| Costelytra zealandica | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Scarabaeiformia |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Costelytra |
| Species: | C. zealandica |
| Binomial name | |
| Costelytra zealandica (White, 1846) | |
| Synonyms | |
Rhisotrogus zealandica White, 1846 | |
Costelytra zealandica (commonly known as the grass grub) [1] is a species of scarab beetle found in forested areas of greater Wellington. [2] [3] It was originally described in 1846 by the British entomologist Adam White as Rhisotrogus zealandicus from a specimen obtained during the Ross expedition. [4] The species is known to feed on roots of plants and trees, so is considered a pest for many farm pastures. [1]
Prior to 2016, the New Zealand grass grub was mischaracterized as C. zealandica. In 2016 Coca-Abia and Romero-Samper found differences in syntype specimens between White's (1846) C. zealandica [4] and Given's (1952) description and revised the species name of the latter to Costelytra giveni after Given. [3] [5]