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Family Scarabaeidae, Pelidnota aeruginosa
As it often happens, it took me sometime to decide which photo I'd put in the cover. And, as in most cases, I decided for the drama (I just can't deny my latin heritage...). But I still think that the other photos are worth seeing. Last one shows the real size of this beetle - large, indeed.
So, I am more wrong than I thought. Well, as I said, not the expert.
I did notice the black mark on the edge of the pronotum which seems to characterize this other genus. Well done Sergio, to get your ID. I am a little closer to expert now.
Hi Martin, turns out this isn't from genus Chrysinia, but from genus Pelidnota instead. It was ID'd by my friend Celso Godinho Jr. I gave up on naming my critters, it is too hard for my poor grey cells...
So, nature gives us joy and headaches. It's rarely simple. I assumed the gallery was complete. Maybe Chrysinia has more species or you have a range extension (they do fly, after all.). Not sure.
You are right, Australia has no Chrysinia and our Christmas beetles are all in Anaplognathus. Its Rutelinae that we call christmas beetles but my grammar was clumsy.
Yes, I followed your text, and it seems to be ok, except... according to Wikipedia, "the Ruteline genus Chrysina, or jewel scarabs (not to be confused with jewel beetles which are a different family), is a large genus of brightly colored, often metallic iridescent species, ranging from the southwestern edge of the United States as far south as Ecuador". And C. zapoteca is specific to Mexico! The problem is, we are very far from Ecuador... (actually, Ecuador is one of only two south american countries that have no borders with Brazil). Also according to Wikipedia, christmas beetles belong to genus Anaplognathus. I'll check with some brazilian enthomologists, maybe they can clear things up. Anyway, thanks a lot for your help, now I have a starting point for research. :-)
Your beetle has lateral grooves (striae).
Their puncturations patterns are important.
Counting out from the suture, your beetle has a wide interstice (gap between the striae) with many interstitial puncturations. Consecutive interstices alternate with and without puncturations. C. zapoteca is the only one that matches. A confident call, I think. http://museum.unl.edu/research/entomolog...
I think its worth two spots.
You're just going to have to list it twice.
The subfamily is rutelinae with those distinctive claws,
probably Chrysinia but I am not the expert.
In Australia we call these 'christmas beetles' http://museum.unl.edu/research/entomolog...
Spotted on Feb 3, 2015
Submitted on Feb 4, 2015
+1
