Tumbling Flower Beetle

Description:

Unidentified beetle of the Mordellidae family (tumbling flower beetles).

Habitat:

Found in abandoned (overgrown) urban garden area.

Notes:

Mordellaria serval is very, very like in appearance. I haven't seen enough of these beetles to judge whether the difference in pattern of the markings is significant. (I've only ever found exactly 2 Tumbling Flower Beetles). Nor can I find any reference that indicates the range of M. serval extends as far south as Costa Rica. The species identified as Mordella pretiosa in Biologia Centrali Americana is another possibility, but I have been unable to track down any modern references on this species. http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections...