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BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
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Photos from the last gathering (Minnesota 2007)

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Species Euphoria fulgida - Emerald Euphoria

Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)
Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Subfamily Cetoniinae (Fruit and Flower Chafers)
Tribe Cetoniini
Genus Euphoria
Species fulgida (Emerald Euphoria)
Other Common Names
Blue Emerald Euphoria for Euphoria fulgida fuscocyanea
Explanation of Names
Specific name "fulgida" is Latin, meaning, apparently, "gem-like", or perhaps literally "struck by lightning." (Latin Dictionary)
Size
13-20 mm
Identification
Like a small Green June Beetle, Cotinis nitida (see guide), but more shiny, prominent brown margins. Note how the scutellum is covered by a pronotal projection in Cotinis nitida (left), but is uncovered in Euphoria fulgida (right):
Range
Northeastern United States, south to South Carolina, west to Nebraska, Texas, Arizona
Habitat
Fields with flowers, woodlands(?)
Food
Adults take nectar and/or pollen. May prefer Plum, Prunus and Shadbush, Amelanchier blooms. These are both white, spring shrubs.
Life Cycle
As for other Euphoria, presumably. Larvae are presumed to live in decaying matter, but there is suspicion of an association with ants--see genus account.
Remarks
The resemblance to Cotinis nitida is so close, one wonders if there is mimicry involved. Perhaps Cotinis nitida has chemical defenses?
Print References
Dillon, p. 552, plate LIV #4 (3)
Harpootlian, p. 117, fig. 232 (4)
Salsbury, p. 186--photo (5)
Marshall, photo 309.9 (6)
Ratcliffe (1991) (7)
Works Cited
1.American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea
By Arnett, R.H., Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley and J. H. Frank. (eds.)
2.Insects of North Carolina
By C.S. Brimley
3.A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
By Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence
4.Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina
By Phillip J. Harpootlian
5.Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White
6.Insects: Their Natural History And Diversity: With a Photographic Guide to Insects of Eastern North America
By Stephen A. Marshall
7.The scarab beetles of Nebraska
By Brett Ratcliffe