Euchroma gigantea

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Euchroma gigantea
Buprestidae - Euchroma gigantea.JPG
Euchroma gigantea - Ceiba Borer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Suborder:
Polyphaga
Superfamily:
Buprestoidea
Family:
Buprestidae
Genus:
Euchroma

Dejean, 1833
Species:
E. gigantea
Binomial name
Euchroma gigantea
Synonyms

Euchroma gigantea, the Metallic Wood Boring Beetle or Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer, is a species of beetle in the family Buprestidae, the only species in the genus Euchroma.[2]

Subspecies[]

  • Euchroma gigantea gigantea (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Euchroma gigantea goliath (Laporte & Gory, 1836)
  • Euchroma gigantea harperi Sharp, 1881
  • Euchroma gigantea inca Obenberger, 1928
  • Euchroma gigantea peruana Obenberger, 1928

[3][4][5]

Description[]

Euchroma gigantea is one of the largest of the buprestid beetles (hence the Latin name "gigantea" of the species), reaching a length of about 50–80 millimetres (2.0–3.1 in).[6]

Catoxantha and Megaloxantha are among the few other members of the family that reach a comparable size.[7]

The body of E. gigantea is robust and elongated and the elytra have a wrinkled surface and a metallic green colour with reddish or purplish tinges. The pronotum has a dark spot on each side.[6][4] The larvae reach a length of about 12–15 centimetres (4.7–5.9 in).[6] The elytra of newly emerged adults have a coating of a yellowish, waxy powder. As the beetle ages this powder wear off.[4]

Behavior[]

The males apparently attract the females by a clicking sound produced by the elytra.[6] This species usually mates in August.[6][8] The larvae are miners of fallen timber, while adults are usually found walking around on the trunks of trees.

Diet[]

Larva feed on decaying timber, especially of the Bombacaceae family (kapok or ceiba trees, mainly Ceiba pentandra , Bombacopsis spp., Ochroma spp. and Pseudobombax spp.), but also of Araucaria angustifolia and Ficus species.[6]

Distribution and habitat[]

This species is native to Central and South America (Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Cuba, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina y ).[6] It lives in warm Amazon regions up to elevations of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level.[6][4]

Gallery[]

  • Euchroma gigantea from Brazil, mounted specimen at National Museum (Prague)

  • Euchroma gigantea from Sammlung Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Karlsruhe

  • A live individual of Euchroma gigantea

  • Live specimen in Peru, on human hand

References[]

  1. ^ Zoobank
  2. ^ Bellamy, C. L. (2010). "Genus Euchroma". A Checklist of World Buprestoidea. Retrieved 21 Jun 2011.
  3. ^ Biolib
  4. ^ a b c d Hogue, C.L. (1993) Latin American Insects and Entomology. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
  5. ^ Moura, R.C., Melo, N.F. and Souza, M.J. (2008) High levels of chromosomal differentiation in Euchroma gigantea L. 1735 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae). Genetics and Molecular Biology, 31(2): 431-437
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "Euchroma gigantea at Arkive.org". Archived from the original on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  7. ^ Entomologi Italiani
  8. ^ M. Louise Nichols - - The Spermatogenesis of Euchroma Gigantea

External links[]


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