Pachnoda sinuata, the garden fruit chafer or checkers tor or brown-and-yellow fruit chafer, is a species of beetle found in Namibia, South Africa and Egypt.
| Pachnoda sinuata | |
|---|---|
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| Pachnoda sinuata at the Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes, Paris | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Pachnoda |
| Species: | P. sinuata
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| Binomial name | |
| Pachnoda sinuata (Fabricius, 1775)
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| Synonyms | |
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Subspecies
edit- Pachnoda sinuata calceata Harold, 1878
- Pachnoda sinuata flaviventris (Gory & Percheron, 1833)
- Pachnoda sinuata machadoi Rigout, 1989
- Pachnoda sinuata nicolae Rigout, 1986
- Pachnoda sinuata sinuata (Fabricius, 1775)[1]
Identification
editThe species is part of the large family Scarabaeidae, which also include the scarabs and dung beetles. This species is large with a smooth carapace. Colouration is variable but basically yellow with dark brown central area broken by yellow spots and a transverse yellow line across the rear of the elytra.
Diet
editAdult beetles feed on flowers and fruit, often destroying them in the process which makes them unpopular with gardeners. While commonly found on exotic plants like roses and camellias, these beetles also feed on a range of indigenous plants including Acacia.
Breeding
editAdults lay their eggs in manure and compost heaps or among plant roots. The pupae develop inside large, egg-shaped protective clay shells.
Biology
editThis species is a popular prey species for many species of bird, such as red-winged starlings and hadada ibises.
Habitat
editIt ranges widely in South Africa and thus are found in a variety of habitats. They are commonly found in gardens.
Gallery
edit-
Dorsal view -
Ventral view -
Pygidium, possibly showing animal mimicry -
Larva -
Pupa -
On flowers
References
edit- Picker, Griffiths & Weaving - Field Guide to Insects of South Africa (Struik 2002) ISBN 1-77007-061-3
- Rigout (J.), 1989, The Beetles of the World, volume 9, Sciences Nat, Venette [1]
External links
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Media related to Pachnoda sinuata at Wikimedia Commons