These types of beetles are known as skeletonizing leaf beetles or flea beetles
Big Bend National Park is a magnificent desert landscape that includes the Chisos Mountains and border the Rio Grande. Within this park there are many species of pollinators. Some are endemic to the area, while others are common in other parts of the world. This photo of a checkered melon beetle was taken while hiking along a creek bed near Croton Springs within the park.
The checkered melon beetle is one of two species in the Paranapiacaba genus. Its scientific name is Paranapiacaba tricincta, and it was named in 1824. It can be identified by a black head, orange thorax and legs, and a tallow abdomen with seven black spots. These types of beetles are known as skeletonizing leaf beetles or flea beetles. They belong to the Chrysomelidae family.
The Chrysomelidae family is an expansive family of beetle insects. There are more than 37,000 unique species, and it is estimated that more than 50,000 are in the family. They are commonly known as leaf beetles. They are recognized in part by their “tarsal formula”. The tarsal formula is the number of segments of an anthropod’s tarsi, or parts of the leg. There are 3 numbers a-b-c; the fore leg is a, the middle leg is b, and the hind leg is c. Each number describes how many segments are in each tarsi. Chrysomelidae have a 5-5-5 tarsal formula.
Checkered melon beetles, like most Chrysomelidae are herbivorous. They mostly feed on leaves and flowers of angiosperm plants. The larvae of leaf beetles have varied diets, eating everything from seeds of legumes to pollen to leaves to stems of shrubs to bark.
There are more than 37,000 unique species, and it is estimated that more than 50,000 are in the family
Did you know?
- There are over 3,600 species of insects that have been identified within Big Bend National Park. Although the checkered melon beetle has been known for quite some time, a new species of beetle was recently discovered in the Chisos Mountains.
- The checkered melon beetle is found in North America and Central America.
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