Mniophila, STEPHENS, 1831

Damaška, Albert František, Konstantinov, Alexander & Fikáček, Martin, 2022, Multiple origins of moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): molecular phylogeny, overview of genera and a new genus from Africa, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 196, pp. 647-676 : 665

MNIOPHILA STEPHENS, 1831

( FIG. 6 )

Type species: Haltica muscorum Koch, 1803 .

Synonymy: This genus has no generic synonyms.

Phylogenetic position: Our Bayesian analysis revealed Mniophila as a sister-group to Pentamesa in the Pentamesa group. This result corresponds with Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses in DamaŠka et al. (2021). The maximum likelihood analysis performed here reveals Mniophila as a sister to the leaf-litter-inhabiting Patagonian Aulonodera with a low support (BS = 32), which we consider as less probable.

Diversity and distribution: Four species are known so far. The genus is distributed in Europe and adjacent areas around the Black Sea coast. Differences between the species are subtle and molecular treatment seems necessary to reveal the species status of various populations.

Figures

Figure 6. Moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera distributed in Europe. A, Minota obesa; B, Mniophila muscorum; C, Mniophilosoma laeve.