Serica alternata

Serica alternata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Serica
Species:
S. alternata
Binomial name
Serica alternata
LeConte, 1856
Synonyms
  • Paramaladera alternata

Serica alternata is a species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.[1] It is found in the United States (California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah) and Mexico (Baja California).[2][3]

Description

Adults reach a length of about 7-9.5 mm. The colour is dark chestnut and the surface is sub-shining with the elytra moderately iridescent.[3]

Subspecies

  • Serica alternata alternata (California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Baja California)
  • Serica alternata exolita Dawson, 1933 (California)
  • Serica alternata patruela Dawson, 1933 (California)

Life history

Adults have been recorded feeding on the foliage of Prunus virginiana, as well as Quercus agrifolia, the flowers of Heteromeles arbutifolia, Ceanothus palmeri, Rhus trilobata, Abies concolor, Sambucus mexicana and Eriogonum fasciculatum.[4]

References

  1. ^ BioLib
  2. ^ Schoolmeesters, P. (2025). "Serica (Serica) alternata 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 (2025-10-10 XR). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Catalogue of Life Foundation. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Dawson, R. W. (1933). "New species of Serica (Scarabaeidae), VII" (PDF). Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 41: 435–440. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  4. ^ McPeak, Ron H.; Oberbauer, Thomas A. (2004). "New Host Plant Associations for Adult Serica and Diplotaxis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from California" (PDF). The Coleopterists Bulletin. 58 (1): 139–142. Retrieved December 24, 2025.