''Acmaeodera'' is a genus of
beetle
Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
s in the family
Buprestidae
Buprestidae is a family (biology), family of beetles known as jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles because of their glossy Iridescence, iridescent colors. Larvae of this family are known as flatheaded borers. The family is among the lar ...
, a group of metallic wood-boring beetles favored by insect collectors. Whereas most beetles including most buprestids fly with their
elytra
An elytron (; ; : elytra, ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometime ...
held out and vibrating their hindwings to give lift and thrust, ''Acmaedodera'', however, fly with their hind wings only — the elytra are fused down the center and form a shield over the insect's abdomen, even during flight. This fact, combined with the banding across the abdomen which is common (though not universal) in this family, gives many of them a distinct wasp-like appearance when in flight. Several are therefore considered
hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is a large order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are parasitic.
Females typi ...
n
mimics.
Species
The genus contains the following species:
[Bellamy, C. L. (2010) A Checklist of World Buprestoidea.]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q341957