Hoplopyga brasiliensis
| Hoplopyga brasiliensis | |
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| Hoplopyga brasiliensis. Mounted specimen. | |
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| Species: | H. brasiliensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hoplopyga brasiliensis | |
Hoplopyga brasiliensis is a species of beetles of the family Scarabaeidae.[1]
Description
Hoplopyga brasiliensis can reach a length of about 20–36 millimetres (0.79–1.42 in).[2]
Biology
Larvae of this species are termitophilous, living in the nests of Cornitermes cumulans and Diversitermes diversimiles (Termitidae).[3] They construct pupal chambers with the decaying wood as well as a significant layer of their own feces where they develop.[2] The feces contains cuticular hydrocarbons that the specific termite hosts use to identify one another, suggesting that this element of chamber construction plays a role in protecting H. brasiliensis larvae from termite patrols. [3]
References
- ^ EoL
- ^ a b Garcia, F.P et al. Survey of saproxylophagous Melolonthidae (Coleoptera) and some biological aspects in Aquidauana, MS
- ^ a b Puker, Anderson; Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano; Rosa, Cassiano S; Grossi, Paschoal C (2012-11-01). "New Records of Termite Hosts for Two Species of Hoplopyga, with Notes on the Life Cycle of Hoplopyga brasiliensis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae)". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 105 (6): 872–878. doi:10.1603/AN12068. ISSN 1938-2901. S2CID 86274595.