Biology:Hemisphaerota cyanea
| Hemisphaerota cyanea | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Brevard County, Florida | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| 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]
Nest-like strands of frass surrounding the larva
Bristly tarsi
Mating pair in Georgia
Ecology
Both the larva and adults of Hemisphaerota cyanea feed on palmetto plants (Sabal species).[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Hemisphaerota cyanea Species Information". https://bugguide.net/node/view/8906. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ↑ "Hemisphaerota cyanea species details". http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/species/id/a7a8d74aa89f975c71ca355a82254d50. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Staines, C.L.. "Catalog of the hispines of the World". Smithsonian Institution. https://entomology.si.edu/collections_coleoptera-hispines.html. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ↑ "North American Cryptocephalus species (Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae)". Texas Entomology. http://texasento.net/Crypto.html. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Evans, Arthur V. (2014). Beetles of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691133041.
- ↑ 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
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