Dicronorrhina micans
Dicronorrhina micans | |
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Male of D. micans | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Scarabaeidae |
Subfamily: | Cetoniinae |
Genus: | Dicronorrhina |
Species: | D. micans |
Binomial name | |
Dicronorrhina micans (Drury, 1773) | |
Synonyms | |
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Dicronorrhina micans is a species of beetle belonging to the Scarabaeidae family and Cetoniinae subfamily. It is native to the African tropics.
Description
Dicronorrhina micans is the largest of its genus. It reaches about 40–60 millimetres (1.6–2.4 in) in length in the males, while the females are slightly smaller, reaching about 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in) in length. Their basic colour is metallic green with a golden or bluish shade. The males have a "T"-shaped, flat horn in the forehead.
The females lay their eggs in the substrate. After about two weeks the larvae appear, that need about five months to develop, while the development of the chrysalids takes about 2 months. As the adult beetles can live approximately three months, the full life cycle will take about ten months. These beetles are active in the daytime and feed on nectar and overripe fruit.
Distribution
These beetles are mainly present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and Uganda.