; head       yellow….. K. thoracica
     Elytra entirely yellow-brown, or with broad, piceous, median vitta nearly covering each       elytron; suture dark; head darker….. K. fimbriata
9. Elytra with 3 or 5 vittae….. 10
    Elytra with 2 vittae….. K. fimbriata
10. Elytra with 3 vittae or interrupted traces of an additional pair….. 11
      Elytra with 5 vittae (Fig. 30)….. K. petaurista
11. Elytra with paired medial and single sutural vitta "K. miniata complex"….. 12
      Elytra with paired submarginal vittae and single sutural vitta, maybe spots or interrupted       traces of medial vittae….. K. petaurista
12. Elytral dark vittae not conspicuously narrow, medial usually curving mesad at apex….. 13
      Elytral dark vittae narrow, usually red-brown, medial often interrupted and not curving       mesad at apex….. K. miniata
13. Small (4.7-6.7 mm.), elytra more coarsely and densely punctate….. 14
      Large (5.5-8.0 mm.), elytra smooth, shining, faintly and sparsely punctate….. K. floridana
14. Elytral vittae less wide, not as coarsely punctate as horni, alutaceous; venter deep         brown….. 15
       Elytral vittae wide, deep piceous, coarsely, densely punctate; venter and legs piceous….. K.        horni
15. Aedeagus with small fovea on ventral plate near apex….. 16
      Aedeagus without apical, ventral-plate fovea….. K. fallax
16. Elytra with dark vittae wide, sometimes apically confluent, finely, densely, punctate; 3rd       and 4th antennal segments subequal; ventral aedeagal fovea deep….. K. ulkei
      Elytra with dark vittae not so wide, coarsely punctate; 4th antennal segment longer than 3rd;       ventral aedeagal fovea shallow….. K. perplexa

Galleruca concinna Fabricius, 1801, Syst. Eleuth. I., p. 499.
     Elongate oval. Black, often with green or purple hues, especially the elytra. Venter black, abdomen margined with yellow. Frontal calli distinct on either side of a distinct median depression; frons dark red. Pronotum and elytra strongly alutaceous, pronotum finely punctate, but more coarsely so in the prebasal area. Length 6.0-7.7 mm. Width 2.8-4.0 mm.
     Alabama records: 12 specimens from Baldwin³, Mobile², Tuscaloosa³, and Wilcox¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: January 20, April-July.
     Remarks: Although Loding (75) recorded this species from Baldwin and Tuscaloosa counties, specimens from these localities are no longer in his collection.

Kuschelina vians (Illiger)

Haltica vians Illiger, 1807, Mag. Insektenk., 6: 83.
Haltica abdominalis Olivier, 1808, Entomol. . . . Coléoptères 6: 679.
Oedionychis scripticollis LeConte, 1860, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 12: 321.
Oedionychis vians badia Blake, 1927, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 70(23): 14 (var.).
     Elongate oval. Black with faint green or purple hues. Frontal calli prominent, frons with red median spot. Pronotum punctate; yellow with broad black fascia. Elytra alutaceous, basomedially punctate. Venter black, abdomen margined with yellow. Length 5.3-6.5 mm. Width 2.6-3.5 mm.
     Alabama records: 16 specimens from Cleburne¹, Houston¹, Lee¹, Marion¹, and Mobile^2,3 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: January 1-December 30.
     Remarks: Loding (75) noted that these beetles are "taken year round" in Mobile County. Closer investigations into the biology of this species and K. concinna may show that these forms are conspecific. Much of their morphology relates them.

Kuschelina discicollis (Crotch)

Oedionychis vians discicollis Crotch, 1873, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 25: 61 (var.).
     Oblong oval. Dull black, finely reticulate. Frons of head with red median area. Pronotum orange with borad black fascia. Elytra entirely dull, densely, finely punctate. Abdomen yellow, first 2 or 3 segments basally black. Length 8.1-8.9 mm. Width 4.2-4.9 mm.
     Alabama records: 3 specimens from Mobile^2,3 County.
     Seasonal distribution: April 7-15.
     Remarks: This species can usually be distinguished from the similar appearing K. vians by its larger size and much duller surface sculpture.

