Sternocera aequisignata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sternocera aequisignata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sternocera aequisignata from Myanmar | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Elateriformia |
| Family: | Buprestidae |
| Subfamily: | Julodinae |
| Genus: | Sternocera |
| Species: | S. aequisignata |
| Binomial name | |
| Sternocera aequisignata E. Saunders, 1866 | |
Sternocera aequisignata[1][2] is a species of jewel beetles belonging to the subfamily Julodinae. Its bright metallic green elytra are frequently used in jewellery making.
Sternocera aequisignata can reach a length of about 30–50 millimetres (1.2–2.0 in). Elytra and pronotum have a beautiful metallic emerald iridescence that shows no to very weak reflectance in the near-infrared.[3] The Pronotum is densely punctured.
Distribution
Lifecyle
The female lays eggs singly in soil at the base of the host plants. Each female is capable of laying 5–12 eggs, which take 2 months to hatch.[5] The hatched larva has five instar stages. Stages 1 to 4 remain in the soil for 3–4 months where they feed upon the roots of the adult host plants.[5] The 5th instar can be found above ground, until it returns underground again to pupate. Adult beetles have a short lifespan of 1–3 weeks, though the complete life cycle takes up to two years.[6]
