Diabrotica speciosa | |
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Diabrotica speciosa beetle. | |
Ventral view. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Chrysomelidae |
Subfamily: | Galerucinae |
Tribe: | Luperini |
Subtribe: | Diabroticina |
Genus: | Diabrotica |
Species: | D. speciosa
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Binomial name | |
Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824)
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Diabrotica speciosa, also known as the cucurbit beetle and in Spanish as vaquita de San Antonio (this common name is also given to many ladybugs) is an insect pest native to South America. Its larvae feed on the roots of crops.[1][2][3] The cucurbit beetle is also known to transmit several viruses such as comoviruses and different mosaic viruses. This is native to South America and is now distributed in Central America and other global areas.
Common names include the Cucurbit Beetle and San Antonio beetle.[4][5] Their native land is South America in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.[4] Their current distribution is in Central America including countries such as Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama.[4] There are no known location or year of first introduction of D. speciosa to new habitats.[6]