Heterochelus cristaticeps

Heterochelus cristaticeps
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Heterochelus
Species:
H. cristaticeps
Binomial name
Heterochelus cristaticeps

Heterochelus cristaticeps is a species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.[1] It is found in South Africa (Eastern Cape).[2][3]

Description

Adults reach a length of about 4.5–6 mm (0.18–0.24 in). Males are black with the elytra triangularly flavescent from the base to past the median part. From the apex of the head to the median part of the clypeus are three transverse, parallel rows of upright, closely set and long, spine-like black setae. The pronotum is clothed with a brief, black pubescence, moderately deeply grooved in the centre, and has no vestiges of scales. The elytra are non-costulate and very briefly pubescent. The propygidium and upper side of the abdomen are clothed with long light fulvescent hairs and the pygidium is deeply punctate and glabrous. Females are similar to males, but the transverse row of bristles on the clypeus is very minute and the elytra are completely flavescent. The pubescence on the sides of the abdomen and the pygidium, which is also red instead of black, is greyish and only moderately dense.[3]

References

  1. ↑ BioLib
  2. ↑ Schoolmeesters, P. (2025). "Heterochelus cristaticeps at Catalogue of Life". World Scarabaeidae Database (version 2025-10-07). In O. Bánki, Y. Roskov, M. Döring, G. Ower, D. R. Hernández Robles, C. A. Plata Corredor, T. Stjernegaard Jeppesen, A. Örn, T. Pape, D. Hobern, S. Garnett, H. Little, R. E. DeWalt, J. Miller, T. Orrell, & R. Aalbu, Catalogue of Life (2026-01-16). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Catalogue of Life Foundation. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Péringuey, L. (1908). "Descriptive catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa. Additions and corrections". Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 13: 547–752. Retrieved March 25, 2026. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.