Host relationships between insects and plants are one of the major factor driving evolutionary diversification within terrestrial ecosystems. Beetles (Coleoptera) are the most diverse and species-rich group of insects, and a robust, time-calibrated phylogeny is fundamental to understanding macroevolutionary processes that underlie their diversity. Recently, many studies have been carried out about the relationships among those taxa according to the attention on co-evolution of phytophagous insects and their hosts, however, most of them focused on special taxa (family or genus level) of insects. In this presentation, we especially reviewed current trends of studies on interactions between coleopteran insects and host plant in the world and Korea for proposals of future studies.

New somatic chromosome numbers and karyotype analyses of 33 medicinal herbs (30 genera, 23 families) in Korea were investigated. The chromosome numbers of 4 taxa, Euryale ferox, Rodgersia podophylla, Cirsium japonicum var. ussurience, Eehinops setifer, showed results that are different from previous reports. Among 33 taxa, 23 taxa were reported for the first time, and karyotype analyses were newly conducted for 2 taxa (Tiarella polyphylla, Crepidiastrum denticulatum) in Korea. In addition, we observed for the first time the new chromosome numbers for 4 taxa distributed evenly over the world (Lindera erythrocarpa, Corylopsis glabrescens var. gotoana, Ardisia crenata, Callicarpa japonica var. luxurians).