Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus''. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
. Christmas beetles are large (20–30 mm long) members of the
scarab family that are noisy and clumsy fliers, similar to the
cockchafers of Europe. They typically have
elytra that are dark or light brown, or green, while some species have a green-yellow
iridescence
Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to gradually change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Examples of iridescence include soap bubbles, feathers, butterfl ...
.
The genus includes 35 species, several of which have been implicated in dieback of
eucalypts. ''
Anoplognathus pallidicollis
''Anoplognathus pallidicollis'' is a relatively large beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, native to Australia. The beetle has a life span of 24 months and it grows up to 20 mm in length. Adults were once common in the summer months, particu ...
'' is the species most commonly observed and associated with the name of Christmas beetle. However, there is a tendency for the name Christmas beetle to be used more ambiguously to refer to other metallic beetles not in this family, such as the stag beetle genus ''
Lamprima''. The smaller Argentine lawn beetle, ''
Cyclocephala
''Cyclocephala'' is a genus of scarab beetles from the subfamily Dynastinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Beetles of this genus occur from southeastern Canada to Argentina and the West Indies.
Adults of this genus are nocturnal or crepuscular, an ...
signaticollis'', is prevalent in December and may also be referred to as a "Christmas beetle", labelled by the Australian Museum as an "impostor".
[Australian Museum, Bushblitz, Mike HB Illustration. ''Xmas Beetle ID Guide'' mobile app. Vi]
/ref>
Species
Species include:
* '' Anoplognathus abnormis''
* '' Anoplognathus aeneus''
* '' Anoplognathus aureus''
* '' Anoplognathus blackdownensis''
* '' Anoplognathus boisduvalii''
* '' Anoplognathus brevicollis''
* '' Anoplognathus brunnipennis''
* ''Anoplognathus chloropyrus
''Anoplognathus brunnipennis'', commonly known as the brown- or golden-brown Christmas beetle, is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae native to eastern Australia, being common in coastal Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, the Great Dividi ...
''
* '' Anoplognathus concolor''
* '' Anoplognathus daemeli''
* '' Anoplognathus flindersensis''
* '' Anoplognathus hirsutus''
* '' Anoplognathus macalpinei''
* '' Anoplognathus macleayi''
* ''Anoplognathus montanus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus''. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas. Christmas beetles are large (20–30&nbs ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus multiseriatus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus''. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas. Christmas beetles are large (20–30&nbs ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus narmarus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus''. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas. Christmas beetles are large (20–30&nbs ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus nebulosus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus''. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas. Christmas beetles are large (20–30&nbs ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus olivieri
''Anoplognathus olivieri'' is a species of beetle within the genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classificati ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus pallidicollis
''Anoplognathus pallidicollis'' is a relatively large beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, native to Australia. The beetle has a life span of 24 months and it grows up to 20 mm in length. Adults were once common in the summer months, particu ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus parvulus
''Anoplognathus parvulus'' is a beetle
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus pindarus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus''. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas. Christmas beetles are large (20–30&nbs ...
''
* '' Anoplognathus porosus''
* '' Anoplognathus prasinus''
* '' Anoplognathus punctulatus''
* '' Anoplognathus rhinastus''
* '' Anoplognathus rothschildti''
* '' Anoplognathus rubiginosus''
* '' Anoplognathus rugosus''
* '' Anoplognathus smaragdinus''
* '' Anoplognathus suturalis''
* '' Anoplognathus velutinus''
* '' Anoplognathus viridiaeneus''
* '' Anoplognathus viriditarsis''
References
''Anoplognathus''
ANIC Specimen Database. Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO Entomology
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2852318
Scarabaeidae
Beetles of Australia