Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily
Rutelinae
Rutelinae or shining leaf chafers is a subfamily of the scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae). It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains some 200 genera with over 4,000 described species in 7 tribes. Several taxa ...
. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
. Christmas beetles are large (20–30 mm long) members of the
scarab family that are noisy and clumsy fliers, similar to the
cockchafer
The common cockchafer (''Melolontha melolontha''), also colloquially known as the Maybug, Maybeetle, or doodlebug, is a species of scarab beetle belonging to the genus '' Melolontha.'' It is native to Europe, and it is one of several closely-rel ...
s of Europe. They typically have
elytra
An elytron (; ; : elytra, ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometime ...
that are dark or light brown, or green, while some species have a green-yellow
iridescence
Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear gradually to change colour as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Iridescence is caused by wave interference of light in microstru ...
.
The genus includes 35 species, several of which have been implicated in dieback of
eucalypts
Eucalypt is any woody plant with capsule fruiting bodies belonging to one of seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australia:
''Eucalyptus'', ''Corymbia'', ''Angophora'', '' Stockwellia'', ''Allosyncarpia'', '' E ...
. ''
Anoplognathus pallidicollis
''Anoplognathus pallidicollis'' is a relatively large beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, native to Australia. The beetle has a life span of 24 months and it grows up to 20 mm in length. Adults were once common in the summer months, particul ...
'' is the species most commonly observed and associated with the name of Christmas beetle. However, there is a tendency for the name Christmas beetle to be used more ambiguously to refer to other metallic beetles not in this family, such as the stag beetle genus ''
Lamprima''. The smaller Argentine lawn beetle, ''
Cyclocephala
''Cyclocephala'' is a genus of scarab beetles from the subfamily Dynastinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Beetles of this genus occur from southeastern Canada to Argentina, India and the West Indies.
Adults of this genus are nocturnal or crepuscu ...
signaticollis'', is prevalent in December and may also be referred to as a "Christmas beetle", labelled by the Australian Museum as an "impostor".
[Australian Museum, Bushblitz, Mike HB Illustration. ''Xmas Beetle ID Guide'' mobile app. Vi]
/ref>
Species
Species include:
* '' Anoplognathus abnormis''
* '' Anoplognathus aeneus''
* '' Anoplognathus aureus''
* '' Anoplognathus blackdownensis''
* '' Anoplognathus boisduvalii''
* '' Anoplognathus brevicollis''
* ''Anoplognathus brunnipennis
''Anoplognathus brunnipennis'', commonly known as the brown- or golden-brown Christmas beetle, is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae native to eastern Australia, being common in coastal Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, the Great Dividin ...
''
* '' Anoplognathus chloropyrus''
* '' Anoplognathus concolor''
* '' Anoplognathus daemeli''
* '' Anoplognathus flavipennis''
* '' Anoplognathus flindersensis''
* ''Anoplognathus hirsutus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus macalpinei
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus macleayi
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus montanus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus multiseriatus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus narmarus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus nebulosus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christmas beetles because they are abundant in both urban and rural areas close to Christmas ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus olivieri
''Anoplognathus olivieri'' is a species of beetle within the genus ''Anoplognathus
Christmas beetle is a name commonly applied to the Australian beetle genus ''Anoplognathus'', which belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae. They are known as Christ ...
''
* ''Anoplognathus pallidicollis
''Anoplognathus pallidicollis'' is a relatively large beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, native to Australia. The beetle has a life span of 24 months and it grows up to 20 mm in length. Adults were once common in the summer months, particul ...
''
* '' Anoplognathus parvulus''
* '' Anoplognathus pindarus''
* '' Anoplognathus porosus''
* ''Anoplognathus prasinus
''Anoplognathus prasinus'', commonly known as the green Christmas beetle, is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae native to eastern Australia.
The green Christmas beetle was described by Francis de Laporte de Castelnau in 1840 as ''Paranonca pras ...
''
* '' Anoplognathus punctulatus''
* '' Anoplognathus rhinastus''
* '' Anoplognathus rothschildti''
* '' Anoplognathus rubiginosus''
* '' Anoplognathus rugosus''
* '' Anoplognathus smaragdinus''
* '' Anoplognathus suturalis''
* '' Anoplognathus velutinus''
* '' Anoplognathus viridiaeneus''
* '' Anoplognathus viriditarsis''
References
''Anoplognathus''
ANIC Specimen Database. Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO Entomology
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2852318
Scarabaeidae
Beetles of Australia