| Death Valley June beetle | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Scarabaeiformia |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Polyphylla |
| Species: | P. erratica |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyphylla erratica (Hardy and Andrews, 1978) | |
The Death Valley June beetle (Polyphylla erratica) is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae. It is only known to occur in the drainage basin of the Amargosa River in the southwestern United States. [1] Saltgrass communities, such as those at Saratoga Springs in Death Valley, provide habitat for the insect at all stages of its life. [2]
Predators of the beetle include coyotes, ravens, and shrikes, the last of which are known to impale the insects on vegetation. [2]
The Death Valley June beetle does not carry any official conservation status, but is listed as a Species of Concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. [3] The California Department of Fish and Game considers the beetle a "Special Animal" of high conservation need. [4]