Eudicella loricata
Eudicella loricata is an insect of the scarab beetle family, in the subfamily known as flower beetles.
| Eudicella loricata | |
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| Museum specimen of Eudicella loricata | |
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| Species: | E. loricata |
| Binomial name | |
| Eudicella loricata (Janson, 1877) | |
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Subspecies
- Eudicella loricata kiellandi (Allard, 1985)
- Eudicella loricata knothi (Schurhoff, 1933)
- Eudicella loricata montana (Allard, 1985)
- Eudicella loricata oberthueri (Kolbe, 1896)
- Eudicella loricata rhodesiana (Allard, 1985)
- Eudicella loricata ruandana (Allard, 1985)
- Eudicella loricata vingerhoedti (Allard, 1993)
Description
Eudicella loricata Males reaches a length of about 25–30 millimetres (0.98–1.18 in) while females are roughly 21-27mm. Pronotum is usually green and the legs are brown, while the elytra are pale brown or yellowish, with four dark spots on the edges. The male has a "Y"-shaped, flat horn on the forehead, used in fighting over females and in defense of territory. The horn is different to other eudicella species, appearing more similar to a dicronorhina instead of the usual 'Y' shaped horn of other eudicella. The beetle also looks superficially similar to Eudicella euthalia.The larvae feed on deciduous hummus and reach around 16-32mm depending on quality of substrate they are feeding on.
Distribution
This species can be found in Zimbabwe. It is usually found around rain forest habitats and under trees in parts of Savannah. They are considered pests in farms where they feed on fruits at open gashes but should not be killed as larvae play an important part of the ecosystem.