Kuschelina interjectionis (Crotch)

Oedionychis interjectionis Crotch, 1889, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 25: 61.
Oedionychis gracilis Jacoby, 1886, Biol. Ent. Amer., Coleopt. 6(1): 420.
     Elongate oblong. Shining, pale yellow. Vertex and occiput shining black. Elytra with irregular black sutural and marginal vittae connecting at apex and occasionally at apical declivity. Length 5.4-6.5 mm. Width 2.5-3.5 mm.
     Alabama records: 5 specimens from Mobile^2,3 County.
     Seasonal distribution: March-June 4.
     Remarks: "Tallow weed (Euphorbia antisyphilitica)" was reported by Blake (15) as a plant upon which adults and eggs had been taken.

Kuschelina thoracica (Fabricius)

Altica thoracica Fabricius, 1775, Syst. Entomol., p. 821.
Chrysomela flava Gmelin, 1790, Syst. I., pt. 4, p. 1691.
     Broadly oblong oval. Head orange, punctate, occiput impunctate and sometimes with black median spot. Prothorax orange, punctate, with 7 usually confluent piceous spots. Elytra black or blue-black, punctate, lateral margins orange from base to about half. Venter and femora orange, tibiae and tarsi black. Length 6.1-8.4 mm. Width 3.3-4.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 16 specimens from Lee¹, Macon¹, and Mobile^2,3 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: January 14, April 8-July 16.

Kuschelina fimbriata (Forster)

Chrysomela fimbriata Forster, 1781, Nov. Spec. Ins., p. 25.
Altica suturella Say, 1826, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 5: 299.
Oedionychis circumcincta Crotch, 1873, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 25: 62.
     Elongate. Head alutaceous, coarsely punctate; clypeus yellow, frons and occiput orange varying to black. Pronotum punctate, yellow or orange with 5 brown or black maculae, frequently lateral pairs confluent or occasionally all 5 spots merging. Scutellum and suture of elytra black, elytra densely punctate and otherwise entirely yellow or yellow with broad medial fasciae and narrow lateral margins black. Venter dark brown-yellow. Length 5.8-8.4 mm. Width 3.2-4.4 mm.
     Alabama records: 32 specimens from Lee¹ and Mobile^1,2,3 counties.
Seasonal distribution: March 17-August 18.
     Remarks: The lighter non-vittate form is more common among the specimens seen.

Kuschelina gibbitarsa Say

Altica gibbitarsa Say, 1824, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 83.
     Oval, moderately convex, strongly shining. Head, venter, and prothorax yellow, pronotum with 4 black spots, median 2 confluent as short transverse fascia, lateral 2 sometimes obsolescent. Elytra shining green, closely finely punctate. Length 5.4-6.3 mm. Width 3.2-3.9 mm.
     Alabama records: Mobile^2,3 and Tuscaloosa² counties.
     Seasonal distribution: February 11-June 19.
     Remarks: Species of mints have been reported as host for this beetle (15).

Kuschelina petaurista Fabricius (Fig. 30)

Galleruca petaurista Fabricius, 1801, Syst. Eleuth., I., p. 495.
Oedionychis petaurista brevilineata Horn, Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 16: 186 (var.).
Oedionychis petaurista pallida Blake, 1927, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 70(23): 23 (var.)
     Broadly oval. Head red-brown, coarsely punctate, antennae brown-black. Pronotum punctate, yellow with brown or black transverse fascia, posterior margin of which is bisinuate, paralleling base; anterior margin transverse medially and with oblique lateral edges. Elytra yellow, closely punctate, with 5 black vittae, sutural and marginal sometimes connected at apex. Length 6.3-8.8 mm. Width 3.7-5.3 mm.
     Alabama records: 23 specimens from Baldwin¹, Choctaw¹, Jefferson², Lawrence¹, Lee¹, Macon¹, Mobile², Tallapoosa¹, and Winston¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: March 28-August 1.
     Remarks: Loding's collection contains 4 specimens which have pronotal and elytral markings of a variety noted by Blake (15) for specimens from Texas and Oklahoma. Perhaps this form represents an undescribed subspecies. In it the posterior oblique margins of the pronotal spots converge and the medial elytral fascia are either absent or obsolescent.

