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In insects, morphological species identification is often challenging. The discrimination of closely related species may be hampered when only subtle differences in phenotypic characters or a continuum in their variability are present. This is exemplified in the Cryptocephalus flavipes species complex (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae) where, until now, the species have been discriminated only by the yellow pattern on frons, pronotum, and epipleurae. In the present study, the phylogeny of the C. flavipes species complex was resolved through a multi-locus sequence approach, and the inclusion in the group of the phenotypically similar Cryptocephalus quadripustulatus Gyllenhal, 1813 was evaluated. Subsequently, the C. flavipes species complex was used to test the usefulness of DNA-based approaches for species recognition and identification. All previously described morphospecies were recovered by means of species delimitation approaches. In addition, lineages of Cryptocephalus flavipes Fabricius, 1781 and Cryptocephalus bameuli Duhaldeborde, 1999, which have not evolved clear morphological differences, were found to form genetically well-isolated groups. A new taxon from Turkey was recognized as a separate lineage by DNA-based methods, and morphological diagnostic characters are reported. Through this study, new morphological diagnostic characters were discovered and the suitability of the meta-episternal shape in species discrimination was tested by a geometric morphometric approach.

An annotated inventory of 71 species and seven genera of Cryptocephalinae from the Krasnoyarsk Krai, Siberia, Russia is presented. Eighteen species are new records for Krasnoyarsk Krai: Clytra laeviuscula Ratzeburg, 1837; Labidostomis imitatrix Ogloblin and Medvedev, 1971; Labidostomis tridentata (Linnaeus, 1758); Smaragdina collaris (Fabricius, 1781); Smaragdina thoracica (Fischer von Valdheim, 1842); Cheilotoma musciformis (Goeze, 1777); Coptocephala rubicunda rossica Medvedev 1977; Cryptocephalus bameuli Duhaldeborde, 1999; Cryptocephalus biguttulatus Gebler, 1841; Cryptocephalus janthinus Germar, 1824; Cryptocephalus latimargo Medvedev, 1971; Cryptocephalus nitidus (Linnaeus, 1758); Cryptocephalus octopunctatus Scopoli, 1763; Cryptocephalus quadripustulatus Gyllenhal, 1813; Cryptocephalus frontalis Marsham, 1802; Cryptocephalus ocellatus Drapiez, 1819; Cryptocephalus pallifrons Gyllenhal, 1813, and Cryptocephalus pusillus Fabricius, 1777.

The first actual records of the leaf-beetle Cryptocephalus quadripustulatus Gyllenhal, 1813 in Latvia are reported and the general information on this species is presented.