A leaf-eating beetle has evolved a symbiotic relationship that allows the insect to break down pectin. The findings on the novel function of the bacterium, which has a surprisingly tiny genome -- much ...

The leaf beetle Spilopyra sumptuosa lives in the rainforests of eastern Australia. Its spectacular, colorful appearance is an example of the rich diversity of the large family of leaf beetles. The ...

With more than 50,000 described species, the leaf beetle family is distributed worldwide and represents about a quarter of the species diversity of all herbivores. Leaf beetles can be found to feed on ...

Diet played a key role in the evolution of the vast beetle family tree Lesley Evans Ogden, Knowable Magazine Caroline Chaboo’s eyes light up when she talks about tortoise beetles. Like gems, they ...

Scientists explored the evolutionary success of leaf beetles, the most diverse herbivores on Earth. They showed that symbioses with bacteria have evolved repeatedly and independently in different ...

A leaf-eating beetle has evolved a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that allows the insect to break down pectin -- part of a plant's cell wall that is indigestible to most animals. The journal ...