Parattriodonta alicantina

Appearance

Small beetle (6-7 mm) with very hairy, yellowish-brown elytra. Pro-
top and head are black and also very hairy.

Naming

No common name assigned.

Distribution

Iberian peninsule. Alicante-Murcia endemism. It lives in the Arenales of the Alicante-Murcia coast, specifically
te: Alicante: Calpe (extinct), Arenales del Sol, Playa del Pinet, Guardamar de Segura, Torrelamata;
Murcia: Mar de Cristal-Manga del Mar Menor, Natural Park of Calblanque-Cartagena. In addition,
has colonized some inland sandbanks in Alicante and Murcia: Alicante: Las Virtudes sandbank-
Villena, Sierra del Fraile, Peña Rubia, Sierra Salinas and Arenal de Petrer; Murcia: Sierra del Serral-Yecla.

Status

It can be locally abundant but overall in the last 50 years there has been more than 70% loss of habitat for this species.
Worldwide status not categorized but in Spain is classified as endangered species.

Behavior

The adults present a spring phenology, specifically from April to early June. The grub completes its development during the summer and autumn, remaining in diapause during the winter.

Habitat

Floricultural species exclusive to coastal and inland dune systems. Adults are found in inflorescences of various plants, especially in composites of the genus Launaea and Andryala, although they can also be found in the flowers of various species of Cistus, Teucrium, Lotus, Ononis, Medicago, Helianthemum, Psoralea, etc.

Food

The larva feeds on the roots of the plants where they are found.