Placopterus thoracicus

(Olivier, 1795)

Black and Red Checkered Beetle

Placopterus thoracicus is a checkered beetle in the Cleridae, commonly known as the Black and Red Checkered Beetle. It is distributed across Central America and North America, with records extending as far north as Manitoba, Canada. As a member of Cleridae, it belongs to a family of beetles often associated with predatory habits on other insects.

Placopterus thoracicus by (c) DiegoH, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by DiegoH. Used under a CC-BY license.

Placopterus thoracicus by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Placopterus thoracicus P1420349a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Placopterus thoracicus: //plæˈkɒptərəs θoʊˈræsɪkəs//

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Identification

The "Black and Red Checkered Beetle" suggests a color pattern of contrasting dark and reddish markings, typical of many Cleridae . The specific epithet "thoracicus" indicates a notable feature of the , though detailed morphological descriptions are not available in the provided sources. Separation from other Placopterus species and clerid beetles would require examination of specific thoracic and elytral characteristics.

Images

Distribution

Central America and North America, including Manitoba, Canada.

More Details

Taxonomic Note

The was described by Olivier in 1795. GBIF records confirm presence in Middle America and North America, with specific Canadian provincial records from Manitoba.

Data Limitations

Despite 696 iNaturalist observations, detailed biological information for this appears sparse in accessible literature. Most available information is limited to taxonomic placement and broad distribution.