Cypherotylus californicus

Cypherotylus californicus

''Cypherotylus californicus'', sometimes known as the blue fungus beetle or blue pleasing fungus beetle, is a species of pleasing fungus beetle in the family Erotylidae. It is recorded from Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Kansas, and the Mexican state of Sonora.
Pleasing Fungus Beetle or Cypherotylus californicus 1.5x, f5.6 Purple is one of the least common colors in nature. This beetles color is likely due to the complexity and rarity of molecules that create the color purple/blue color, as well as the fact that the pigments that form purple/blue are found more in high saline-alkaline environments. These alkaline environments are difficult for most organisms to thrive in, so there are fewer numbers of animals that actually can be purple/blue. Pleasing fungus beetles lose their bright hue shortly after death, so apparently pigments are what produce their purple/blue hue. https://www.rainforestexpeditions.com/purple-pleasing-fungus-beetle/ The name Pleasing Fungus Beetle came from the food they eat and are generally found where various fungi are present. “The pleasing fungus beetle is found locally in stands of Ponderosa pine, (the largest Ponderosa pine stand is in northern Arizona) and aspen, especially near bracket fungi that grow on rotting logs. Adult beetles lay their eggs and once hatched, the larvae feast on the bracket fungi. Adult beetles are shiny black with blue or purple elytra (hardened wing covers) with black dots. This shiny cuticle or exoskeleton is waterproof thanks to the components of this natural composite...” (Genius of Place Report, City of Boulder OSMP) Cypherotylus californicus,Geotagged,Gibbifer californicus,PLEASING FUNGUS BEETLE,Purple beetle,Summer,United States

Behavior

It starts its life in the spring when it hatches from an egg and pupates in the summer. It mates and lays eggs in the late summer and early fall. It feeds on the Conk Fungus it can find growing on logs and trees. Their elytra are blue with black dots, and it turns grey as they age.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyErotylidae
GenusCypherotylus
SpeciesC. californicus
Photographed in
United States of America