Global InformationScelophysa trimeni information
| Blue monkey beetle | |
|---|---|
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| Male S. trimeni feeding on Arctotis decurrens in Port Nolloth, South Africa | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia
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| Phylum: | Arthropoda
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| Class: | Insecta
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| Order: | Coleoptera
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| Family: | Scarabaeidae
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| Genus: | Scelophysa
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| Species: | S. trimeni
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| Binomial name | |
| Scelophysa trimeni Péringuey, 1885
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| Synonyms | |
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Scelophysa trimeni, commonly known as the blue monkey beetle, is a species of scarab beetles in the tribe Hopliini, subfamily Melolonthinae.
It is found exclusively in South Africa, particularly the Namaqualand region. As with other monkey beetles, blue monkey beetles have characteristically moveable and unequally sized tarsal claws, particularly on the strong hind legs of the males. Males of the species are covered in minute sky-blue scales while the scales of the females are sienna brown.
Blue monkey beetles are important pollinators of the Namaqualand region, especially for Mesembryanthemum and some daisy species, on which they primarily feed.