Kuschelina miniata (Fabricius)

Galleruca miniata Fabricius, 1801, Syst. Eleuth. I., p. 495.
Oedionychis jocosa Harold, 1876, Col. Heft., 15: 124.
     Oblong oval. Head red-brown, alutaceous, coarsely punctate, antennae with margins 3rd segment shorter than 4th. Pronotum alutaceous, moderately closely finely punctate; pale dirty yellow with an irregular brown fascia. Elytra evenly, but not strongly convex; moderately shining, closely punctate; dirty yellow-brown with dark red-brown narrow sutural and median vittae, median vittae not greatly curving mesad at apex, sutural vittae usually very narrow or even obsolete. Venter dark red-brown. Aedeagus 1.7 mm., its proximal end asymmetrical, ejaculatory guide W-shaped, medial section of this plate narrow, lateral plates very gradually tapering distad, ventral plate evenly convex at apex, without fovea. Length 4.7-6.0 mm. Width 2.8-3.9 mm.
     Alabama records: 30 specimens from Baldwin¹, Lee¹, and Mobile^2,3 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: June 8-September 20.
     Remarks: Loding (75) collected these beetles on Hypericum setosum. The senior author collected a series of these beetles in Baldwin County on palmetto, Sabal sp.
     This species is one of a complex in which the component units are among the most difficult to determine of the North American chrysomelid fauna. Examination of the aedeagi is probably the most accurate method of identification. Blake (21) remarked concerning the recognition of miniata: "This is distinguished mainly by the median elytral vitta which is straight, narrow, and not curved at the apex toward the suture as it is in others of the group. Usually the markings are paler also, being reddish-brown, and the beetle is smaller and not very convex."

Kuschelina ulkei (Horn)

Oedionychis ulkei Horn, 1889, Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 16: 188.
     Oblong oval, convex, shining. Head red-brown, alutaceous, coarsely punctate; antennal 3rd and 4th segments subequal in length. Prothorax feebly alutaceous, yellow with red-brown fascia, finely and moderately densely punctate. Elytra closely punctate, yellow with brown sutural and medial vittae wider than lighter vittae. Venter and legs dark red-brown. Aedeagus 1.6 mm. long, broad with proximal end only very slightly asymmetrical, apex rather sharply tapered to point, ventral plate with deep fovea. Length 5.3-6.0 mm. Width 3.2-3.5 mm.
     Alabama records: 2 specimens from Mobile^2,3 County.
     Seasonal distribution: June 12-July 24.
     Remarks: Blake (21) recorded that Loding took this species from Hypericum setosum at Mobile. These specimens were not seen among the Loding collection and may have been retained by Mrs. Blake for the National Collection.
     Concerning the recognition of this species, Blake (21) said: "The oval convex shape, fine punctation, wide dark elytral vittae, and the subequal 3rd and 4th antennal joints distinguish this species. It seems to be confined to the southeastern states."

Kuschelina horni Harold

Oedionychis horni Harold, 1881, Berliner Entomol. Zeit. p. 142.
     Broadly oval, slightly convex, shining, not alutaceous. Head red-brown, coarsely punctate. Pronotum yellow with red-brown fascia, in some beetles this fascia is black medially. Elytra shining, closely, deeply punctate; yellow with wide black sutural and medial vittae, medial vittae meeting sutural at apex in some specimens. Venter and legs deep red-brown to piceous. Aedeagus 1.7 mm. long, much resembling that of K. miniata, proximal end subsymmetrical, ejaculatory guide W-shaped, medial section of this plate slightly wider than that of K. miniata, lateral plates very gradually tapering distad, ventral plate evenly convex at spex, without fovea. Length 4.9-6.7 mm. Width 3.3-4.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 40 specimens from Chambers³, Cleburne¹, Etowah³, Madison¹, and Mobile^1,2,3 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: April 1-September 22.
     Remarks: Specimens from Mobile County collected by Loding bear a label indicating their host as Dasystoma bignoniiflora. We have taken a single specimen from Aureolaria sp. upon which it may only have been resting. Localities in Etowah and Chambers counties were recorded by Blake (21), but material from these plants was not seen, it most likely being retained in the USNM.
     This species is one of the "miniata complex" which needs more investigation before the true relationships between it and its relatives are known. Mrs. Blake (21) distinguished K. horni as follows: "The coarse, dense punctation and broad dark elytral vittae as well as the flatness of the beetle differentiate this species from the others. In addition, the surface is shining and not at all alutaceous."

