Jewel scarab

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Jewel scarabs
Adult scarab beetle - Chrysina limbata.jpg
Chrysina limbata
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Tribe: Rutelini
Genus: Chrysina
Kirby, 1828
Species

see text

Synonyms
  • Plusiotis Burmeister, 1844
  • Pelidnotopsis Ohaus, 1915
  • Plusiotina Casey, 1915

Chrysina, or jewel scarabs (not to be confused with jewel beetles, which are a different family), is a genus of brightly colored, often metallic iridescent species of ruteline beetles. They range from the southwestern edge of the United States, through Mexico and Central America, and as far south as Colombia and Ecuador. [1] Chrysina contains more than 120 species, includes all those formerly in the genus Plusiotis. [1] [2] The genus name is from Greek χρύσινος (chrysinos), "gold-coloured".

Contents

Distribution and habitat

Although the genus is wide-ranging, each species tends to be quite restricted in both habitat and distribution, with the vast majority only found in a single or two countries. [1]

Most species are from Mexico and Central America. The highest diversity is in Mexico and Panama, each being home to more than sixty species; Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras also have many species, whereas Belize, El Salvador and Nicaragua each only are known to house one or two species. [1] There are only three species in South America where restricted to western Colombia and western Ecuador, and four species in the United States where restricted to highlands of Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas. [1] [3] [4]

They tend to be found in pine, juniper or pine-oak forests, or in cloud forests, most commonly between 1,000–3,000 m (3,300–9,800 ft) elevation, but there are also species found up to 3,800 m (12,500 ft) or in lowlands. [1] [5]

Behavior

The immature stages of most species are unknown, [1] but where known the larvae live in and feed on rotting wood, while the adult beetles feed on foliage. [5] They are harmless to humans and not regarded as pests. [4] The adult beetles are attracted to light during the night. [1] [5]

Appearance

These beetles are typically between 15–35 mm (0.6–1.4 in) in length. The majority of species have bright shiny green upperparts, but metallic silver and gold are also common colors (species with all-silver or all-golden upperparts only occur in Central and South America), and a few can be metallic reddish. [1] [6] Some species combine the colors, like the green-and-silver striped C. gloriosa . [6]

They are very popular among collectors; many species are polymorphic. While their value often is quite low, only a few US$, particularly attractive specimens were reported to sell for as much as US$500 in 2007. [7]

Metallic color mechanism

Research has shown that the elytra of Chrysina are composed of about 70 chitinous layers of exoskeleton. The different reflective indices and spacing of the layers cause light of different wavelengths to be selectively refracted through them and by them in different phases, leading to a metallic appearance, and also leads to different specimens having different colors. [8]

Species

Chrysina aurigans GLAM museum Lille 2016.jpg
Chrysina aurigans rouge GLAM museum Lille 2016.jpg
C. aurigans typically is golden, but can also be metallic red
C. gloriosa is one of four species in the United States (the others are C. beyeri, C. lecontei and C. woodi) Jewel Scarab - Chrysina gloriosa (7898749892).jpg
C. gloriosa is one of four species in the United States (the others are C. beyeri , C. lecontei and C. woodi )
C. psittacina is found only in Mexico Chrysina psittacina.jpg
C. psittacina is found only in Mexico

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarabaeidae</span> Family of beetles

The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 35,000 species of beetles worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change in recent years. Several subfamilies have been elevated to family rank, and some reduced to lower ranks. The subfamilies listed in this article are in accordance with those in Catalog of Life (2023).

<i>Tomarus</i> Genus of beetles

Tomarus is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Dynastinae, the rhinoceros beetles. They are native to the Americas, where they are distributed from the central United States to Argentina, and a few species occur in the Caribbean.

<i>Golofa</i> Genus of beetles

Golofa is a genus of rhinoceros beetles. The name Golofa is the indigenous name used for these beetles in Venezuela, and was adopted as a genus name when originally described in 1837; the genus name is masculine in gender, following ICZN Article 30.2.3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euchirinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

Euchirinae is a subfamily of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. They are sometimes referred to as "long-armed scarabs" due to the elongated forelegs of the males. These long legs often have median and apical spines that are fixed in the male while females have a movable terminal spine.

