Biology:Hemisphaerota cyanea

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Short description: Species of beetle

Hemisphaerota cyanea
Hemisphaerota cyanea Florida Tortoise Beetle.png
In Brevard County, Florida
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Chrysomelidae
Tribe: Hemisphaerotini
Genus: Hemisphaerota
Species:
H. cyanea
Binomial name
Hemisphaerota cyanea
(Say, 1824)
Synonyms[1]

Imatidium cyaneum Say, 1824

Hemisphaerota cyanea, known generally as palmetto tortoise beetle, is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. Other names include the Florida tortoise beetle and iridescent blue chrysomelid beetle.[2][1] It is native to the southeastern United States, from North Carolina, south to Florida, and west to Mississippi. It is introduced to southern Texas.[3][4][5]

The palmetto tortoise beetle was originally described in 1824 by Thomas Say as Imatidium cyaneum. The specific name (cyanea) means "dark blue".[1]

Description

The palmetto tortoise beetle is a small beetle growing 4.6–5.6 mm (0.18–0.22 in) in length. The coloring of the elytra and pronotum is a dark, metallic blue. The orange antennae are short and enlarged at the tips.[6]

Larva of the palmetto tortoise beetle hide under a nest-like covering of thin strands of frass (fecal matter).[7] They pupate inside of these fecal shelters.[6] The adults hold themselves on fronds of palmettos with thousands of microscopic bristles on their tarsi ("feet"), paired with an oil that makes them difficult to pry off the leaves.[7]

Ecology

Both the larva and adults of Hemisphaerota cyanea feed on palmetto plants (Sabal species).[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Hemisphaerota cyanea Species Information". https://bugguide.net/node/view/8906. Retrieved 2018-05-03. 
  2. "Hemisphaerota cyanea species details". http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/species/id/a7a8d74aa89f975c71ca355a82254d50. Retrieved 2018-05-03. 
  3. Riley, Edward G.; Clark, Shawn M.; Seeno, Terry N. (2003). Catalog of the leaf beetles of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae and Chrysomelidae, excluding Bruchinae). Special Publication. The Coleopterists Society. ISBN 0-9726087-1-0. 
  4. Staines, C.L.. "Catalog of the hispines of the World". Smithsonian Institution. https://entomology.si.edu/collections_coleoptera-hispines.html. Retrieved 2018-05-03. 
  5. "North American Cryptocephalus species (Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae)". Texas Entomology. http://texasento.net/Crypto.html. Retrieved 2018-05-03. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Evans, Arthur V. (2014). Beetles of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691133041. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Eisner, Thomas (2003). For love of insects. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674018273. https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780674018273. 


External links

Wikidata ☰ Q14934591 entry