The goldenrod soldier beetle or Pennsylvania leatherwing (''Chauliognathus pensylvanicus'') is a species of

soldier beetle The soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are relatively soft-bodied, straight-sided beetles. They are cosmopolitan in distribution. One of the first described species has a color pattern reminiscent of the red coats of early British soldiers, he ...

(Cantharidae).

Nomenclature

The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

' is Latin for "of Pennsylvania". The spelling with one ''n'' was in common use at the time (de Geer says in the description that the specimen was sent to him from 'Pensylvanie'), so the species name based on it cannot be corrected under the rules governing scientific names.

Distribution

The species is native to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, and is one of the most common species of soldier beetle in the Midwest.

Ecology

''C. pensylvanicus'' has been identified as an important pollinator of the prairie onion. Adults of the species are active in late summer and early fall. The beetle prefers yellow flowers.

Parasites

Adult ''C. pensylvanicus'' may be infected by the fungus '' Eryniopsis lampyridarum''. After the fungus infects the host, it takes about two weeks for it to eventually kill its host. Before the host dies, the fungus orders the beetle to climb a plant and then attach itself to a flower by biting down with its mandibles into flower heads. About 15–22 hours later, the fungus causes the dead beetles to raise their elytra and expand their metathoracic wings in order to maximise infection of other beetles. With their wings raised, the dead beetles may still attract mates as live males were observed mating with the deceased, infected females, this then transmits spores from one insect-host to another.

Gallery

File:Goldenrod soldier beetles.webm, thumbtime=0, Goldenrod soldier beetles foraging on yellow ironweed File:Goldenrod soldier beetles mating.webm, thumbtime=0, Goldenrod soldier beetles mating on yellow ironweed File:Goldenrod soldier beetles taking flight.webm, thumbtime=258, Goldenrod soldier beetles taking flight from yellow ironweed, followed by slow motion (taken at 3,840 frames per second) File:Goldenrod_soldier_beetle_pollinating_flower.jpg, Goldenrod soldier beetle pollinating coneflower

References

External links

Soldier Beetles. Family Cantharidae
Canadian Bioversity Beetles of North America Cantharidae Beetles described in 1774 Taxa named by Charles De Geer {{Cantharidae-stub