Death Valley June beetle
| Death Valley June beetle | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily: | Melolonthinae |
| Genus: | Polyphylla |
| Species: | P. erratica |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyphylla erratica (Hardy and Andrews, 1978) | |
The Death Valley June beetle (Polyphylla erratica) is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae. It is only known to occur in the drainage basin of the Amargosa River in the southwestern United States.[1] Saltgrass communities, such as those at Saratoga Springs in Death Valley, provide habitat for the insect at all stages of its life.[2]
Predators of the beetle include coyotes, ravens, and shrikes, the last of which are known to impale the insects on vegetation.[2]
The Death Valley June beetle does not carry any official conservation status, but is listed as a Species of Concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.[3] The California Department of Fish and Game considers the beetle a "Special Animal" of high conservation need.[4]
References
- ↑ "Death Valley geology field trip: Saratoga and Valley Springs". USGS/NPS. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- 1 2 A. La Rue, Delbert (March–June 1998). "Notes on Polyphylla Harris with a description of a new species. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae)". Insecta Mundi. 12 (1 & 2): 22–37. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ↑ "Species Profile for Death Valley june beetle (Polyphylla erratica)". FWS. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ↑ "California Natural Diversity Database: SPECIAL ANIMALS (898 taxa)" (PDF). CDFG. Retrieved 17 April 2011.