Blaps polychresta
 | This article needs attention from an expert in beetles. The specific problem is: this need description, looks like there a lot of room for development. (November 2021) |
| Blaps polychresta | |
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| Blaps polychresta in Queensland, Australia | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Tenebrionidae |
| Genus: | Blaps |
| Species: | B. polychresta
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| Binomial name | |
| Blaps polychresta (Forskål, 1775)
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Blaps polychresta, commonly known as the Egyptian beetle, South African beetle or cellar beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. This species is a popular pet and can live up to 4-5 years.[1][unreliable source?] Although this species is introduced to Australia and America, it is not considered a pest, and is rather commonly found in chicken coops where the chickens feast on this species.[2]
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]Blaps polychresta has one junior synonym, Blaps sulcata.[3] (Fabricius, 1775, not to be confused with Laporte de Castelnau, 1980)
Distribution
[edit | edit source]The species is found naturally across from Syria to Egypt, but has also been introduced to Australia, particularly Southern Australia and Western Victoria via European Clipper ships carrying grain, and to Northern America.[4][5]
Diet and ecology
[edit | edit source]This species is a herbivore, feeding on residue and organic waste of animals such as rodents and birds.[6] Cystocephalus algerianus infects the males with a rate of 1 in 105 specimens.[7]
References
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