Jump to content

Trichostetha fascicularis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Trichostetha fascicularis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Trichostetha
Species:
T. fascicularis
Binomial name
Trichostetha fascicularis
(Donovan, 1805)

Trichostetha fascicularis is a large, metallic-green beetle found in South Africa.

Description

[edit]

The Protea Beetle is about 25mm long. It has metallic-green wing cases with a black head and thorax which has two white vertical stripes. It has orange hairs growing around the bottom of its body.[1]

Habitat

[edit]

It is found in South Africa wherever proteas occur. Adults feed on the pollen and nectar. They live in fynbos, mountainous habitats, and residential gardens if its food supply is available.

Subspecies

[edit]

Trichostetha fascicularis has four subspecies:[a]

  • Trichostetha fascicularis maraisi Stobbia, 1995[3]
  • Trichostetha fascicularis natalis Burmeister, 1842[2]
  • Trichostetha fascicularis nigripennis Allard, 1992[3]
  • Trichostetha fascicularis prunipennis Burmeister, 1842[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ T. fascicularis natalis and T. fascicularis prunipennis were reinstated as valid subspecies per Holm & Perissinotto, 2011.[2] Older sources may still list these as invalid.
  1. ^ "Trichostetha fascicularis (Protea Beetle)". www.biodiversityexplorer.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-28.
  2. ^ a b c Holm, E.; Perissinotto, R. (March 2011). "New Descriptions and Revisions of Southern African Cetoniinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). I". African Entomology. 19 (1). Entomological Society of Southern Africa: 88–95. doi:10.4001/003.019.0107. ISSN 1021-3589. S2CID 84780437. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  3. ^ a b Meyers, P.; Espinosa, R.; Parr, C.S.; Jones, T.; Hammond, G.S.; Dewey, T.A. (2014). "Trichostetha classification". The Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved 11 August 2014.