Neochlamisus platani is a species in the leaf beetle genus Neochlamisus. This beetle feeds, mates, and oviposits on their host plant American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), where it prefers young trees.[2] Its common name is the sycamore leaf beetle for this reason.

Neochlamisus platani
Adults mating on the host plant Platanus occidentalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Chrysomelidae
Genus: Neochlamisus
Species:
N. platani
Binomial name
Neochlamisus platani
(Brown, 1952) [1]

The adult beetle is bronze to brown in color and about 3.5 to 4 millimeters in length.[2] Its exoskeleton is rough and bumpy, helping it to camouflage as a piece of bark or droppings. Both adults and larvae feed upon the foliage of the sycamore. Heavy infestations can begin to reduce the foliage mass of a tree, damaging its aesthetic value as an ornamental.

References

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  1. ^ "Neochlamisus platani". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. ^ a b "Sycamore/Neochlamisus platani - Bugwoodwiki". wiki.bugwood.org. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
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