Monkey beetle

Tribe of beetles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monkey beetles are scarab beetles, a group of around 70 genera and 850 described species within the tribe Hopliini. The placement of this tribe within the family Scarabaeidae is uncertain between Melolonthinae and Rutelinae.[1] Many species visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or to browse on the petals. The beetles are important pollinators of Aizoaceae and Asteraceae in grazed and ungrazed areas, as well as many others.[2]

Quick facts Scientific classification, Synonyms ...
Monkey beetle
Hoplia philanthus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
Family: Scarabaeidae
Subfamily: Melolonthinae
Tribe: Hopliini
Latreille, 1829
Synonyms
  • Hoplides Lacordaire, 1855
  • Anisochelidae Burmeister, 1844
  • Gymnolominae Burmeister, 1844
  • Heterochlinae Burmeister, 1844
  • Hopliadae Burmeister, 1844
  • Lepisiidae Burmeister, 1844
  • Pachycnemidae Burmeister, 1844
  • Hopliaires Mulsant, 1842
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They tend to favor flowers of white, yellow, pink, orange, and blue pigments. They also tend to favor flowers of symmetrical, abstract patterns.[3][4] Due to their pollination patterns, many plants evolved special features in order to attract monkey beetles, such as the Iridaceae which now have bright colors and symmetrical, unique patterns.

Genera

These 70 or so genera belong to the tribe Hopliini (subtribe: Hopliina):[5]

These 4 genera belong to the tribe Hopliini (subtribe: Pachycnemina):[5]

For Clania Schein, 1956 see Sceloclania Schein, 1958

References

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