<i>Chrysina gloriosa</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina gloriosa is a species of scarab whose common names are glorious beetle and glorious scarab. It is found only in southern United States and northern Mexico. The adult beetles, which are active both day and night and primarily seen from June to August, eat juniper leaves and the larvae feed on decaying wood from Arizona sycamore. A synonym formerly used for the species is Plusiotis gloriosa.

<i>Chrysina resplendens</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina resplendens is a scarab beetle found in mid-elevation forests in Costa Rica and western Panama. This beetle is typically shiny golden and has a length of 25–29 mm (0.98–1.14 in).

<i>Pelidnota</i> Genus of beetles

Pelidnota is a genus of beetles of the family Scarabaeidae.

<i>Sulcophanaeus</i> Genus of beetles

Sulcophanaeus is a genus of dung beetles belonging to the family Scarabaeidae. Most species in this genus are from tropical and subtropical South America, but a few are found in Central America and Mexico, and S. carnifex is from Jamaica. Sulcophanaeus are mostly coprophagous, but some are also necrophagous. They are paracoprids, meaning that adults dig tunnels into the soil under the food source and move parts of the food source to a nest chamber where the eggs are laid, and their activity pattern varies depending on species.

<i>Chrysina limbata</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina limbata is a species of scarab beetle found only in mid-altitude forests in Costa Rica and western Panama. It is in the genus Chrysina, in the subfamily Rutelinae. It is notable for its metallic reflective silver color.

<i>Chrysina aurigans</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina aurigans is a species of scarab beetle found in Costa Rica. It is notable for its golden color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutelini</span> Tribe of beetles

Rutelini is a tribe of shining leaf chafers in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 14 genera and at least 40 described species in Rutelini.

Hemiphileurus is a genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least 60 described species in Hemiphileurus.

<i>Chrysina lecontei</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina lecontei, or Leconte's chrysina, is a species of shining leaf chafer in the family of beetles known as Scarabaeidae. It is found in southern United States and northern Mexico.

<i>Xyloryctes</i> Genus of beetles

Xyloryctes is a genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 13 described species in Xyloryctes.

<i>Archophileurus</i> Genus of beetles

Archophileurus is a genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least 30 described species in Archophileurus.

<i>Chrysina woodi</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina woodi, or Wood's jewel scarab, is a species of shining leaf chafer in the family of beetles known as Scarabaeidae. This bright green beetle is native to Chihuahua in Mexico, and New Mexico and Texas in the United States. This beetle is 25–35 mm (1.0–1.4 in) long and it resembles C. beyeri, but that species has all blue-purple legs and tarsi.

<i>Phyllopertha</i> Genus of insects

Phyllopertha is a genus of shining leaf chafers in the beetle family Scarabaeidae. There are more than 20 described species in Phyllopertha, found primarily in the Palearctic.

<i>Trigonopeltastes</i> Genus of beetles

Trigonopeltastes is a genus of fruit and flower chafers in the beetle family Scarabaeidae, found in North and Central America. There are more than 20 described species in Trigonopeltastes.

<i>Chrysina adolphi</i> Species of beetle

Chrysina adolphi is a species of ruteline scarab beetle from Mexico. They are found in the Sierra Madre del Sur in the Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Adults emerge from July to September and they feed on oak leaves.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Barria, M.D. (2023). A Monographic Revision of The Jewel Scarabs Genus Chrysina from Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini). Zea Books, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. doi:10.32873/unl.dc.zea.1345. ISBN   978-1-60962-286-2. S2CID   257918078.
  2. ↑ Hawks, D.C. 2001. Taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in Chrysina and a synonymic checklist of species (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae). Occ. Papers Consort. Coleopt. 4: 1-8
  3. ↑ "Genus Chrysina". Bugguide. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 Maddox, T.G. (2017), Population analysis of Chrysina woodii (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, Angelo State University
  5. 1 2 3 Jocque, M.; et al. (2013). "Jewel Scarabs (Chrysina sp.) in Honduras: Key Species for Cloud Forest Conservation Monitoring?". Journal of Insect Science. 13 (21): 21. doi:10.1673/031.013.2101. PMC   3738100 . PMID   23901802.
  6. 1 2 "Chrysina gallery". Generic Guide to New World Scarab Beetles. University of Nebraska-Lincoln State Museum - Division of Entomology. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Jewel Scarabs". National Geographic. 2007-02-07. Archived from the original on 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
  8. ↑ "Chitin Layers Produce Gold and Silver Colors". Ask Nature. September 14, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
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