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Project Noah Nature School
Chrysina quetzalcoatli
Metallic green and copper colored Jewel Scarab, 3 cm long, with white or silver ventral thoracic hair.
Came to lights, semi-urban area on the outskirts of the city, 2,200 meters.
Looks like both C. adelaida and C. quetzalcoatli, but the distribution goes in favor of C. quetzalcoatli. We see from 3 to 5 of these beetles each year during and after the rainy season. National Geographic did a wonderful story on these beetles. See this interesting article about their color reflection properties: http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/172...
Spotted on Nov 10, 2012
Submitted on Nov 11, 2012
19 Comments
Thank you injica, this is one of my favorite beetles!
Very colorful :)
You're right Argy Bee! Just like the flag, should be the National Bicho.
Stunning. Very Mexican colors too.
Thank you, Luis, Ashish and Seema!
how colorful!
Wow real Jewel for Project Noah... precious organism... excellent series...!!
Gracias Lauren por compartir este excelente escarabajo.
Muchas gracias, BenignoGómez por su ayuda. Agradezco el tiempo que ha dedicado a mi. Atentamente, Lauren Zárate
Hola LaurenZarate. Si las imágenes las tomaste en San Cristóbal de Las Casas, entonces la especie corresponde a Chrysina quetzalcoatli (Moron 1990), especie muy similar a C. adelaida, la cual esta en el Norte-centro del Pais
Thank you Martin, your Australian scarabs are also gorgeous!
Mexico has by far the best rutelinae in the world. We have only http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/830... and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/772...
Thank you Yuko, Thank you Keith.
Beautiful beetle.
Thank you Ann..
Wow, what a beauty!
Beautiful!!!
Thank you Leuba and you're welcome.
one of the best I've seen - thanks for sharing.