Sternocera aequisignata
Sternocera aequisignata from Myanmar
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Buprestidae
Subfamily: Julodinae
Genus: Sternocera
Species:
S. aequisignata
Binomial name
Sternocera aequisignata

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.

Description

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. Pronotum is densely punctured.

Distribution

This species occurs across southern Asia,[2] including India, Myanmar, Thailand to southern Vietnam.[3]

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.[4] 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.[4] 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.[5]

Relationship to humans

As food

S. aequisignata and the similar S. ruficornis are both consumed by humans as a source of food in northern Thailand, Laos, and China.[6] This is one of the major sources of their decline in that area.[5]

In jewellery making

The bright metallic green elytra of S. aequisignata are collected and used as a material in jewellery making.[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ Saunders E (1866) Catalogue of Buprestidae collected by the late M. Mouhot, in Siam &c., with descriptions of new species. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London (3) 5(1865-1867): 297-322.
  2. 1 2 "Sternocera aequisignata Saunders, 1866". ITIS. 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
  3. ↑ GBIF: Sternocera aequisignata Saunders, 1866
  4. 1 2 Hawkeswood, T.J.; Sommung, B. (2016). "Review of the biology of Sternocera aequisignata Saunders, 1866 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Thailand". Calodema. 414: 1–6.
  5. 1 2 3 Pinkaew, Nantasak (2001). "Some Biological Aspects of Sternocera ruficornis Saunder, 1866 in Dry Dipterocarp Forest at Sakaerat Environmental Research Station" (PDF). The Kasetsart Journal (Natural Sciences). 35 (2): 132–138. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-07-06.
  6. 1 2 Victoria Z. Rivers (2011). "Beetles in Textiles". insects.org. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
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