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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Sonoran Flower Chafer
Euphoria sonorae

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Beetles (Order Coleoptera​​)

-​Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf, and Snout Beetles (Suborder Polyphaga)

-Scarabaeiform Beetles (Infraorder Scarabaeiformia)

-Scarabs, Stag Beetles, and Allies (Superfamily Scarabaeidae)

-Scarabs (Family Scarabaeidae)

-Fruit and Flower Chafers (Subfamily Cetoniinae)

-Rose Chafers (Tribe Cetoniini)

-Subtribe Cetoniina

-Genus Euphoria

-Euphoria sonorae The Euphoria sonorae is a beetle species belonging to the family Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles) and the subfamily Cetoniinae (flower chafers). Members of the genus Euphoria are known for their colorful, often metallic appearances and their association with flowers and decaying organic material. Adults: Primarily feed on nectar, pollen, and fruits. Often found on flowers, where they may consume floral parts. Larvae: Feed on decaying organic matter, including plant debris and rotting wood.


Diet

  • Adults: Feed on flowers, nectar, pollen, sap and ripe or fermenting fruit. They may also visit sap flows and damaged portions of trees.

  • Larvae: Develop in decaying organic material, including rotting vegetation, plant debris and other organic matter in the soil.

  • Adults may be attracted to fermenting fruit and tree sap, particularly during warm weather.

Range

  • Euphoria sonorae is primarily a Mexican and southwestern North American flower chafer.

  • Its range includes northwestern and western Mexico, with the species extending into the southwestern United States.

  • It is associated particularly with Sonora and adjacent regions, while populations farther south occur in suitable dry and seasonally dry habitats.

Habitat

  • Found in desert scrub, thorn scrub, tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland edges, riparian vegetation and disturbed areas.

  • Adults are commonly encountered on flowers, fruit, foliage and sap flows.

  • Larvae develop in soil containing decomposing plant material.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 12–18 mm (0.47–0.71 in).

  • Body robust, oval and strongly convex, typical of Cetoniinae.

  • Colouration is generally brown to dark brown, often with lighter markings or a contrasting pattern on the elytra.

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