This species is uncommon, but has been found on a wide range of Passiflora subgenus Decaloba species, including P. biflora, P. lobata, P. arbelaezii and P. costaricensis. The latter two species are highly cyanogenic, suggesting that M. chontalensis may be more tolerant of HCN release than many other flea beetles. Alternately, it may possess some other mechanism to neutralize and prevent HCN release. This species may be very long-lived. I collected 2 adults from the wild on 2 December, 2013, and at least one is still alive in an isolation cage (with a potted P. biflora) 83 days later!

Like M. violacea, this species is readily recognizable in museum collections by the shiny black band across the abdomen, even when the red coloration is lost.

I have not found eggs or larvae of this species.