Ptosima

Ptosima undecimmaculata

"Ptosima undecimmaculata", the Splendour beetle, is a species of beetles in the family Buprestidae.
Ptosima undecimmaculata (Herbst, 1784) 12 mm long Buprestidae Ptosima,Ptosima undecimmaculata

Appearance

"Ptosima undecimmaculata" can reach a length of about 9–14 millimetres. The body is cylindrical and the head is much broader than long and narrower than the pronotum.

The Latin species name "undecimmaculata" indicates that the species should have eleven spots. Normally the number of spots is different than eleven. This is due to the variety of spots in number, arrangement and form.

Pronotum is black, with longitudinal stripes of rugosity. Elytra are black with three pairs of lateral, yellowish-orange or reddish transverse markings, frequently with preapical maculae. Frons and pronotal disc occasionally may have maculae.

Naming

* "Ptosima undecimmaculata undecimmaculata" Herbst, 1784
⤷  "Ptosima undecimmaculata metallescens" Bílý, 1982
⤷  "Ptosima undecimmaculata var. sexmaculata" Herbst

Distribution

This widespread species is present in most of Europe, in the Near East and in North Africa.

Behavior

Larvae develop for 2–3 years in wood of dead trees and bushes and in living branches of Prunus. Adults emerge in May–June.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyBuprestidae
GenusPtosima
SpeciesP. undecimmaculata
Photographed in
France