Chrysobothris chrysoela chrysoela
A of jewel beetle in the Buprestidae. Members of the Chrysobothris chrysoela occur in Florida and are associated with oak . The subspecies is part of a containing numerous economically important wood-boring beetles, many of which are difficult to identify due to reliance on suites of subtle morphological characters rather than single diagnostic features.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Chrysobothris chrysoela chrysoela: //ˌkrɪsoʊˈbɒθrɪs ˌkrɪsoʊˈiːlə ˌkrɪsoʊˈiːlə//
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Identification
Identification requires examination of subtle morphological characters including antennal shape, elytral foveae arrangement, pygidial impressions, and callosity structure. As with other members of the Chrysobothris femorata group, no single key character distinguishes this ; rather, a combination of features must be evaluated. Specific diagnostic characters for this versus other C. chrysoela subspecies are not documented in available sources.
Habitat
Dry oak/pine sandhill woodland with grassy understory, specifically associated with oak including Quercus laevis (turkey oak) and Q. geminata (sand oak).
Distribution
Florida, with records from the Citrus Wildlife Management Area of Withlacoochee State Forest. The parent C. chrysoela is found in the southeastern United States.
Seasonality
active in spring; observed in late March during field collecting.
Host Associations
- Quercus laevis - COLLECTED_ONbeaten from turkey oak in sandhill
- Quercus geminata - COLLECTED_ONbeaten from sand oak in sandhill
Behavior
have been observed on oak foliage and are likely active during daylight hours. As with other Chrysobothris , adults probably rely on cryptic coloration and large, multi-faceted for detection.
Ecological Role
Wood-boring larval stage likely contributes to nutrient cycling in dead and dying oak wood.
Similar Taxa
- Chrysobothris caddoBoth occur in oak-associated and belong to the taxonomically difficult femorata group; distinguished by preferences and subtle morphological characters including pygidial structure and elytral costation
- Chrysobothris femorataSimilar size and general appearance; distinguished by elytral tip coloration (bronze in related versus reddish in C. femorata) and posterolateral margin shape