The phylogeny of the Chrysomeloidea is re-assessed, with data from recently
described larvae of three chrysomeloid taxa. Cladistic analyses were performed
on 19 subfamilies and tribes with 56 informative characters. The tribe
Megascelidini is shown to be correctly placed in Eumolpinae and the subfamily
Aulacoscelidinae in Orsodacnidae, but Spilopyra and
associated genera are the probable monophyletic sister-taxon of (Eumolpinae
+ (Lamprosomatinae + Cryptocephalinae)) and are therefore elevated
to subfamily: Spilopyrinae Chapuis (= Stenomelini Chapuis, syn. nov.
= Hornibiinae Crowson, syn. nov.). The genera included in Spilopyrinae
are: Bohumiljania Monrós,
Cheiloxena Baly, Hornius
Fairmaire, Macrolema Baly,
Richmondia Jacoby, Spilopyra Baly
and Stenomela Blanchard. Adults and larvae of
Spilopyrinae are described and a key given for the genera. The status of
several genera formerly placed in association with members of the Spilopyrinae
is reviewed. The subfamily Spilopyrinae has a southern trans-Pacific
distribution, in Chile, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Australia, indicating an
origin before the late Cretaceous break-up of Gondwana. The species feed on
Sapindaceae (Spilopyra), Nothofagaceae
(Hornius) and Myrtaceae
(Cheiloxena, Stenomela). New keys
are provided to the adults and larvae of the subfamilies of Chrysomeloidea.