Amblymelanoplia wittmeri

Amblymelanoplia wittmeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Amblymelanoplia
Species:
A. wittmeri
Binomial name
Amblymelanoplia wittmeri
Dombrow, 2022

Amblymelanoplia wittmeri is a species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.[1] It is found in South Africa (Western Cape).[2] The habitat consists of Peninsula Granite Fynbos.[3]

Description

Adults reach a length of about 11.7 mm (0.46 in). They are mostly dull black. The clypeus and head have brown setae. The pronotum has brown setae, some white scales at the posterior margin and dark-brown setae on the lateral and anterior margins. The elytra have red-brown setae and some white scales at the anterior margin.[3]

Life history

The recorded host plant is Berkheya armata.[3]

Etymology

The species is dedicated to Walter Wittmer, the former chief curator of the Coleoptera section of the Natural History Museum Basel.[3]

References

  1. ^ BioLib
  2. ^ Schoolmeesters, P. (2025). "Amblymelanoplia wittmeri at Catalogue of Life". World Scarabaeidae Database (version 2025-10-07). In O. Bánki, Y. Roskov, M. Döring, G. Ower, D. R. Hernández Robles, C. A. Plata Corredor, T. Stjernegaard Jeppesen, A. Örn, T. Pape, D. Hobern, S. Garnett, H. Little, R. E. DeWalt, J. Miller, T. Orrell, & R. Aalbu, Catalogue of Life (2026-01-16). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Catalogue of Life Foundation. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d Dombrow, H. E.; Colville, J. F.; Bowie, R. C. K. (2022). "Review of the genus Amblymelanoplia Dombrow, 2002 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Hopliini) with the description of ninety-three new species from South Africa and observations on its biogeography and phylogeny". Zootaxa. 5163 (1): 1–278. Retrieved March 2, 2026.