Kuschelina fallax (Melsheimer)

Oedionychis fallax Melsheimer, 1847, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 3: 162.
     Oblong oval, moderately convex. Head shining, red-brown, coarsely punctate. Prothorax light yellow with irregular red-brown fascia, slightly alutaceous, finely punctate; yellow with black sutural and median fascia; sometimes faint indications of narrow brown fasciae in the yellow vittae (remnants of red stripes of living beetles). Dark vittae usually as wide as or wider than yellow, median turning mesad toward suture at apex. Venter dark red-brown, tibiae and tarsi piceous. Aedeagus 1.8 mm. long, proximal opening to penis narrow on ventral surface, ejaculatory guides deeply, acutely emarginate, ventral plate gradually tapering to short tip, rounded at apex, not foveate. Length 4.9-5.8 mm. Width 2.8-3.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 6 specimens from Lee¹ and Mobile^1,2,3 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: April 1-October 1.
     Remarks: Only males from which the aedeagi were examined were positively identified. Females of this species may be in the Auburn collection but they are not distinguishable from females of the other species of the "miniata complex."
     Blake (21) remarked concerning the recognition of this species: "All have rather convex elytra and remnants of the orange red stripe in the pale vitta. In all, the median dark vitta is as wide if not wider than the pale one, and the elytral punctation is coarse and dense."

Kuschelina perplexa (Blake)*

Oedionychus perplexus Blake, 1952, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 56:
     Oblong oval, shining. Head red-brown; sparsely coarsely punctate. Pronotum shining, finely, sparsely punctate; yellow with irregular red-brown fascia. Elytra shining, closely punctate; yellow with sutural and median vittae, dark median vitta usually not as wide as yellow vitta and yellow sometimes with faint brown indication of red narrow vittae of living specimens. Venter and legs red-brown; tibiae and tarsi darker. Aedeagus 1.8 mm. long, both proximal and distal ends tapering, sides of penis subparallel, ejaculatory guide apically bifurcate, ventral plate shallowly foveate. Length 4.7-5.3 mm. Width 2.8-3.4 mm.
     Alabama records: 4 specimens from Dallas¹, Lee¹, Mobile², and Tallapoosa¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: July 10-October.
     Remarks: We have been able to identify only males, this species also being a member of the "miniata complex."
     Mrs. Blake (21) remarked of it: "This species has never been recognized as distinct from miniatus. It differs from miniatus in that the narrow median elytral vitta curves toward the suture at the apex and the aedeagus has a little hallowed out spot on the ventral side and is acutely tipped below."

Kuschelina floridana (Blake)*

Oedionychus floridanus Blake, 1952, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 56:
     Oblong oval, moderately convex. Head mahogany brown, shining, with few deep punctures near the eyes. Antennae black, 3rd segment shorter than 4th. Pronotum impunctate, faintly alutaceous, shining, dirty yellow-brown with obscure darker fascia. Elytra dirty yellow with black sutural and median vittae, latter not wider than light vittae, shining, finely to moderately punctate. Venter and legs mahogany brown. Aedeagus 2.5 mm. long; base asymmetrical, right basal side shorter; ejaculatory guide bifurcate at base, narrow at basal 1/3, then broadening toward apex, apex of guide truncate and 1/2 wider than base of guide. Length 5.8-7.7 mm. Width 3.9-4.9 mm.
     Alabama records: 43 specimens from Mobile^1,2 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: April 1-August 20.
     Remarks: The present study material indicates that K. weismani (type locality North Carolina) and K. floridana are possibly conspecific. The distal end of the aedeagal ejaculatory guide of Alabama specimens, which we are calling K. floridana, is more nearly like that of Florida specimens of K. floridana, but the proximal portion of the ejaculatory guideresembles the bifurcate form of those of K. weismani. Alabama specimens are likewise intermediate in size and coarseness of punctation between those 2 species. New synonymy is not proposed here but further investigations should be made.