identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
84238795FFC1C872AB96F9BDFBDCE701.text	84238795FFC1C872AB96F9BDFBDCE701.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn 1897)	<div><p>Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1897)</p><p>The identification of Trachymela sloanei was confirmed using the original taxonomic key provided by Blackburn (1897), and further comparisons with descriptions from Sánchez et al. (2015), Reid (2006), and Gastouniotis et al. (2023). The species exhibits a distinct external morphology that clearly differentiates it from native Chrysomelinae known in Algeria.</p><p>Trachymela sloanei adults (6–8 mm) display a hemispherical brownish-red body mottled with irregular black spots (Fig. 2) and often covered with a removable white waxy layer. The elytra reveal reddish hues under certain light angles, which are characteristic features of this species. Another diagnostic morphological trait includes the presence of a row of fine hairs on the distal half of the meso- and metatibiae (Zhang et al. 2020, Gastouniotis et al. 2023). The ventral side of the terminal tarsomeres bears dense golden setae (Fig. 2).</p><p>All specimens of Trachymela sloanei were collected from a small urban park in Annaba hosting seven Eucalyptus trees. Each tree exhibited clear signs of foliar damage consistent with T. sloanei feeding activity. Adult beetles were primarily observed on the foliage during nighttime surveys and occasionally during the day, particularly under conditions of elevated temperature and humidity. The presence of damaged leaves on all seven trees throughout the site indicates that the species has established a stable and likely expanding population in the area. While the current level of defoliation does not appear to threaten tree survival, ongoing monitoring will be necessary to assess long-term impacts on tree health and to determine whether the beetle will spread to other Eucalyptus stands in Algeria (Fig. 3).</p><p>Ethology and Habitat</p><p>Trachymela sloanei adults and larvae were observed feeding actively on the leaves and young shoots of Eucalyptus camaldulensis . Feeding damage was characterized by irregular notches and semicircular holes along leaf margins, often leaving the central midvein intact. Both lightly and heavily defoliated trees were recorded at the sampling site. These symptoms are consistent with observations reported from other invaded regions, including Europe, South America, and Asia (Sánchez et al. 2015, Villablanca &amp; Villablanca-Miranda 2022, Gastouniotis et al. 2023, Pérez-Gómez et al. 2022, Zhang et al., 2020).</p><p>Females lay 5 to over 40 eggs either on the underside of leaves or beneath loose bark. The larval stages, ranging from dark green to reddish brown, develop through four instars before pupating under bark or in the litter layer near the host tree. This beetle is multivoltine, capable of completing several generations per year; under favorable conditions (e.g., in California), development from egg to adult can take as little as five weeks (EPPO 2024).</p><p>Although T. sloanei is primarily associated with Eucalyptus, it has been reported to persist in diverse habitats and may survive short periods in the absence of host plants, indicating a capacity for broad dispersal (Pérez-Gómez et al. 2022). Adults can fly, but dispersal over long distances is likely facilitated by human activities such as trade or plant transport (EPPO 2024). Previous studies have highlighted its cryptic behavior both adults and larvae tend to hide under bark or within foliage during the day, making early detection challenging (Bain 2001, Sánchez et al. 2015).</p><p>Although no direct tree mortality has been documented, repeated defoliation caused by heavy infestations is known to stress trees and may impair growth, especially in industrial or ornamental Eucalyptus plantations. As observed in New Zealand, the beetle caused extensive damage before populations were naturally regulated by local parasitoids or predators (Bain 2001). At the regional level, T. sloanei adds to a growing list of invasive Eucalyptus pests in the EPPO region, including Phoracantha spp. ( Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Ophelimus maskelli (Ashmead, 1900) and Leptocybe invasa Fisher &amp; La Salle, 2004 ( Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero &amp; Dellapé, 2006 ( Hemiptera, Thaumastocoridae), and others (EPPO 2024).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/84238795FFC1C872AB96F9BDFBDCE701	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Hadiby, Rached;Boukheroufa, Mehdi;Vitali, Francesco;Sakraoui, Feriel;Frih, Abdelaziz;Benhacene, Racha;Benotmane, Kamelia Hesni;Adjami, Yasmine	Hadiby, Rached, Boukheroufa, Mehdi, Vitali, Francesco, Sakraoui, Feriel, Frih, Abdelaziz, Benhacene, Racha, Benotmane, Kamelia Hesni, Adjami, Yasmine (2025): First report of the invasive Australian tortoise beetle Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1897) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Algeria. Zootaxa 5725 (3): 438-444, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5725.3.7, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5725.3.7
