''Trigonopeltastes delta'', the delta flower scarab or D beetle, is a
diurnal species of
scarab beetle native to the southeastern United States, though their range extends as far north as New Jersey.
Description
Adults measure 8-10 millimeters in length, and can be identified by the yellow triangle on the
pronotum, which resembles the
defensive coloration of many
wasps and has been theorized to act as
Batesian mimicry
Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, after his work on bu ...
. They can be found from late spring through the summer on the flowers, including those of Queen Anne's lace and New Jersey tea.
Etymology
The
generic name is derived from Greek words meaning "triangular shield", with the
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
"delta" referring to the pattern on the dorsal side of the beetle's
prothorax, which is reminiscent of the Greek letter
delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also re ...
.
References
External links
www.bugguide.netRetrieved May 23, 2014
Retrieved May 23, 2014
Scarabaeidae
Beetles described in 1771
Taxa named by Johann Reinhold Forster
{{Scarabaeidae-stub