Sternocera aequisignata

Sternocera aequisignata is a species of beetles belonging to the Buprestidae family. Its bright metallic green elytra are frequently used jewellery making.

Sternocera aequisignata
Sternocera aequisignata from Myanmar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Buprestidae
Genus:
Sternocera
Species:
S. aequisignata
Binomial name
Sternocera aequisignata[1]

Description

Sternocera aequisignata can reach a length of about 30–50 millimetres (1.2–2.0 in). Elytra and pronotum have a beautiful metallic emerald iridescence. Pronotum is densely punctured.

Distribution

This species occurs across southern Asia,[1] including India, Thailand and Myanmar.

Lifecyle

The female lays eggs singly in soil at the base of the host plants. Each female is capable of laying 5–12 eggs, which take 2 months to hatch.[2] The hatched larva has five instar stages. Stages 1 to 4 remain in the soil for 3–4 months where they feed upon the roots of the adult host plants.[2] The 5th instar can be found above ground, until it returns underground again to pupate. Adult beetles have a short lifespan of 1–3 weeks, though the complete life cycle takes up to two years.[3]

Relationship to humans

As food

S. aequisignata and the similar S. ruficornis are both consumed by humans as a source of food in northern Thailand, Laos, and China.[4] This is one of the major sources of their decline in that area.[3]

In jewellery making

The bright metallic green elytra of S. aequisignata are collected and used as a material in jewellery making.[3][4]

References
  1. "Sternocera aequisignata Saunders, 1866". ITIS. 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
  2. Hawkeswood, T.J.; Sommung, B. (2016). "Review of the biology of Sternocera aequisignata Saunders, 1866 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Thailand". Calodema. 414: 1–6.
  3. Pinkaew, Nantasak (2001). "Some Biological Aspects of Sternocera ruficornis Saunder, 1866 in Dry Dipterocarp Forest at Sakaerat Environmental Research Station" (PDF). The Kasetsart Journal (Natural Sciences). 35 (2): 132–138. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-07-06.
  4. Victoria Z. Rivers (2011). "Beetles in Textiles". insects.org. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
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