Monkey beetle

Monkey beetles are scarab beetles, a group of around 70 genera and 850 described species within the tribe Hopliini. The placement of this tribe within the family Scarabaeidae is uncertain between Melolonthinae and Rutelinae.[1] Many species visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or browse on the petals. The beetles are important pollinators of Aizoaceae and Asteraceae in grazed and ungrazed areas, as well as many others.[2]

Monkey beetles
Hoplia philanthus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Scarabaeidae
Subfamily:
Melolonthinae or Rutelinae
Tribe:
Hopliini

They tend to favor flowers of white, yellow, pink, orange, and blue pigments. They also tend to favor flowers of symmetrical, abstract patterns [3][4] Due to their pollination patterns, many plants evolved special features that attracted monkey beetles, such as the Iridaceae which now have bright colors and symmetrical, unique patterns.

Genera

These 70 genera belong to the tribe Hopliini:[5]

  • Amblymelanoplia Dombrow, 2002
  • Anisochelus Burmeister, 1844
  • Argoplia Dombrow, 2003
  • Beckhoplia Dombrow, 2005
  • Bizanus Péringuey, 1902
  • Blikana Péringuey, 1902
  • Burmeistoplia Dombrow, 2003
  • Ceratochelus Dombrow, 2002
  • Chasme Le Peletier & Serville, 1828
  • Clania Schein, 1956
  • Coega Péringuey, 1902
  • Cylichnus Burmeister, 1844
  • Cylindrocrates Schein, 1958
  • Dentiheterochelus Dombrow, 2002
  • Diaplochelus Burmeister, 1844
  • Dichelhoplia Blanchard, 1850
  • Dicranocnemus Burmeister, 1844
  • Dolichiomicroscelis Dombrow, 2003
  • Ectinohoplia Redtenbacher, 1868
  • Eremoplia Kolbe, 1914
  • Eriesthis Burmeister, 1844
  • Goniaspidius Burmeister, 1844
  • Gouna Péringuey, 1902
  • Gymnoloma Dejean, 1833
  • Gyroplia Brenske, 1893
  • Harpina Burmeister, 1844
  • Himalhoplia Sabatinelli, 1983
  • Hoplebaea Brenske, 1899
  • Hoplia Illiger, 1803
  • Hoplocnemis Harold, 1869
  • Hoplorida Moser, 1918
  • Idutywa Péringuey, 1902
  • Inanda Péringuey, 1902
  • Kareiga Péringuey, 1902
  • Khoina Péringuey, 1902
  • Knysna Péringuey, 1902
  • Korisaba Péringuey, 1902
  • Kubousa Péringuey, 1902
  • Lepisia Le Peletier & Serville, 1828
  • Lepithrix Le Peletier & Serville, 1828
  • Lepitrichula Schein, 1959
  • Leptocnemis Dombrow, 2001
  • Macroplia Brenske, 1898
  • Mauromecistoplia Dombrow, 2002
  • Microplidus Péringuey, 1902
  • Microplus Burmeister, 1844
  • Mitrophorus Burmeister, 1844
  • Monochelus Le Peletier & Serville, 1828
  • Nanaga Péringuey, 1902
  • Nanniscus Burmeister, 1844
  • Nesohoplia Scott, 1912
  • Nigroplia Dombrow, 2002
  • Omocnemus Schein, 1958
  • Omocrates Burmeister, 1844
  • Outeniqua Péringuey, 1902
  • Paraceratochelus Dombrow, 2002
  • Pareriesthis Moser, 1918
  • Platychelus Burmeister, 1844
  • Pseudheterochelus Schein, 1959
  • Pseudocongella Moser, 1924
  • Pseudouteniqua Schein, 1959
  • Rabula Péringuey, 1902
  • Rectoscutaria Schein, 1958
  • Scelidothrix Dombrow, 2001
  • Scelophysa Burmeister, 1844
  • Stigmatoplia Dombrow, 2001
  • Thabina Péringuey, 1902
  • Thoracoplia Prokofiev, 2015
  • Toxocnemis Dombrow, 2002
  • Vansoniola Schein, 1958

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hopliini.
  1. Ahrens, D.; Scott, M.; Vogler, A.P. 2011: The phylogeny of monkey beetles based on mitochondrial and ribosomal RNA genes (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Hopliini). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 60(3): 408-415. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2011.04.011
  2. Mayer, C., Soka, G. & Picker, M. The importance of monkey beetle (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini) pollination for Aizoaceae and Asteraceae in grazed and ungrazed areas at Paulshoek, Succulent Karoo, South Africa. J Insect Conserv 10, 323–333 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-006-9006-0
  3. Steven D. Johnson, Jeremy J. Midgley, Pollination by Monkey Beetles (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini): Do Color and Dark Centers of Flowers Influence Alighting Behavior?, Environmental Entomology, Volume 30, Issue 5, 1 October 2001, Pages 861868, https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-30.5.861
  4. Shelley A Johnson, Susan W Nicolson, Pollen digestion by flower-feeding Scarabaeidae: protea beetles (Cetoniini) and monkey beetles (Hopliini), Journal of Insect Physiology, Volume 47, Issue 7, 2001, Pages 725-733, ISSN 0022-1910, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022 1910(00)00166-9.
  5. "Hopliini Latreille, 1829". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2023-09-26.


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